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Physician General, Little League Baseball CEO, State Senator Discuss Importance of Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Young Athletes

03/24/2017

Williamsport, PA – Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine today joined state Senator Gene Yaw and Little League Baseball’s president and CEO Stephen D. Keener at Williamsport Regional Medical Center to discuss how opioid prescribing guidelines can help keep young athletes and all Pennsylvanians healthy.

 

“Sports can be an important way for children to stay active, but athletes are also at risk for painful injuries that may need treatment with opioids,” said Dr. Levine. “Ensuring that young people who need painkillers are prescribed a responsible amount of medicine lays the foundation for wellness into adulthood. Stopping the cycle of addiction before it starts is a key battle in the fight against opioid abuse in our local communities.”

 

The Wolf Administration holds the fight against heroin and prescription opioids as a top priority.  In order to continue the battle against the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania, Governor Wolf included the following proposals in his 2017-18 budget:

·        Expanding access to life-saving naloxone by providing $10 million through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to first responders and law enforcement across the state;

·        Maximizing federal Cures Act funding, which includes $26.5 million in each of the next two years for Pennsylvania, to expand access to treatment services, particularly for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured; and

·        Providing $3.4 million to expand specialty drug courts to expand treatment strategies that divert offenders into more meaningful treatment and recovery.

 

 Some of the administration’s other initiatives to fight the opioid epidemic include:

·        Establishing a new law limiting the amount of opioids that can be prescribed to a minor to seven days;

·        Strengthening the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) so that doctors are required and able to check the system each time they prescribe opioids;

·        Forming new prescribing guidelines to help doctors, including geriatricians, who provide opioid prescriptions to their patients;

·        Creating the warm handoff guideline to facilitate referrals from the emergency department to substance abuse treatment;

·        Educating and encouraging seniors to properly use, store and dispose of unused prescription medications through Drug Take-Back initiatives;

·        Increasing the availability of naloxone; and

·        Designating 45 Centers of Excellence, central hubs that provide navigators to assist those with opioid use disorders with behavioral and physical health care, along with medication-assisted treatment, as needed.

 

Little League Baseball is a non-profit organization based in South Williamsport that organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world. Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, the Little League program assists children in developing the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork, and physical well-being.

 

Senator Yaw represents the 23rd Senatorial District in Pennsylvania. He has worked extensively in his local communities to educate residents on the opioid epidemic through events such as telephone town hall meetings. He also coached a local Little League baseball team.

 

If you or someone you know is suffering from the disease of addiction, call 1-800-662-HELP or visit www.pa.gov/opioids for treatment options. For more information on the fight against opioid abuse in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
                                   

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