SAN JOSE, CA – Community leaders and parents gathered on September 18 at the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) to show support for Senate Bill 10 (SB10). The bill, also known as Melanie’s Law, would make changes to California Education Code to require middle and high schools to include in their site safety plans a protocol in the event a pupil is suffering or is reasonably believed to be suffering from an opioid overdose. SB10 was approved unanimously in the California legislature. Governor Newsom’s signature is the last hurdle for SB 10 to become law.
“Having Narcan or naloxone on campus can possibly mean the difference between saving a life and losing one,” said County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mary Ann Dewan. “The Santa Clara County Office of Education is a co-sponsor of SB10. I am thankful for the collaboration and partnerships that developed to inform our communities about the dangers of fentanyl.”
Under SB10, California public schools would provide training to school employees on opioid prevention and life-saving responses as a component of their Comprehensive School Safety Plan. SB10 also ensures that all students and adults learn about the risks of fentanyl exposure and poisoning and have access to the resources needed to prevent and respond to fentanyl poisonings and overdoses. It requires the California Department of Education and county offices of education to have partnerships, resource guides, and toolkits to address the opioid crisis.
“Fentanyl has devastated families across California but today we say not one more,” said State Senator Dave Cortese, author of the bill. “This law will protect millions of youth across California.”
The Santa Clara County Office of Education, co-sponsor of Melanie’s Law, has been a partner in the Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project (SCCOOP) and the county’s Fentanyl Working Group.
“I am thankful for the partnerships that have been developed amongst school and community leaders, as well as with local and state policy makers,” stated Dr. Dewan.
At the press conference, several local and state leaders spoke about the impact SB10 can have to reduce the loss of lives to fentanyl. Joining the press conference was the mother of Melanie Ramos, a high school student who died from a suspected fentanyl overdose in 2022 on her high school campus in Hollywood, CA. The bill is named in her memory.
Speakers included:
- State Senator Dave Cortese, District 15
- Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Ann Dewan
- Elena Perez, Melanie Ramos’ mother, who was accompanied by two of Melanie’s aunts
- Santa Clara County District 2 Supervisor Cindy Chavez and chair of the Santa Clara County Fentanyl Working Group
- Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, and
- Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Corporate Communications of California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professional Sherry Daley.
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About the Santa Clara County Office of Education
Working collaboratively with school and community partners, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is a regional service agency committed to serving, inspiring, and promoting student and public school success. The SCCOE is a premier service organization driven by the core principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and partnership. For more information about the Santa Clara County Office of Education, please visit www.sccoe.org and follow us @SCCOE on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.