Amid a recent surge in opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts, with over 1,200 accidental deadly overdoses last year, the Senate passed legislation on Thursday, October 1, that is designed to fight the epidemic on various fronts. The bill’s measures include verbally screening public school children, allowing patients to partially fill opiate prescriptions, and requiring doctors to justify their decisions to write high-risk prescriptions.

Focused on preventing addiction to painkillers — which often gives way to heroin addiction — the bill seeks to limit the number of high-risk pills dispensed each year. The bill requires insurance companies to cover non-narcotic painkillers, and encourages doctors and pharmacists to elect this option.