Missourians die from opioid overdoses. First responders need every tool to save them | Opinion

If there are two things that I have prided myself on during my tenure as a Cass County commissioner, they are my work in holding the government accountable to the people and ensuring that our first responders have all the resources that they need to keep our people safe. Now, with that tenure reaching its end, I am once again called to fulfill those standards that I have held for myself these past four years.

The opioid crisis is something that impacts all Missourians. It was the leading cause of death for Missouri adults age 18 to 44 in 2023, contributing to 1 in 47 deaths statewide. Overdose impacts all communities. It does not discriminate among age, race, income, location or any other demographic distinction you can think of. While we in Cass County have thankfully been spared the worst of the opioid crisis, recording only one-tenth the overdose fatalities of neighboring Jackson County in 2023, we — like the rest of Missouri — still feel the massive impact it has on our communities.

In 2023, to fight this crisis better, our state legislators came together and did something that is rarely observed these days: They passed legislation in both chambers with unanimous approval. This measure, signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson, updated the definition of an opioid antagonist to encompass any drug or device approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that blocks the effects of an opioid overdose. The bill even went as far as specifically recognizing any FDA-approved drug or device should be available to first responders, including state and local law enforcement, fire department personnel or licensed emergency medical technicians.

Yet, a year after its passage, barriers remain for our first responders to access all FDA-approved opioid antagonists. It comes down to this: The medical director of the Department of Health and Senior Services is instructed to issue a standing order outlining all antagonists that can be dispensed in our state.

As it stands, the standing order that is currently in place has not been updated to incorporate all FDA-approved opioid antagonists, despite recognition from state lawmakers that every one of these tools should be available. Our peacekeepers and our lifesavers are not fully equipped to do their lifesaving work, and our communities are continuing to suffer from the devastating opioid epidemic.

Throughout my career I have stood beside our first responders and those working to keep our communities safe. An update to the standing order is what we need to better equip our first responders and protect our state’s residents.

Once again, I am called to hold our government accountable to the people whose lives are in its hands. I am called to ensure that our law enforcement, our first responders and all our lifesaving professionals are equipped with all available resources that they need to do their job.

I urge Gov. Parson, Gov.-elect Kehoe and DHSS Director Paula Nickelson to put Missouri lives first and update our standing order to include all FDA-approved overdose treatments. And I call on my fellow Missourians to do the same and stand with me in holding our government accountable to its people.

This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 5:08 AM.