# School Resource Officers Save Lives Act

This bill creates a new program to train school staff in how to use Narcan, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, and to stock schools with Narcan kits. The program would give grants to school districts to pay for training school resource officers (police stationed in schools), security personnel, and school nurses in Narcan administration, as well as to purchase the medication itself. The bill also extends funding for an existing opioid response grant program through 2023.

The practical effect is that schools participating in this program would have trained staff and emergency medication on hand to respond immediately if a student or staff member experiences an opioid overdose. Since opioid overdoses can be fatal within minutes, having Narcan available and people trained to use it could literally save lives by buying time until emergency responders arrive. The bill requires that at least half of the grants go to rural school districts, recognizing that rural areas often have fewer emergency services nearby and longer response times.

To receive a grant, school districts must agree that any school resource officers or security personnel they employ will be trained in Narcan use. The bill sets aside at least $5 million per year for 2022 and 2023 to fund this pilot program. This is a relatively modest investment aimed at addressing the growing opioid crisis by putting lifesaving tools directly in schools where young people spend much of their time.

School Resource Officers Save Lives Act

Newhouse, Dan

School Resource Officers Save Lives Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 grants available to states and Indian tribes to address the opioid crisis. It also establishes a demonstration grant program for school districts to train school resource officers, security personnel, and school nurses to administer Narcan kits (Narcan is an opioid antagonist that temporarily reverses and blocks the effects, including overdoses, of other opioids).