Establishes a wound care kit and xylazine test strip distribution program to supply wound care kits designed for the treatment of injection-related wounds and skin and soft tissue infections, and xylazine test strips, to individuals with a substance use disorder or who are otherwise at risk of drug use, free of charge; prohibits facilities from collecting personally identifying information on such individuals; prohibits police from targeting individuals receiving wound care kits or xylazine test strips under such program.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5374
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TAPIA -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
wound care kit and xylazine test strip distribution program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
19.47 to read as follows:
§ 19.47 WOUND CARE KIT AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIP DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM.
1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS WITH
A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR WHO ARE OTHERWISE AT RISK OF DRUG USE MAY
RECEIVE, FREE OF CHARGE, WOUND CARE KITS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE
TREATMENT OF INJECTION-RELATED WOUNDS AND SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE
INFECTIONS, AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF XYLAZINE.
THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES MAY APPLY TO DISTRIBUTE SUCH WOUND CARE KITS
AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS:
(A) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS;
(B) ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITIES;
(C) FACILITIES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAMS;
(D) HOMELESS SHELTERS;
(E) URGENT CARE CENTERS;
(F) MOBILE HEALTH UNITS;
(G) PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICES;
(H) SAFE SYRINGE PROGRAMS; AND
(I) ANY OTHER SETTING, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS
ROUTINELY ACCESSED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR WHO
ARE OTHERWISE AT RISK OF DRUG USE, AND WHO ARE IN NEED OF TREATMENT FOR
INJECTION-RELATED WOUNDS AND SKIN AND SOFT TISSUE INFECTIONS, OR WHO
WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS.
2. FACILITIES DISTRIBUTING WOUND CARE KITS AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT RECORD ANY
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08166-01-5
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