OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new change to Ohio's administrative that requires emergency departments to report non-fatal drug overdoses to the state's department of health.

The rule was approved by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review and will take effect April 8.

“We must continue to work tirelessly to address the overdose crisis, to support those in recovery, and to encourage wellness to prevent addiction in the first place,” said DeWine in a news release.

The rule will provide state officials with a more accurate and current view of non-fatal overdoses and will enhance ODH’s ability to identify trends. The data could allow for faster identification of populations or areas being affected by non-fatal overdoses.

“The purpose of this new rule is to improve the coordination of care for individuals who have previously experienced a drug overdose,” said RecoveryOhio Director Aimee Shadwick. “Studies show an elevated risk of death from overdose in individuals who had recently reported a non-fatal overdose. Adding this new reporting feature will provide healthcare professionals with additional tools available in real time.”

Data will be used to determine strategies and resource allocations, such as treatment referrals or distribution of naloxone and/or fentanyl test strips to prevent overdoses.

“We believe that having this new data will help us reduce the number of drug overdoses, lessen the burden on families and communities, and most importantly, save lives,” said ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff in a news release.

DeWine has placed an emphasis on curbing drug overdoses, expanding naloxone access by 42% since 2022, yielding positive results. In 2022, the number of unintentional overdose fatalities decreased 5% to 4,915 death while nationwide saw a 1% rise in overdose deaths over the same period.

RecoveryOhio provides access to naloxone at no cost. Visit naloxone.ohio.gov to order this lifesaving medicine.