Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-674b

Current with legislation from the 2024 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 17a-674b - Definitions

As used in this section and sections 2 to 5, inclusive, of this act:

(1) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

(2) "Committee" means the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 3 of this act.

(3) "Department" means the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

(4) "Evidence-based" means meeting one of the following evidentiary criteria for an activity, practice, program, service, support or strategy:

(A) Meta-analyses or systematic reviews have found the activity, practice, program, service, support or strategy to be effective;

(B) evidence from a scientifically rigorous experimental study, including, but not limited to, a randomized controlled trial, demonstrates the activity, practice, program, service, support or strategy is effective; or

(C) multiple observational studies from locations in the United States indicate the activity, practice, program, service, support or strategy is effective. As used in this subdivision, "effective" means helping persons avoid the development and progression of substance use disorders or drug-related harms, reducing the adverse consequences of substance use among persons who use substances, or managing, slowing the progression of, or supporting recovery from a person's substance use disorder or co-occurring mental health disorder.

(5) "Fund" means the Opioid Settlement Fund established pursuant to section 2 of this act.

(6) "Harm reduction" means a reduction of, or attempt to reduce, the adverse consequences of substance use, including, but not limited to, by addressing the substance use and conditions that give rise to such substance use. "Harm reduction" includes, but is not limited to, syringe service programs, naloxone distribution and public awareness campaigns about Good Samaritan laws.

(7) "Infrastructure" means the resources, including, but not limited to, personnel, buildings and equipment, required for an agency of the state, municipality, other government entity or nonprofit organization to provide substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction programs, services, supports and resources.

(8) "Prevention" means efforts to avoid the development and progression of substance use disorders and drug-related harms.

(9) "Recovery" means an active process of continual growth that addresses the biological, psychological, social and spiritual disturbances inherent in addiction.

(10) "Substance use disorder" means a pattern of use of alcohol or other substances that meets the applicable diagnostic criteria delineated in the most recent edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

(11) "Treatment" means a service to intervene upon, care for, manage, slow progression of or support recovery from a substance use disorder or co-occurring mental health disorder. "Treatment" includes, but is not limited to, an individualized service to address a person's medical needs, including, screening for and diagnosing of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental or physical health disorders and pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic interventions.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-674b

Added by P.A. 22-0048,S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2022.