Opioid Policy Fellows 2020

3/9/2020

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Health Program

The Opioid Policy Fellows program is designed to support legislators who are experienced or emerging leaders on opioid addiction and overdose issues. This meeting introduced fellows to the year-long program and will build learning in a peer setting. The meeting goals include:

Build knowledge about new research, policy and innovations.
Exchange ideas and solutions with other legislative leaders related to opioid misuse and overdose and related issues.
Connect with leading researchers and policy experts.
Identify practical information to use in your state and develop action steps.

Meet the Fellows

Representative Craig Lipscomb, Alabama

Representative Marsh Davis, Arkansas

Representative Jack Ladyman, Arkansas

Senator Rhonda Fields, Colorado

Representative Christopher Todd, Hawaii

Senator James Merritt, Indiana

Senator Stephen Meredith, Kentucky

Senator Beth Mizell, Louisiana

Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes, Maryland

Senator Julian Cyr, Massachusetts

Senator Curt VanderWall, Michigan

Senator William White, Missouri

Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, New Jersey

Senator Julia Ratti, Nevada

Representative Wayne Sasser, North Carolina

Representative T.J. Marti, Oklahoma

Senator Darrell Weaver, Oklahoma

Senator Jose Rivera, New York

Representative Jay West, South Carolina

Representative Marybeth Redmond, Vermont

Senator Manka Dhingra, Washington

Representative Nicole Macri, Washington

Opioid Policy Fellows Kickoff Meeting

Held at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown in Austin, Texas

**Agenda**
Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020
7:30-8 a.m.	Registration, Breakfast & Networking
8-9 a.m.	Welcome and Overview Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL Kate Blackman, NCSL Erica Reott, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
9-9:40 a.m.	Setting the Stage Speakers provided an overview of the opioid epidemic and discuss recent federal actions as well as funding available to states. Moderator: Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Speaker: Dr. Cherie Rooks-Peck, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-15 pages
9:40-10:35 a.m.	Dialogue with State Health Officials State health officials discussed efforts in their states, including challenges and successes. State health officials and Fellows will have the opportunity to discuss issues in their own states and ask questions of each other. Moderator: Tahra Johnson, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Nathaniel Smith, Arkansas Department of Health \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-9 pages Dr. Jay Butler, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
10:45-11:05 a.m.	Action Planning—“Think, Pair, Share”
11:05-11:40 a.m.	Emerging Challenges in Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) have emerged as a leading strategy for states to prevent and intervene in opioid misuse. This session highlighted emerging challenges and solutions including using and integrating PDMP data in key health provider settings. Moderator: Kate Blackman, NCSL Speaker: Sherry Green, Sherry L. Green & Associates, LLC \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-9 pages
11:50 a.m.-12:50 p.m.	Lunch and Brain Science of Addiction The speaker discussed the science behind addiction and participants will have the opportunity to explore the implications for policymakers. Moderator: Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Maher Karam-Hage, University of Texas
1-2:15 p.m.	On the Continuum of Care: Recovery and Support This session focused on state policies and programs designed to facilitate treatment, recovery and long term supports. Moderator: Karmen Hanson, NCSL Speakers: Aaron Williams, National Council for Behavioral Health \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-29 pages Dave Sheridan, National Alliance for Recovery Residences \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-34 pages
2:30-3:30 p.m.	Infectious Disease Consequences of the Opioid Crisis This session provided an overview of the infectious disease consequences of the opioid crisis. Speakers will share state strategies for prevent and intervention to reduce transmission rates and prevent outbreaks. Moderator: Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Jay Butler, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-26 pages
3:45-4:45 p.m.	Interactive Session—Networking and Action Planning Fellows had the opportunity to speak with their colleagues about their challenges and successes. This peer-learning opportunity gave Fellows time to continue their action plan based on their conversations with peers.
4:45-5 p.m.	Wrapup
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020
8-8:30 a.m.	Breakfast and Networking Participants had the opportunity to informally network and discuss key topics in their home states.
8:30-10 a.m.	Converging Crises: Opioid Use, Suicide and Adverse Childhood Experiences Substance use disorders and suicide have both claimed the lives of roughly 700,000 Americans since 1999. These crises share many overlapping risk and protective factors and many strategies can prevent deaths by both causes. This session explored this overlap with a particular focus on the role of adverse childhood experience on later health outcomes. Moderator: Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Christopher Jones, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-40 pages
10:15-11:15 a.m.	Opioids in the Courtroom This session provided an overview of the ongoing opioid litigation across the 50 states. The session will pay particular attention to process involved with the consolidated case in Ohio, how settlements may be determined and the role of state legislatures in this process. Moderator: Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL Speaker: Paul Singer, senior counsel to the attorney general for public protection, Texas Attorney General’s Office
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Lunch and Medicaid Strategies This session covered strategies to address the opioid crisis through your state’s Medicaid program. This will include a discussion of the various waivers available and innovative treatment programs. Moderator: Karmen Hanson, NCSL Speaker: Emily Blanford, NCSL \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-12 pages
12:45-1:30 p.m.	Looking Down the Road This session focused on the opioid epidemic as a part of a larger addiction crisis and the ways that leaders in all sectors can approach and intervene in the crisis. Moderator: Kate Blackman, NCSL Speakers: Patty McCarthy, executive director, Faces & Voices of Recovery
1:30-2 p.m.	Action Planning and Wrapup

