Purpose

To modify and expand the state’s comprehensive drug overdose and morbidity program, aiming to reduce overdoses, improve surveillance and prevention, and address substance use and related harms across Minnesota.

Key Provisions (What the bill would do)

• Establish and empower the comprehensive drug overdose and morbidity program to conduct epidemiologic investigations, surveillance, and evaluation to monitor and prevent drug overdoses statewide through integrated strategies.
• Advance access to evidence-based nonnarcotic pain management services.
• Implement culturally specific interventions and prevention programs for populations in greatest need, including pregnant people and their infants.
• Enhance overdose prevention and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness, including funding for emergency and short-term housing subsidies via a homeless overdose prevention hub and expanded syringe services programs.
• Equip employers to promote employee health by addressing substance misuse and overdose, including:
  • Development and implementation of a Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative (in collaboration with the departments of Employment and Economic Development and Labor and Industry).
  • Outreach to the business community to form public-private partnerships.
  • Encouraging Minnesota employers to adopt recovery-friendly workplace policies and practices.
• Improve outbreak detection and identification of substances involved in overdoses through expanded use of the Minnesota Drug Overdose and Substance Use Surveillance Activity (MNDOSA).
• Implement Tackling Overdose With Networks (TOWN) community prevention programs.
• Identify, address, and respond to drug overdose and morbidity in those who are pregnant or have recently given birth through multitiered approaches that may include:
  • Promoting medication-assisted treatment options.
  • Supporting programs that provide services consistent with evidence-based care models.
  • Collaborating with interdisciplinary professional organizations focused on quality improvement in substance use disorder care.
  • Implementing substance use disorder–related recommendations from the maternal mortality review committee as appropriate.
• Design a system to assess, address, and prevent the impacts of drug overdose and morbidity on pregnant people, their infants, and children, including:
  • Informing health care providers and the public about prevalence, risks, conditions, and treatments related to substance use disorders involving pregnancy, infants, and children.
  • Identifying communities, families, infants, and children affected by substance use disorder to guide targeted interventions, prevention, and services.

Changes to Existing Law

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 144.0528, subdivision 2 to explicitly establish and authorize the comprehensive drug overdose and morbidity program with the expanded strategies listed above, including its focus areas on homelessness, workplaces, pregnancy-related impacts, and enhanced surveillance.

Implementation and Focus

• Administered by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health.
• Includes funding elements such as emergency and short-term housing subsidies through the homeless overdose prevention hub and expanded syringe services for people experiencing homelessness.
• Creates and expands programs and initiatives (Recovery Friendly Workplace, MNDOSA, TOWN) to coordinate prevention, treatment, and community engagement.
• Emphasizes prevention, treatment access (including medication-assisted treatment), and alignment with maternal health and safety considerations.

Beneficiaries and Population Focus

• Pregnant people and their infants, as well as children.
• People experiencing homelessness.
• The broader public and health care providers through improved information and interventions.
• Employers and the business community through the Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative.

Potential Impacts

• Greater integration of overdose prevention, surveillance, and intervention efforts across health care, housing, employment, and community organizations.
• Increased access to nonnarcotic pain management and evidence-based treatments for opioid and other substance use disorders.
• More targeted support for pregnant people and families affected by substance use.
• Strengthened data collection and reporting on overdoses and substance use, enabling focused prevention work.

Relevant Terms - comprehensive drug overdose and morbidity program - epidemiologic investigations - surveillance and evaluation - evidence-based nonnarcotic pain management - culturally specific interventions - populations in greatest need - pregnant people and infants - homelessness - emergency housing subsidies - homeless overdose prevention hub - syringe services programs - Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative - public-private partnership - workplace policies and practices - Minnesota Drug Overdose and Substance Use Surveillance Activity (MNDOSA) - Tackling Overdose With Networks (TOWN) - medication-assisted treatment (MAT) - substance use disorder - maternal mortality review committee - pregnant, infants, and children impacts - targeted interventions and services