February 29, 2024
A bill to allow the use of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and increase access to opioid antagonists in sober homes, received its first hearing this week in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Supporting harm reduction legislation designed to reduce substance use disorder morbidity and mortality is one of the MMA’s five legislative priorities for 2024.
SF 3973 (Mann, DFL – Edina) modifies current sober home requirements to require that opioid antagonists be placed in a conspicuous location, thereby increasing access to a drug that individuals with a history of substance use disorder will benefit greatly from. In addition, the legislation will permit sober home residents to have access to MOUD, resulting in sober home residents reducing their withdrawal and cravings; preventing opioid overdose, decreasing use of non-prescribed opioids; decreasing infections secondary to injection drug use; and saving lives. At the hearing, strong testimony on the importance of the use of MOUD to treat addiction was provided, and the bill was laid over for future inclusion in an omnibus bill.
In a letter of support shared with the committee, the MMA argues that the legislation will “help ensure that Minnesota is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and that we are affording individuals in recovery with the opportunity to seek the care necessary to address a disease that is too often ignored.”
Under the ADA, drug addiction is considered a physical or mental impairment, and the ADA prohibits discrimination against people in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). The protections apply to those individuals who are not engaging in illegal drug use. This includes those taking legally prescribed medication to treat their OUD (e.g., MOUD or medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
Opposition to the bill came from sober homes that have a policy of zero tolerance for all drugs, including MOUD.
The MMA is partnering with the Minnesota Harm Reduction Collaborative, as the leading organization advocating for multiple harm reduction bills.
October 9, 2025
The MMA is partnering with Hennepin Healthcare to offer an in-person session on “Supporting Patients, Families, and Professionals in the Aftermath of Crisis” on October 21 from 6 to 8 pm in Room RL110 at the HCMC Red Building, 730 South 8th Street, in Minneapolis.
October 9, 2025
The MMA, in partnership with the Wisconsin Medical Society, will lead a panel discussion titled "The Role of Medical and Professional Societies in Supporting Clinicians and Community Health" at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2025: Bold Innovation and Partnerships symposium, to be held on October 27-28, at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.
October 2, 2025
The federal government shutdown will affect the Minnesota healthcare system in several important ways.