UPDATE: In a bold move to combat Washington state’s escalating opioid crisis, Rep. Deb Manjarrez has just proposed House Bill 2168, aiming to establish a near-real-time overdose mapping dashboard. The proposal, unveiled on Thursday, comes in the wake of alarming statistics showing a staggering increase in overdoses—up 259% from 2016 to 2024.
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by recent data from the Washington Department of Health, revealing that the state recorded 2,819 opioid overdoses in 2023. Despite a slight decrease of 11.7% last year, the situation remains dire, with overdose rates climbing significantly each year since 2019. In particular, Yakima and Spokane Counties have emerged as crisis hotspots, with overdose death rates reaching 59.83 and 57.27 per 100,000 people, respectively.
Manjarrez emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, “It’s like a $5,000 or $6,000 software cost. We’re not talking a lot of costs. Let’s do something with the data that’s sitting there.” If passed, the bill would mandate that the Department of Health input new overdose data into the Washington EMS Information System within 24 hours of an incident, providing first responders and service providers with critical information in real time.
Currently, the state maintains an opioid dashboard that offers historical data, but Manjarrez argues it is vastly underutilized. She stated, “We haven’t saved anybody’s lives with the current opioid and drug use dashboard. This one, the purpose is to save more lives.” The proposed dashboard would include essential details such as the time and date of the overdose, geographic coordinates, whether opioid reversal medication was used, and the outcome of the overdose.
The urgency of this proposal cannot be overstated, especially as overdose deaths nationwide dropped nearly 27% last year, while Washington’s rates remain alarmingly high. Manjarrez aims to address the disconnect between various services and the pressing need for effective intervention strategies. “The major theme here is our approach to this drug crisis isn’t working,” she added.
Manjarrez’s proposal is backed by various public health professionals and service providers in her district, who are calling for swift action. The bill is expected to attract bipartisan support, with Sen. Marcus Riccelli planning to introduce a companion bill in the Senate. This collaborative effort could prove pivotal in addressing the opioid crisis head-on.
The previous iteration of this proposal, House Bill 1933, did not receive a hearing last session, but Manjarrez has already engaged with Rep. Dan Bronoske, chair of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, expressing confidence that HB 2168 will gain traction this time.
Significantly, HB 2168 incorporates privacy safeguards to protect patient identities, ensuring that overdose data cannot be used for law enforcement purposes such as welfare checks or criminal investigations. “This is really for health care, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Manjarrez emphasized.
If approved, the new overdose dashboard must be operational by January 1, 2027, marking a crucial step in Washington’s fight against the opioid epidemic. With the stakes higher than ever, the eyes of the state—and potentially the nation—are on this developing legislation aimed at saving lives.
