MidHudson News is reporting the legislation known as "Stephen’s Law," has been signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. The measure, named in memory of Stephen Canastraro, Jr., requires that certified drug treatment programs notify patients of their rights to identify trusted individuals who should be contacted in case of emergency. Also, treatment providers must give people in programs an opportunity to establish what information can be shared with their contacts. In 2018, Canastrario died of an overdose in his mother's home after previously testing positive for fentanyl and leaving treatment against the advice of his treatment provider. He had demonstrated warning signs of relapse to health care providers, including missed appointments and drug use. But under the laws at the time, health care providers were not required to tell anyone about the relapse signs, and neither Canastraro’s mother nor his recovery assistance organization were told of his behavior or positive drug screens in the days preceding his death. Under the new law, the State Office of Addiction Services and Supports will be required to develop guidelines for protocols to be used by treatment programs in communicating with a patient’s support system. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.