RSA 126-A:86 · New Hampshire Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission; Duties

126-A:86 New Hampshire Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission; Duties. –

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I.

The opioid abatement advisory commission in coordination with the governor's commission on addiction, treatment, and prevention, and in alignment with relevant state plans, shall:

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(a)

Consult with and advise the commissioner of the department of health and human services on the administration and management of the opioid abatement trust fund, and approve the selection of eligible fund recipients under RSA 126-A:83, II(b).

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(b)

Award grants, revolving loan funds, and matching funds to projects from the opioid abatement trust fund under RSA 126-A:83, I, in a manner consistent with the following criteria. All disbursements or grants shall require approval of the governor and executive council. Funds may be awarded if the project meets one of the following criteria:

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(1)

Reimburse the state and any political subdivision within the state for any portion of its costs related to outpatient and residential opioid use disorder (OUD) and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health (SUD/MH) treatment services, including, but not limited to costs for:

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(A)

Medications for substance use disorders (MSUD), abstinence-based treatment, treatment and recovery or other services provided by the state, any of its political subdivisions, community health centers, and not-for-profit providers, as long as no other reimbursement would otherwise have been received by any such recipient for such services; or

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(B)

Treatment provided to persons charged with crimes who are participating in a pre-trial services program, are being held on bail, are serving sentences in a state or county correctional facility, or are receiving treatment as a condition of probation, parole, or of a suspended or deferred sentence, as long as no other reimbursement would otherwise have been received by any such recipient for such services;

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(2)

Reimburse the state and any political subdivision for emergency response services related to OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues provided by law enforcement and first responders;

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(3)

Support mobile intervention, treatment, and recovery services, offered by qualified professionals, for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues or persons who have experienced an opioid overdose, including the prevention and/or treatment of secondary physical health conditions associated with, or exacerbated by, OUD;

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(4)

Support withdrawal management services for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues, including medically monitored withdrawal management, referral to treatment or connections to other services;

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(5)

Reimburse the state and any political subdivision within the state for any portion of the cost of administering FDA-approved opioid reversal agents;

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(6)

Provide access to housing for people with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues, including supportive housing, recovery housing, or housing assistance programs;

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(7)

Provide or support transportation to treatment or recovery programs or services for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues;

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(8)

Provide employment training or educational services for persons in treatment for or in recovery from OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH;

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(9)

Create or support centralized call centers that provide information and connections to appropriate services and supports for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues;

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(10)

Improve oversight of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to assure evidence-based and/or evidence-informed practices;

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(11)

Provide scholarships and supports for certified addiction counselors and other mental and behavioral health providers involved in addressing OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues, including, but not limited to, training, scholarships, fellowships, loan repayment programs, or other incentives for providers to work in rural or underserved areas of the state;

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(12)

Support efforts to prevent over-prescribing and ensure appropriate prescribing and dispensing of opioids through evidence-based and/or evidence-informed programs or strategies;

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(13)

Support enhancements or improvements consistent with state law to the prescription drug monitoring program;

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(14)

Support the education of law enforcement or other first responders regarding appropriate practices and precautions when dealing with fentanyl or other drugs.

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(15)

Support evidence-based and/or evidence-informed primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs and services, including efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, reduce isolation, build skills and resilience, and facilitate community-based prevention efforts;

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(16)

Support for public and non-public school programs and services for students with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues or who have been affected by OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH issues within their family;

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(17)

Support secondary and tertiary prevention through harm reduction programs;

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(18)

Support medication assisted treatment (MAT) type services which support the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical needs of patients with chronic pain, and/or those with pain who are in hospice and/or palliative care who have responded well to opioid therapy as defined in RSA 318-B:41, II(d)(7), yet have been subject to non-consensual dose reduction, detoxification, and/or abandonment by their providers; and

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(19)

Support services which increase access to comprehensive, integrative pain management services as an alternative to opioid therapy for those with acute and/or chronic pain and/or those with pain who are in hospice and/or palliative care.

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II.

The commission or the commissioner of the department of health and human services may identify additional responsibilities including reporting on projects and programs related to addressing the opioid epidemic, developing priorities, goals and recommendations for spending on such projects and programs, working with state agencies or outside entities to develop measures for projects and programs that address substance use disorders, making recommendations for policy changes on a state and local level, including statutory law and administrative agency regulations.

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III.

The commission shall create and maintain a website on which it shall publish its minutes, attendance rolls and votes, including records of all votes on funding requests, funding awards, and reports of funding by recipients. Source. 2020, 39:55, eff. July 1, 2020. 2022, 155:3, eff. Aug. 6, 2022. 2023, 155:2, eff. July 28, 2023. 2024, 126:2, eff. Sept. 1, 2024. 2025, 141:294, eff. July 1, 2025. State Health Improvement Plan

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