Thursday was National Opioid Awareness Day. And Nevada County’s Republican Congressman, Kevin Kiley, also introduced bipartisan legislation regarding the issue, along with Democratic representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon. And the focus is on children and teens. Kiley says it will replicate local education programs that have successfully curbed student deaths from overdoses, especially fentanyl…

click to listen to Kevin Kiley

Kiley says there needs to be a multi-pronged strategy and education and awareness are important tools…

click to listen to Kevin Kiley

The bill will also develop a federal interagency task force to fight the crisis. It’s also designed to improve federal education and health data collection efforts, to understand and highlight the effects of synthetic opioids on youth. It also allows school-based health centers to use their funding for Naloxone. That could increase the availability and accessibility of a critical overdose reversal drug in school settings.