Governor Cuomo signed new legislation on Monday aimed at giving public entities more protections to help fight the opioid epidemic. 

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Cuomo signed legislation on Monday authorizing the use of opioid-reversal medications like NARCAN by public entities such as restaurants, bars, malls and movie theaters

  • The founder of Mission Recovery and Hope in Gates is in favor of the legislation

  • She encourages businesses to carry NARCAN so they can render aid when needed

Carol Hulsizer founded the addiction help non-profit Mission Recovery and Hope after losing her step-daughter to opioids. The organization distributes NARCAN, a nasal medication that can prevent an opioid overdose, and trains people to use it.

“If you have NARCAN on hand, if you ever need it — which I hope you don’t — but if you ever need it, to have it there, it can make a world of difference to a family,” Hulsizer said.

She goes out into the community and actively tries to encourage businesses to carry NARCAN under her non-profit’s Purple Ribbon of Hope initiative. But she says sometimes the organization doesn’t want to get involved.

“Because they’re afraid of the liability issue, they’ll say that’s not happening here, or I want no part of it,” Hulsizer said.

But she hopes that will change with legislation signed by Governor Cuomo Monday that authorizes the use of opioid-reversal medications like NARCAN by public entities such as restaurants, bars, malls and movie theaters – where overdoses tend to happen. This means those businesses can be protected under the Good Samaritan Law from legal repercussions if something were to go wrong while administering the drug.

“It would be awesome to have NARCAN on hand, because every second counts when it comes to an overdose,” Hulsizer said.

She says the only way to overcome the opioid crisis is together.

“If we have the ability to save a life, we should? Right? Community members helping each other — it makes a huge difference,” said Hulsizer.

Those interested in receiving training or NARCAN from Mission Recovery can speak with the non-profit at 585-944-4270.