The Committee on Health and Human Services met to consider the following bills. SB 355 West | et al., Relating to developing a strategic plan to ensure that the provision of…
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The Committee met on March 26 to consider the following: SB 1233 Kolkhorst, Relating to controlled substance prescriptions under the Texas Controlled Substances Act; authorizing a fee. SB 1564 West,…
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MEETING SUMMARY
Call to order: Roll was called. A quorum was present.
Approval of minutes from October 26, 2018: The minutes were approved.
New business
Public comment on drug classes and therapeutic and clinical drug reviews to be reviewed for the Medicaid Preferred Drug List (PDL):
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The Committee met to discuss and hear testimony on the monitoring and prescribing of controlled substances in this state. The Sunset Commission mandated the use of the Prescription Monitoring Program…
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Meeting Summary. The Select Committee met on August 8th to hear public testimony on all previously considered committee charges. Public testimony was limited to three (3) minutes. This was the 6th…
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Meeting Summary. The Select Committee met on August 7 to consider the following 2 interim charges (Charge 6 and Charge 8): Charge 6: Examine the impact of substance abuse and substance use disorders on Texans who are involved in the adult or juvenile criminal justice system and/or the Child Protective Services system. Identify barriers to treatment and the availability of treatment in various areas of the state. Recommend solutions to improve state and local policy, including alternatives to justice system involvement, and ways to increase access to effective treatment and recovery options.
Charge 8: Identify the specialty courts in Texas that specialize in substance use disorders. Determine the effectiveness of these courts and consider solutions to increase the number of courts in Texas.
This report addresses only Charge 6.
Invited testimony only.
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Meeting Summary. The Select Committee met to consider testimony on the following interim charge: Monitor and evaluate the implementation of legislation passed by the 85th Legislature regarding the Prescription Monitoring Program. In addition, review the prescribing of addictive drugs by physicians and other health care providers within various geographic regions of this state. Determine the role of health care professionals in preventing overutilization and diversion of addictive prescriptions. Provide recommendations that will improve efforts to prevent overutilization and diversion of addictive prescriptions.
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This posting summarizes policy solutions being offered to address the opioid crisis. The American Public Health Association recommends that policy strategies addressing the epidemic must affect both supply and demand of opioids that would be misused and/or abused. Policies are listed in the tables below (Part I), followed by systemic changes that may be helpful in reducing suffering and public expenditures associated with opioid misuse and addiction (Part II). Key stakeholder institutions have issued guidelines on the epidemic and these are briefly discussed in Part III.
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Meeting Summary. The Select Committee met to consider testimony on the following interim charge: Monitor and evaluate the implementation of legislation passed by the 85th Legislature regarding the Prescription Monitoring Program. In addition, review the prescribing of addictive drugs by physicians and other health care providers within various geographic regions of this state. Determine the role of health care professionals in preventing overutilization and diversion of addictive prescriptions. Provide recommendations that will improve efforts to prevent overutilization and diversion of addictive prescriptions.
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Meeting Summary. The Select Committee met to consider invited testimony only on the following interim charges:
Continuation of Charge 1: Study the prevalence and impact of substance use and substance use disorders in Texas, including co-occurring mental illness. Study the prevalence and impact of opioids and synthetic drugs in Texas. Review the history of overdoses and deaths due to overdoses. Also review other health-related impacts due to substance abuse. Identify substances that are contributing to overdoses, related deaths and health impacts, and compare the data to other states. During the review, identify effective and efficient prevention and treatment responses by health care systems, including hospital districts and coordination across state and local governments. Recommend solutions to prevent overdoses and related health impacts and deaths in Texas.
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