SB24-047: Prevention of Substance Use Disorders

• Removes veterinarians from the definition of "prescriber" under Colorado's prescription drug monitoring program and repeals their participation in prescription limitations for controlled substances.

• Establishes local overdose fatality review teams in counties/districts comprising multidisciplinary members (health officers, law enforcement, medical examiners, substance use treatment providers, and individuals with lived experience) to investigate overdose deaths and recommend prevention strategies.

• Grants overdose fatality review teams authority to request confidential records from healthcare providers, government agencies, schools, and other entities without subpoenas, with strict confidentiality protections and prohibition on law enforcement use.

• Expands the prescription drug monitoring program to include medical directors at hospitals and medical practices as registrants and users of the system for monitoring patient substance use.

• Appropriates $75,000 in general fund and $75,000 in anticipated federal funds to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, plus $250,000 to the Department of Higher Education for substance use disorder research and prevention programs.