Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-3427 — NE Code / Chapter 71 / Section 71-3427
View Statute 71-3427
Status: in_force

(1) A local team shall:

(a) Promote cooperation and coordination among agencies involved in the investigation of drug overdose fatalities;

(b) Examine the incidence, causes, and contributing factors of drug overdose deaths in jurisdictions where the local team operates;

(c) Develop recommendations for changes within communities, public and private agencies, institutions, and systems, based on an analysis of the causes and contributing factors of drug overdose deaths;

(d) Advise local, regional, and state policymakers about potential changes to law, policy, funding, or practices to prevent drug overdoses;

(e) Establish and implement protocols and procedures for overdose investigations and to maintain confidentiality;

(f) Conduct a multidisciplinary review of information received pursuant to section 71-3430 regarding a person who died of a drug overdose. Such review shall be limited to records and information from which the chairperson has removed all personally identifying information. Such review shall include, but not be limited to:

(i) Consideration of the decedent's points of contact with health care systems, social services, educational institutions, child and family services, law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and any other systems with which the decedent had contact prior to death; and

(ii) Identification of the specific factors and social determinants of health that put the decedent at risk for an overdose;

(g) Recommend prevention and intervention strategies to improve coordination of services and investigations among member agencies and providers to reduce overdose deaths; and

(h) Collect, analyze, interpret, and maintain data on local overdose deaths.

(2) A local team shall only review overdose deaths that are not under active investigation by a law enforcement agency or under criminal prosecution.

(3)(a) On or before June 1, 2024, and on or before each June 1 thereafter, each local team shall submit a report to the department. The report shall include at least the following for the preceding year:

(i) The total number of fatal drug overdoses that occurred within the jurisdiction of the local team;

(ii) The number of fatal drug overdoses investigated by the local team;

(iii) The causes, manner, and contributing factors of drug overdose deaths in the team's jurisdiction, including trends;

(iv) Recommendations regarding the prevention of fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses for changes within communities, public and private agencies, institutions, and systems, based on an analysis of such causes and contributing factors. Such recommendations shall include recommended changes to laws, rules and regulations, policies, training needs, or service gaps to prevent future drug overdose deaths; and

(v) Follow-up analysis of the implementation of and results from any recommendations made by the local team, including, but not limited to, changes in local or state law, policy, or funding made as a result of the local team's recommendations.

(b) The report shall include only de-identified information and shall not identify any victim, living or dead, of a drug overdose.

(c) The report is not confidential and shall be made available to the public.

(d) The department may analyze each annual report submitted pursuant to this subsection and create a single report containing an aggregate of the data submitted. The department shall make any such report publicly available and submit it electronically to the Clerk of the Legislature.

Laws 2023, LB227, § 84.