Second Meeting

Virtual Zoom Meeting: Policy Solutions and Innovations
September 9 - 10, 2020

**Agenda**
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
11-11:15 a.m.	Welcome Speakers: Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Elizabeth Zurick, NCSL
11:15-12 p.m.	Fellows Report Out This session will provide an opportunity for Fellows to share their challenges and successes since the last meeting. Fellows will provide updates on their action plans and share new developments, policies and programs in their states. Moderators: Charlie Severance-Medaris and Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL
12-12:30 p.m.	The “Fourth Wave” of the Opioid Epidemic The first three “waves” of the opioid epidemic saw rises in overdose due to prescription opioids, then heroin and finally synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Now, addiction experts talk of a cresting fourth wave in the epidemic: the widespread use of stimulants and other illicit drugs alongside opioids. Fellows will have the opportunity to learn about these three waves and the impacts and policy options for a fourth wave. Moderator: Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-17 pages
1-2:30 p.m.	Non-Traditional Partners: Criminal Justice System This session will focus on collaboration between health and justice system actors at various levels of government to improve outcomes for individuals. Faculty will highlight strategies such as deflection and diversion as well as talk about success with integration of medication-assisted treatment into various parts of the justice system. Moderator: Amber Widgery, NCSL Speakers: Hon. Peter J. Koutoujian, Sheriff, Middlesex County, Massachusetts \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-21 pages Hon. John Tilley, Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, former Kentucky state representative & former Secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet
Thursday, September 9, 2020
11-12:30 p.m.	Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy – Intersection with Criminal Justice Opioid Policy Fellows and Maternal and Child Health Fellows will learn about substance use and its intersection with pregnant women, neonatal abstinence syndrome and system level connections. The session will provide the opportunity for discussing solutions and sharing state strategies. Moderator: Tammy Jo Musgraves, NCSL Speakers: Dr. Deepa Nagar, NICU Medical Director/Chair Department of Peds and Co-Director of the EMPOWERED program Andria Peterson, PharmD, Co-Director of the EMPOWERED program \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-53 pages Duane Slone, Circuit Court Judge, 4^th Judicial District, State of Tennessee and Chairman, Appalachian-Midwestern Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-29 pages
1-1:45 p.m.	COVID-19 and the Opioid Epidemic This session will focus on the effects of COVID-19 on the ongoing opioid epidemic. Speakers will focus on the changes to treatment modalities, including telehealth, and how states have innovated to prevent misuse and overdose during the pandemic. Moderator: Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL Speaker: Dr. Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, Ph.D., Elizabeth Garrett Chair in Health Policy, Economics & Law and Professor of Health Policy and Management, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California \| Powerpoint \| PDF file-24 pages
1:45 -2:15 p.m.	Action Planning
2:15-2:30 p.m.	Wrap Up and Report Out

Webinars

As part of the Opioid Policy Fellows program, Fellows are required to participate in two webinars. Topics and speakers will be announced when available.

Webinar 1: Friday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. PT | Noon MT | 1 p.m. CT | 2 p.m. ET
Webinar 2: Friday, April 10, 11 a.m. PT | Noon MT | 1 p.m. CT | 2 p.m. ET