It’s time to act on H.O.P.E.

This week, I testified in support of H.2125 — An Act helping overdosing persons in emergencies — also known as the H.O.P.E. Act. I filed the act with Senator Joan B. Lovely (D–Second Essex), and it was well received by the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. In 2020, overdose deaths from opioid use reached a record high of 93,331 (Centers for Disease Control). While these estimates are not final, this is more than 20,000 deaths above the previous high in 2019 and the largest single-year percentage increase on record since 1999, directly highlighting the drastic toll that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the raging opioid epidemic in our Commonwealth and across our nation.

In 2017, an individual in my district died from an overdose in the presence of a first-responder while waiting for Narcan to arrive. Narcan (naloxone) is a life-saving opioid antagonist that saves thousands from opioid death each year, and is a critical resource that we need in order to combat the worsening opioid crisis. This is a particularly crucial resource in rural areas such as the Berkshires, where we can’t be sure which first-responder will be the first to arrive. But in Berkshire County, nearly 60 percent of first-responders do not carry an opioid antagonist. This is why I filed the H.O.P.E Act, and this is why we need to act on it.

When first responders arrive on the scene, it should be a guarantee that they can administer life-saving treatments such as Narcan without hesitation. This bill requires all first-responders to carry an opioid antagonist on their person or in their vehicle while on duty, and reinforces the importance of training so that any person who enters an overdose situation is equipped, prepared, and able to save a life. With numerous police and fire departments throughout Massachusetts already implementing these protocols and procedures, this bill seeks to codify the important steps that are already being taken across the State.

Not only is this legislation important for people at risk of overdosing, but it also protects first-responders and families who may be exposed to lethal substances. In 2019, two Southwick police officers self-administered Narcan while responding to an overdose after exposure to fentanyl. This is not an isolated case — there are countless other examples where opioid antagonists have not only saved a person at risk of overdose, but have simultaneously ensured the health or safety of those around them.

The cost of implementing Narcan programs — which has been mitigated and simplified by the work of the Attorney General’s office and the Baker Administration’s recovery relief efforts — does not come close to equating the cost of losing a life that could have been saved with access to proper treatment. If we want any chance of tackling the opioid epidemic, and if we want to see those struggling with substance use get to the stage of recovery, we need to take swift, bold, and urgent action to implement comprehensive solutions. It’s time to give our communities and families an opportunity for a healthier tomorrow, and it’s time to act on H.O.P.E.