What is the Campus Opioid Safety Act?

Senate Bill (SB) 367, known as the Campus Opioid Safety Act (Act), aims to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths through public colleges and universities providing life-saving education, information, and federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication on campus. The law is in effect as of January 1, 2023.

What College Campuses Need to do

To comply with SB 367, each public college campus in California will need to 1) provide educational and preventive information about opioid overdose to all students on campus as part of an established orientation process, and 2) distribute a federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication, such as naloxone.

The University of California (UC) system is requested and encouraged to do the same on their campuses.

Educational and Preventive Information

The Act requires each community college district (CCD) and California State University (CSU), and requests the Regents of the University of California (UC) system, to collaborate with campus-based and community-based recovery advocacy organizations to provide, as part of established campus orientations:

• Educational and preventive information about opioid overdose; and
• The use and location of opioid overdose reversal medication to students at all campuses of their respective segments.

Resources are available below.

Naloxone Distribution

The Act requires each CCD and CSU health center located on a campus to:

1. Apply to use the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) statewide standing order for naloxone (standing order) to distribute dosages of a federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication, such as naloxone; and
2. Participate in the Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) Naloxone Distribution Project  (NDP) to obtain a federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication.

Upon approval for use of the standing order and participation in the NDP, a campus health center shall distribute a federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication obtained through the NDP in accordance with its terms and conditions.

The Act requests the UC system to do the same.

Steps to Obtain Free Naloxone

To obtain free naloxone, each campus health center needs to:

Step 1: Apply to the CDPH standing order before you apply to the DHCS NDP (Step 2).

• The standing order authorizes non-prescribing entities to distribute naloxone to individuals at risk of opioid overdose. Those administering or distributing naloxone will need to apply to the standing order.
• Review the standing order FAQs (PDF) to learn more.
  
• Review the Standing Order and Naloxone for Schools FAQs (PDF) to learn more.
  

Step 2: Apply to the DHCS Naloxone Distribution Project (NDP) to receive free naloxone kits.

• The NDP requires applicants submit a copy of their naloxone standing order.
• Review the NDP FAQs (PDF) to learn more.
  

How to Purchase Naloxone

The CDPH naloxone standing order does not give the authorization to purchase naloxone. If your college is receiving free naloxone, then the CDPH standing order sufficiently authorizes administering and distribution of naloxone.

​Individuals purchasing naloxone

Pharmacies in the state of California are authorized to sell naloxone without a prescription although availability is pharmacy and pharmacist-dependent. Call your local pharmacy ahead of time to ensure naloxone is in stock, available without a prescription, and to ask about cost. Review the FAQ for Naloxone Protocol (PDF) to learn more.

Organizations purchasing naloxone: