Gov. Wolf Renews 15th Opioid Disaster Declaration

On August 4, Governor Tom Wolf signed his 15th renewal of PA’s Opioid Disaster Declaration, which was first enacted in January 2018. The declaration allows for a number of initiatives and resources to help mitigate the opioid crisis and assist those suffering from opioid use disorder. Under the disaster declaration, work to address the opioid crisis focuses on three areas: prevention, rescue and treatment.

This latest opioid disaster declaration will last 21-days or until the General Assembly takes action to extend the declaration by August 26.On July 30, Governor Wolf sent a letter to the General Assembly stating his intent to renew the declaration for the 15^th time and asking their leaders to consider returning to Harrisburg to extend the disaster declaration to allow for a renewal of collective efforts around the opioid crisis. The letter detailed the progress made under the opioid disaster declaration and noted those remaining programs that would be impacted by an expiration of the declaration, in particular information shared with other state agencies through the administration’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

“As we see a spike in overdoses throughout the commonwealth, there has never been a more important time to concentrate our efforts in helping individuals with substance use disorder, especially opioid use disorder,” said Gov. Wolf.

Click here to read a press release issued by the Governor’s office.

Watch a WFMZ news clip about COCA’s reaction to the declaration