2130 Training and Implementation Policy for Opioid Antagonist Administration

Senate Bill 395, commonly referred to as "Wesley’s Law," was passed by the 2024 Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Brian P. Kemp with an effective date of July 1, 2024. In part, Wesley’s Law requires qualified government buildings to maintain at least three (3) unit doses of opioid antagonists and ensure the availability and accessibility of opioid antagonists during regular business hours and outside of regular business hours at government entity events.

Accordingly, it is the policy of the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) to ensure that opioid antagonists are available and accessible for administration by trained staff at his or her election at any DHS office identified as a qualified government building in accordance with the provisions of Wesley’s Law.

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to staff regarding DHS' plan to implement and comply with the requirements of Wesley’s Law applicable to DHS qualified buildings. This policy will also address mandatory training, educational resources, and immunity provisions related to Wesley’s Law.

O.C.G.A § 31-2A-20
O.C.G.A.§ 20-2-776.5

SB 395 - Model Policy on Naloxone Training and Education

This policy applies to all staff of the Georgia Department of Human Services

In this policy, unless the context otherwise requires,

"DHS qualified building" includes any DHS building or office identified as a qualified government building.

"Government entity" includes any state board, commission, agency, or department.

"Opioid antagonist" means a drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of an opioid related overdose. The terms "opioid blocker," "naloxone," and "Narcan" may be used interchangeably with "opioid antagonist" throughout this policy.

"Qualified government building" means a building in which a government entity is housed or meets in its official capacity, including the portion occupied by a government entity of any building that is not publicly owned, provided that such building contains an automated external defibrillator.

All DHS employees are required to complete DHS mandatory training, "Wesley’s Law: Responding to an Opioid Overdose" on or before December 1, 2024 and annually thereafter as part of the DHS Annual Mandatory Training curriculum. All new DHS employees must complete the required training within 45 days of their hire date.

Training will be available to all staff on the DHS Learning Management System (LMS) and include the following topics: Opioids and their Effects, Routes of Exposure, Recognizing Signs of an Overdose, Naloxone Administration, After administering Naloxone, and Naloxone guidance. In addition, the training will include instructions to staff regarding the storage location of opioid antagonists at DHS qualified buildings, and an awareness of safe storage temperatures and expiration dates.

Documentation of staff completion of mandatory training will be maintained by the Office of Enterprise Development (OED) in accordance with established procedures.

The mandatory training module developed by DHS related to the administration of opioid antagonists must include the following attestation statement as documentation of staff completion of the training:

"I understand that as an employee of DHS, I am required to complete mandatory opioid antagonist administration training. I fully understand that completing this training does not obligate me to render aid to a person whom I believe to be experiencing an opioid-related overdose, nor subject me to any disciplinary action by DHS for failing to render aid. I also understand that if I choose to render such aid, I am immune from civil liability or professional discipline for any good faith act related to the emergency administration of an opioid antagonist. I understand that only trained persons may administer an opioid antagonist."

Any revisions to the required attestation statement must be approved by the Office of General Counsel.

All DHS policies and educational and resource materials developed for the purpose of providing guidance or training to staff relating to the provisions of Wesley’s Law and the administration of opioid antagonists must contain the following statements:

"Any trained individual may administer an opioid antagonist to any person whom the trained individual believes in good faith to be experiencing an opioid-related overdose."

"Georgia law provides that any trained individual shall be immune from civil liability or professional discipline for any good faith act or omission to act in the emergency administration of an opioid antagonist to a person believed to be having an opioid related overdose."

Each DHS qualified building will have six (6) doses of an opioid blocker on hand. At no time shall a DHS qualified building have available and accessible less than three (3) unexpired doses of an opioid blocker for administration by trained staff to a person reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid-related overdose.

The doses of opioid blockers required to be maintained at DHS qualified buildings will be housed in an unlocked cabinet mounted on a wall located next to the automated external defibrillator (AED). The cabinet will be equipped with an alarm that sounds when opened along with easy-to-read signage that identifies the area as a storage area for opioid antagonists in accordance with established procedures.

The Office of Facilities and Support Services will source and purchase Naloxone in accordance with established processes and procedures.

Office of Facilities and Support Services (OFSS). OFSS will be responsible for the administration of this policy, including but not limited to the following as related to DHS qualified buildings: identify DHS qualified buildings; order and distribute opioid blockers; maintain required dosages of opioid blockers; track and report distribution and usage of opioid blockers; track expiration dates; dispose of expired opioid blockers; conduct an annual inspection of DHS buildings to ensure compliance with this policy; and all other duties necessary to support the administration of this policy. All OFSS responsibilities will be performed in accordance with established processes and procedures.

Office of Enterprise Development (OED). OED will be responsible for developing and providing training and education necessary for DHS employees to meet DHS training requirements related to Wesley’s Law, including but not limited to the following: ensure all staff receive required training in a timely manner; monitor, track and maintain documentation of staff completion of required training; and all other duties necessary to support compliance with training and education requirements. All OED responsibilities will be performed in accordance with established processes and procedures.

Office of General Counsel (OGC). OGC will be responsible for conducting annual reviews of policy provisions to ensure continued compliance with state law requirements. OGC will update this policy as necessary to reflect any subsequent revisions to applicable state law provisions.

None

The Office of the General Counsel will evaluate the effectiveness of the policy annually.