April 4, 2023
The Honorable Melissa Hurtado
California State Senate
1021 O Street, Room 7310
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for SB 472
Dear Senator Hurtado:
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to supportSenate Bill 472 (Hurtado), legislation which would require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to maintain at least 2 doses of naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist for purposes of those authorizations and report information regarding naloxone hydrochloride or other opioid antagonists to the State Department of Public Health, Department of Education, and parents or guardians of pupils.
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY (Transitional Age Youth) Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which engages, empowers and represents TAY, ages 15-26, in mental health advocacy on issues that directly affect TAY. Since CAYEN’s inception in 2006, CAYEN has taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy.
Senate Bill 472 will ensure our schools are prepared to protect youth in the event of an overdose. With the dramatic increase in Fentanyl poisoning, we know youth are now more susceptible and at risk. Youth who experience overdose can just as easily be first-time or infrequent users as individuals with a substance use issue. Requiring K-12 schools to maintain naloxone on campus will save countless children and youth in California. In addition, the use of these preventative measures will be reported to the state and to parents or guardians, granting full transparency about what is happening in our local community.
For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 472. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.
In Community,
Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator
California Youth Empowerment Network
