Allegheny County family's overdose loss inspires law designed to 'save lives'

Heather’s Law was signed this week by Gov. Tom Wolf, ending a four-year effort to provide an extra tool in the battle against overdose deaths.

Authored by Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Hempfield), the legislation is named for an Allegheny County family’s daughter who died of an overdose.

Formally titled Act 41 of 2021, it requires drug or alcohol treatment facilities to notify a patient’s designated emergency contact if the patient leaves against medical advice and hasn’t revoked consent. The call must be made no later than 12 hours after the patient leaves.

That notification is “a commonsense policy designed to save lives,” Nelson said.

The legislation was prompted by the 2016 death of the daughter of Dan Novak, a police officer and Air National Guard reservist.

Novak said his daughter, who was battling heroin addiction, was placed in a treatment program. But, he said, she was released from the facility without the knowledge of her family or the organization that helped with the placement, and she subsequently overdosed.

“We had no idea she was released,” he said. “They should have notified the sponsor if they didn’t notify us.”

Instead of welcoming his daughter home, Novak said, “I got a call at 3 o’clock in the morning. She was in the hospital on a ventilator for the next two days,” but succumbed.

“Right after my daughter died, I ended up administering Narcan to two people,” said Novak, who hoped to help her beat her addiction. “Unfortunately, she paid the ultimate price.”

Nelson took up the legislative cause after meeting the Novak family at a town hall meeting.

“It’s wonderful finally to get this into law, to maybe prevent this situation from happening to other families,” Nelson said, but, he added, it’s a bittersweet achievement because of the loss that inspired it.

In addition to the family, Nelson said he worked with the Westmoreland County Drug Overdose Task Force and recovery organizations, such as the local Sage’s Army, while steering the legislation toward approval.

He said the bill gained traction when Rep. Mark Longietti (D-Mercer) came on board as a co-sponsor and Sen. Kim Ward (R-Hempfield) provided support in the Senate.

“We really worked on both sides of the aisle to gain an agreement,” Nelson said. He said the bill’s supporters overcame some resistance by agreeing that treatment providers “don’t have to call again and again,” as long as they notify the patient’s contact within 12 hours.

Longietti said such notification “opens a window for lifesaving intervention.

“The science shows that people in the throes of addiction have diminished capacity for good decision making and are easily lured back to drugs by their dealers or enablers. And, sadly, statistics show the notification gap has resulted in overdose deaths as well as victimization of vulnerable patients.”

Heather’s Law will take effect in 60 days.