Committee advances bill to authorize psychological autopsies after suicides and overdoses

The House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee on Tuesday advanced House Bill 39 01, a measure introduced by Representative Hefner to authorize psychological autopsies — structured reviews of a deceased person’s interactions with services — following suicides and overdoses.

Hefner said the reviews would gather information now siloed in agencies to identify gaps and improve how the state spends prevention dollars. "A psychological autopsy is gathering all that information and giving us a good idea about how we are spending our money," Hefner said, adding the process would be voluntary for families and intended to help, not to "point fingers."

Representative Marty pressed Hefner on whether the bill could require that prescribers be notified when a patient dies of an opioid overdose. Marty argued that physicians who prescribe opioids often are never told when patients die and that notification could change prescribing habits. "If you had written a prescription in the last 12 months for an opioid for that patient then you should be notified of their death," Marty said. Hefner said physician outreach and notification were not off the table as the state develops the review process and that the Department of Health would hire staff to conduct the look-back.

Representative Roe urged distinguishing intentional from accidental overdoses if prescriber notification were considered; Hefner agreed. Committee members emphasized the bill’s investigatory and preventive focus rather than punitive intent.

The committee voted 12-0 to report HB 39 01 as do pass. The bill will move on to the next steps of the legislative process.