Allows a person who is authorized by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to train individuals on the administration of naloxone for use in opioid overdose reversal and who is acting on behalf of an organization that provides services to individuals at risk of experiencing opioid overdose or training in the administration of naloxone for overdose reversal and that has obtained a controlled substances registration from the Board of Pharmacy pursuant to § 54.1-3423 to dispense naloxone to a person who has completed a training program on the administration of naloxone for opioid overdose reversal, provided that such dispensing is (i) pursuant to a standing order issued by a prescriber, (ii) in accordance with protocols developed by the Board of Pharmacy in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health, and (iii) without charge or compensation. The bill also provides that dispensing may occur at a site other than that of the controlled substance registration, provided that the entity possessing the controlled substance registration maintains records in accordance with regulations of the Board of Pharmacy. The bill further provides that a person who dispenses naloxone shall not be liable for civil damages of ordinary negligence for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment if he acts in good faith and that a person to whom naloxone has been dispensed pursuant to the provisions of the bill may possess naloxone and may administer naloxone to a person who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life-threatening opioid overdose. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to
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Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) to convene a work group to study barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth. Such work group shall include representatives of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and Health and Social Services and such other stakeholders as the Secretary may deem appropriate and shall (i) review current policies and practices governing the identification and treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth; (ii) identify barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth, including barriers related to identification and reporting of such infants, data collection, interagency coordination and collaboration, service planning, service availability, and funding; and (iii) develop legislative, budgetary, and policy recommendations for the elimination of barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth. The Secretary shall report his findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2017. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Moves the requirement that a child be a citizen or legal resident of the United States from the definition of "child with special needs" to the eligibility criteria for the adoptive parents of such child to receive adoption assistance. The bill modifies the exception to the eligibility requirement that efforts be made to place the child in an adoptive home without the provision of adoption assistance to include consideration of the child's best interest due to factors such as the child's development of significant emotional ties with his foster parents while in their care, provided that the foster parents wish to adopt the child. Under current law, the exception is limited to situations in which the child has developed emotional ties with his foster parents and the foster parents wish to adopt the child. The bill modifies other requirements for a child with special needs to receive certain types of adoption assistance and for a child who is between the ages of 18 and 21 to receive adoption assistance. The bill also provides that a representative of the Department of Social Services shall negotiate all adoption assistance agreements with both existing and prospective adoptive parents on behalf of local departments of social services.
Requires local departments of social services to collect information during a family assessment to determine whether the mother of a child who was exposed in utero to a controlled substance sought substance abuse counseling or treatment prior to the child's birth. The bill requires mandated reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect to make a report if a finding is made by a health care provider (i) within six weeks following a child's birth that the child was born affected by substance abuse or experiencing withdrawal symptoms resulting from in utero drug exposure; (ii) within four years following a child's birth that the child has an illness, disease, or condition that is attributable to maternal abuse of a controlled substance during pregnancy; or (iii) within four years following a child's birth that the child has a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder attributable to in utero exposure to alcohol. The bill provides that if a local department of social services receives a report or complaint of suspected child abuse or neglect on the basis of one or more of the aforementioned factors, the local department shall (a) conduct a family assessment, unless an investigation is required by law or is necessary to protect the safety of the child, and (b) develop a plan of safe care in accordance with federal law. The bill directs the State Board of Social Services to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to
Requires, for ophthalmic prescriptions written on or after July 1, 2017, that an ophthalmologist or optometrist establish a bona fide provider-patient relationship with a patient prior to prescribing spectacles, eyeglasses, lenses, or contact lenses, and sets out requirements for establishing such relationship, which includes options for examination of the patient either in person or through face-to-face interactive, two-way, real-time communication or store-and-forward technologies. This bill is identical to
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a workgroup that shall include representatives of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Health, and Health Professions as well as representatives of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and each of the Commonwealth's medical schools, dental schools, schools of pharmacy, physician assistant education programs, and nursing education programs to develop educational standards and curricula for training health care providers, including physicians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, physician assistants, and nurses, in the safe and appropriate use of opioids to treat pain while minimizing the risk of addiction and substance abuse. The workgroup shall report its progress and the outcomes of its activities to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2017. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to
Directs the Board of Education to establish guidelines for alternatives to short-term and long-term suspension for consideration by local school boards. This bill is identical to