Polinchock, Heffley Attend First Meeting of Committee Studying Next Step Options for Treating Drug Addiction

September 27, 2019

HARRISBURG – Reps. Todd Polinchock (R-Bucks) and Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) today attended the inaugural meeting of an advisory committee established by the Joint State Government Commission that is conducting a study on “warm handoff to treatment” for individuals in Pennsylvania struggling with drug addiction.

Polinchock is the prime sponsor of House Resolution 216, which initiated the study and created a legislative task force to which he and Heffley were appointed by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny). The task force will present a report on its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives within 18 months.

“We all know the stories of emergency services personnel in our communities using Narcan to revive someone at death’s door, only to have to re-treat the same individual weeks, or even days, later. Such repetition is a sign that we are failing in our mission,” said Polinchock in his opening remarks to the committee. “We must find a better strategy to get those addicted onto the path of true recovery. We must make sure those with addictions find proper and effective detox and treatment resources across all levels of care. That is the goal of our task force.”

Heffley is the prime sponsor of House Bill 424, which would establish a statewide “warm handoff” program to ensure drug overdose survivors receive treatment after they are released from the hospital.

“We anxiously wait for this information to come back to us so we can make the most informed decisions, and really put forth legislation that is going to make a difference in people’s lives,” Heffley said. “It can’t happen fast enough.”

The advisory committee created by Polinchock’s resolution consists of physicians, hospital administrators, EMS company representatives, law enforcement officials and drug treatment experts. They will examine methods of collecting useful data, identify funding sources, and, most importantly, find ways to stabilize those suffering from a drug addiction and getting them into treatment.

Joining Heffley and Polinchock as members of the bipartisan task force are Reps. Joe Hohenstein (D-Philadelphia) and Bridget Kosierowski (D-Lackawanna).

Representative Todd Polinchock
144th Legislative District
RepPolinchock.com / Facebook.com/RepPolinchock
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd Legislative District
RepHeffley.com / Facebook.com/RepHeffley
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Polinchock Media Contact: Rene Morrow 717-260-6273
Heffley Media Contact: Andy Briggs 717-260-6474