S.O.S. Act

Bill: 113-hr-4169
Sponsor: Rep. Edwards, Donna F. [D-MD-4]
Introduced: 2014-03-06 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Department of Health and Human Services
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
First responders and emergency personnel
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical education
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2014-03-06
text: 
Stop Overdose Stat Act or the S.O.S. Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) award grants or enter into cooperative agreements to enable eligible entities to reduce deaths occurring from drug overdoses, and (2) give priority to eligible public health agencies or community-based organizations that have expertise in preventing deaths occurring from overdoses in high risk populations.
 
Conditions receipt of a grant or agreement on an entity agreeing to: (1) use it for purchasing and distributing the drug naloxone, (2) report to the Secretary and the coordinating center (established under this Act) on the results of the activities supported, and (3) make available non-federal contributions of at least 50% of the federal funds provided. Requires a recipient to use such grant or agreement for: (1) educating prescribers and pharmacists about overdose prevention and naloxone prescription; (2) training first responders, other individuals in a position to respond to an overdose, and law enforcement and corrections officials on the effective response to individuals who have overdosed on drugs; (3) implementing and enhancing programs to provide overdose prevention, recognition, treatment, and response; and/or (4) expanding such activities.
 
Requires the Director to establish and provide for the operation of a coordinating center responsible for: (1) collecting, compiling, disseminating, and evaluating data on such activities; (2) developing best practices for preventing deaths occurring from drug overdoses; and (3) making such best practices specific to the type of community involved. 
 
Requires the Director to award grants or cooperative agreements to improve drug overdose surveillance and reporting capabilities.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to develop and submit to Congress a plan to reduce the number of deaths occurring from overdoses, to include implementation of a campaign to educate prescribers and the public about overdose prevention and naloxone prescription. 
 
Requires the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to: (1) prioritize and conduct or support research on drug overdose and overdose prevention, and (2) support research on the development of formulations of naloxone and dosage delivery devices specifically intended to be used for the prehospital treatment of unintentional drug overdose.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-03-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-03-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2014-03-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-03-06
text: Introduced in House