Public health: substance use disorder.

Assembly Member Elhawary's comprehensive substance use disorder legislation aims to expand access to overdose prevention medication while modernizing California's approach to addiction treatment and recovery services. The bill removes training requirements for obtaining naloxone and broadens distribution authority beyond healthcare providers to include at-risk individuals and those positioned to assist during overdoses. Recipients would receive liability protections when administering the medication in good faith.

The legislation transforms licensing requirements for residential treatment facilities, mandating that the Department of Health Care Services create a streamlined application process by 2027 for facilities seeking to provide both recovery services and certain medical care. Treatment centers would be prohibited from requiring abstinence for admission or continued care, and must develop protocols prioritizing ongoing treatment engagement following relapses rather than automatic discharge. The bill also requires facilities to maintain naloxone supplies and have trained staff capable of administration.

For state-funded substance use programs, the measure establishes new standards requiring evidence-based clinical practices while redefining drug- and alcohol-related initiatives to focus on assisting persons with substance use disorders. Primary prevention programs funded through drug offense fees must align with established best practices. The legislation also updates statutory language throughout California codes to reflect current medical understanding of addiction, removing outdated terminology and enforcement-focused provisions while emphasizing health-based approaches to treatment and recovery.