Lombardo administration fell short on infant opioid care

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office failed to adequately oversee care plans for opioid-affected infants, according to a legislative audit.

The state requires health care providers to create treatment plans for infants affected by opioid use or withdrawal symptoms. The plans must address the needs of the infant as well as their mother or caregiver.

The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the implementation of each plan. The audit determined that DPBH fell short of that responsibility.

Of the 20 plans reviewed, 20% did not document any services or referrals for the opioid-affected infant, while 45% did not document that treatment referrals were offered to the mother. There was also no evidence that DPBH reviewed or monitored the implementation of the plans.

The potential consequences are both human and financial: infants may not be receiving adequate care, and failure to comply with regulations could imperil federal funding for opioid prevention efforts.

The audit was made public in April. The Lombardo administration has still not provided an update on the shortcomings or a plan to rectify them.

Nevada recorded a provisional 1,056 drug overdose deaths last year, according to the CDC. Overdose deaths have declined nationwide, including in Nevada, but the state’s own decline has been minimal or flat compared to the national trend.

Lombardo is running for a second term this year. His Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Aaron Ford, helped secure $1.2 billion in opioid settlements for Nevada.