HOPE Act
HOPE Act would clarify and expand how certain state and tribal grants under the 21st Century Cures Act may be used. Specifically, it allows grant funds aimed at responding to opioid use disorders to cover activities related to acquiring, making available, and maintaining public access opioid overdose reversal kits. The bill also standardizes the definition of a public access opioid overdose reversal kit to ensure it includes an opioid overdose reversal medication (such as naloxone) and instructions on how to administer it. In practical terms, the change is intended to make it easier for states, tribes, and grantees to fund the distribution and maintenance of life-saving overdose-reversal kits in communities. The short title has been chosen as the “Having Overdose Protection Equipment Act” or the HOPE Act. By explicitly including these kit-related activities in eligible uses, the bill aims to bolster overdose prevention efforts and improve access to naloxone in public settings and community programs.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The bill is known as the Having Overdose Protection Equipment Act (HOPE Act).
- 2Funding flexibility: Amends Section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act to allow state and tribal grants to cover acquiring, distributing, and maintaining public access opioid overdose reversal kits as part of primary prevention activities.
- 3Definition of kit: Adds a formal definition of a “public access opioid overdose reversal kit” as a kit that includes an opioid overdose reversal medication and instructions on how to administer it.
- 4Reorganization of text: Adjusts subsections to accommodate the new definition and ensure proper placement of the expanded eligible activities.
- 5Scope: The change pertains to grants that support state and tribal responses to opioid use disorders, with a focus on increasing access to overdose reversal tools.