26B-1-403.  Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee.

(1)  As used in this section:

Terms Used In Utah Code 26B-1-403

  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Executive director: means the executive director of the department appointed under Section 26B-1-203. See Utah Code 26B-1-102
  • Person: means :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(a)  “Committee” means the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee created in this section.

(b)  “Opioid overdose death” means a death primarily caused by opioids or another substance that closely resembles an opioid.

(2)  The department shall establish the Opioid and Overdose Fatality Review Committee.

(3) 

(a)  The committee shall consist of:

(i)  the attorney general, or the attorney general’s designee;

(ii)  a state, county, or municipal law enforcement officer;

(iii)  the manager of the department’s Violence Injury Prevention Program, or the manager’s designee;

(iv)  an emergency medical services provider;

(v)  a representative from the Office of the Medical Examiner;

(vi)  a representative from the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health;

(vii)  a representative from the Office of Vital Records;

(viii)  a representative from the Office of Health Care Statistics;

(ix)  a representative from the Division of Professional Licensing;

(x)  a healthcare professional who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders;

(xi)  a representative from a state or local jail or detention center;

(xii)  a representative from the Department of Corrections;

(xiii)  a representative from the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services;

(xiv)  a representative from the Department of Public Safety;

(xv)  a representative from the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice;

(xvi)  a physician from a Utah-based medical center; and

(xvii)  a physician from a nonprofit vertically integrated health care organization.

(b)  The president of the Senate may appoint one member of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives may appoint one member of the House of Representatives, to serve on the committee.

(4)  The executive director shall appoint a committee coordinator.

(5) 

(a)  The department shall give the committee access to all reports, records, and other documents that are relevant to the committee’s responsibilities under Subsection (6) including reports, records, or documents that are private, controlled, or protected under Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and Management Act.

(b)  In accordance with Subsection 63G-2-206(6), the committee is subject to the same restrictions on disclosure of a report, record, or other document received under Subsection (5)(a) as the department.

(6)  The committee shall:

(a)  conduct a multidisciplinary review of available information regarding a decedent of an opioid overdose death, which shall include:

(i)  consideration of the decedent’s points of contact with health care systems, social services systems, criminal justice systems, and other systems; and

(ii)  identification of specific factors that put the decedent at risk for opioid overdose;

(b)  promote cooperation and coordination among government entities involved in opioid misuse, abuse, or overdose prevention;

(c)  develop an understanding of the causes and incidence of opioid overdose deaths in the state;

(d)  make recommendations for changes to law or policy that may prevent opioid overdose deaths;

(e)  inform public health and public safety entities of emerging trends in opioid overdose deaths;

(f)  monitor overdose trends on non-opioid overdose deaths; and

(g)  review non-opioid overdose deaths in the manner described in Subsection (6)(a), when the committee determines that there are a substantial number of overdose deaths in the state caused by the use of a non-opioid.

(7)  A committee may interview or request information from a staff member, a provider, or any other person who may have knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the review of an opioid overdose death.

(8)  A majority vote of committee members present constitutes the action of the committee.

(9)  The committee may meet up to eight times each year.

(10)  When an individual case is discussed in a committee meeting under Subsection (6)(a), (6)(g), or (7), the committee shall close the meeting in accordance with Sections 52-4-204 through 52-4-206.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 305, 2023 General Session