HERO Act

The "Helping Educators Respond to Overdoses Act" (HERO Act) establishes a competitive grant program, administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to equip schools with resources to combat opioid overdoses. These grants enable eligible entities, including private schools and local educational agencies, to purchase FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal drugs and develop comprehensive emergency response plans in consultation with local health departments. Grant applicants must also commit to creating educational programming or resources focused on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) , drug-use prevention, and emergency responses to drug overdoses. Priority for these one-year grants will be given to schools located in cities or counties experiencing high rates of opioid-involved drug overdoses. Grant recipients are required to report on the use of funds, emergency plans, and educational initiatives, with the Secretary of HHS summarizing this information for Congress annually. Furthermore, the bill mandates that any covered educational institution receiving federal funds must report the distribution of an opioid overdose reversal drug to two federal information systems: the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) and the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) . This crucial reporting mechanism aims to track and monitor the use of these life-saving medications within educational settings, thereby informing broader public health efforts.