Government & Politics
With CT Drug Overdose Deaths Still Climbing, Darien Health Director Asks State to Start Mandatory Reporting
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Deaths from drug overdoses, primarily opioids like heroin, rose to 900 statewide in 2016 and are expected to reach 1,000 this year, and Darien Health Director David Knauf is proposing that overdose incidents (fatal or not fatal) be reported to each local health director. A number of other diseases, health conditions and deaths must be reported to local health directors and the state Medical Examiners Office now. But drug overdose incidents aren’t on that list. Knauf expects to submit testimony to the state Reportable Diseases Advisory Committee in the hope of getting its endorsement of the idea, which would have to be approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. He says there seems to be support for the move from other state and local health officials in Connecticut, so he’s hopeful the policy will be adopted here.