Heroin and Opioid Public Education (HOPE) Act.

Existing law tasks the State Department of Public Health with certain specified duties related to health information and strategic planning, including opioid misuse and overdose prevention. Among other duties, existing law directs the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to award naloxone grant funding to local health departments, local government agencies, or other entities, as specified, in order to reduce the rate of fatal overdose from opioid drugs including heroin and prescription opioids. This bill would require the department, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop, coordinate, implement, and oversee a comprehensive multicultural public awareness campaign, to be known as "Heroin and Opioid Public Education (HOPE) ," upon appropriation by the Legislature or receipt of state or federal grant funding, until January 1, 2023. The bill would require the HOPE program to provide for the coordinated and widespread public dissemination of individual case stories and other generalized information that focuses on, among other things, the effects and warning signs of heroin use and opioid medication and identifying available pathways for individuals seeking help. The bill would require the HOPE program to effectuate the dissemination of information by using appropriate types of media, as specified, employing a variety of complementary educational themes and messages that are tailored to appeal to different target audiences, and using culturally and linguistically appropriate means. The bill would require the department to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature on at least an annual basis, that summarizes the actions that have been undertaken by the department to implement the bill and includes an assessment of the effectiveness of the HOPE program, as specified.