After police give anti-overdose drug to heroin users, what happens next?
The police, Jim Laughlin said, are on "the front lines."
So when an officer saves someone who's overdosing with naloxone — they're concerned about what happens to that person in the future.
But at that point, he said, these people are in the care of emergency medical services.
"The bottom line is: we want to help them," said Laughlin, the chief of the Penn Township Police Department, who brought up that topic recently during a meeting of the York County Heroin Task Force. "My question is, 'Is there more we can do for them?'"
Police departments in York County have saved 26 people who have overdosed on heroin, or another opioid, with naloxone — an antidote that's commonly marketed as Narcan — through the end of June.
Legal catch-22
But concerns have arisen.
To some, the law appears to have created a catch-22: Because police are only allowed to administer the antidote, there's no way to get people to enter into treatment — or even go to the hospital. And that, they say, leaves the possibility open that someone can go right back to using drugs, potentially overdosing again.
The law allowing first responders to administer naloxone, as well as granting immunity to those who are overdosing from prosecution, went into effect in November, after being signed earlier by former Gov. Tom Corbett. Last December, Capital BlueCross pledged $50,000 toward getting about 300 doses of naloxone for York County. The program will continue to be paid for locally through selling the forfeited assets of drug dealers.
In 2015, there have been 20 deaths related to heroin, and an additional six are suspected to be tied to the drug, said York County Coroner Pam Gay, a member of the York County Heroin Task Force. At this time last year — though all were not confirmed yet — there were 29 deaths involving heroin.
In most cases, she said, someone who's overdosing is not looking to die. Instead, that person is trying to get pleasure from using the drug.
Gay said she believes the number of deaths related to heroin would be "significantly higher" if it were not for police carrying the antidote.
'Spinning our wheels'
Chief James Boddington of the Southern Regional Police Department said he thinks naloxone is "terrific" and that using it will save lives. So far, the department has revived one person with the antidote.
But, he said, it's unclear if reviving a person with no way to help their addiction afterward just allows them to keep using. Though the police are not out to just arrest people, he said, sometimes, the criminal justice system can mandate people to enter rehabilitation.
"Law enforcement is geared toward gaining compliance and making things better," Boddington said. "When all you're doing is keeping the status quo, we feel like we're spinning our wheels.
"It's a conundrum. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't," he added.
Take a case in Delaware County.
In mid-April, Upper Darby police revived a man with naloxone who had overdosed on heroin inside his home. He refused medical treatment.
Three days later, they were called to the home again. This time, the man, 40, was dead.
"It's not a panacea," Upper Darby Police Supt. Michael Chitwood said of the antidote. "It's a spur of the moment, for the moment, police tool that's being used to save peoples' lives."
Legislative remedies?
Carey Miller, the press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, said she had not heard of concerns expressed with the state's medical amnesty law. The police, she said, are mostly there to revive people, and doctors in emergency rooms are being encouraged to work with them on treatment. Statewide, up to 150 people have been saved by the antidote — which Miller described as a "very light" estimate.
On the legislative level, it does not appear there have been proposals drawn up to amend the law at this point.
Erin Marsicano, the legislative director for state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-Spring Garden Township, who sits on the York County Heroin Task Force, said they first became aware of these concerns with the medical amnesty provision during the group's last meeting. Marsicano said while it's something that should be explored further, she does not foresee a rush to amend the law without more research.
"We want to make sure we're doing it correctly," she said, "and not just jumping the gun."
State Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-Chester and Delaware counties, is the prime sponsor of the bill that would later become law. Pileggi said he has not heard of any concerns brought up about the amnesty provision.
The law creates two additional tools for saving lives, by both encouraging people to call 911 if someone is overdosing and through allowing first responders to use naloxone, he said.
But, he said, the law is not designed to tackle the "bigger picture:" how to get people treatment for their addiction. That's something he views as the next step — and is open to discussing.
"I think as we continue to struggle with this epidemic, we're going to need to spend more time on this question," Pileggi said.
Contact Dylan Segelbaum at 771-2102.
'We basically have no authority to do anything else'
Dane Merryman, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, said the question of what officers can do after they've administered naloxone came up on Wednesday during the organization's annual Training and Education Conference in Lancaster.
Merryman said police are only allowed to administer the antidote, though they have an obligation to call for medical help if someone slips back into that state.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, he said, has been very engaged in implementing the law allowing police officers to use the antidote in the state. Police also want people to get the help they need, Merryman said.
More heroin coverage
Northern York County was hub for heroin dealers, police say.
Police revive man in Dover Township after heroin overdose.
York woman charged with heroin death.
Adams County police could soon carry heroin overdose meds.
Sister raises awareness at vigil for twin who died of heroin.
York County Coroner: Local heroin problem is undeniable, and Narcan is saving lives (column).
York County approves agreement for District Attorney to distribute Narcan.