Opioid Disaster Declaration Ends After 4 Years

Gov. Tom Wolf’s opioid disaster declaration ended after the General Assembly declined to extend the declaration under the new provisions of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Previously, the declaration had been renewed 15 times. Wolf continues to press for renewal. 

Many efforts to fight the opioid epidemic will continue. For more on how the commonwealth is fighting the epidemic, click here. The state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs recently highlighted its success with a warm handoff program aimed at providing a direct referral from the emergency room to a substance use disorder treatment provider following an overdose. Click here to learn more about warm handoff programs.