California Briefs: State to Buy OTC Naloxone, Supports Ancestral Tribal Land Returns, Expands Climate Corps Partnerships

California to Purchase CalRx Branded Over-the-Counter Naloxone for $24

SACRAMENTO – California’s Naloxone distribution project or NDP delivers millions of naloxone kits, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. To significantly bolster this effort, Gov. Newsom April 29 announced CalRx’s Naloxone access initiative’s new partner – Amneal Pharmaceuticals, which has secured U.S. FDA approval of an over-the-counter or OTC naloxone nasal spray product. This new partnership allows the state to purchase CalRx-branded OTC naloxone for $24 – almost half of the current market price.

To increase affordability and accessibility for Californians, Amneal will be providing CalRx® pricing that represents a 40% reduction compared to current prices for a twin-pack of OTC naloxone nasal spray; down to $24 per pack for the NDP. At this lower price, and with the same resources spent under the NDP, California can buy 3.2 million twin-packs of naloxone instead of the 2 million twin-packs purchased at the previous price.

California’s CalRx® Program is making medications more affordable for all Californians — including naloxone. NDP has distributed more than 4.1 million naloxone kits, resulting in more than 260,000 reported opioid overdose reversals. The CalRx® Naloxone Access Initiative will build on those efforts by making OTC naloxone nasal spray more accessible and affordable, especially for low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals.

Gov. Newsom released the Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis to support overdose prevention efforts like those announced today. Recently, Gov. Newsom launched Opioids.CA.GOV, a one-stop-shop for Californians seeking resources around prevention and treatment, as well as information on how California is working to hold Big Pharma and drug-traffickers accountable in this crisis.

The CalRx® Biosimilar Insulin Initiative continues to move forward to bring this lifesaving and life-sustaining drug to market as soon as possible. Following recent meetings with the US FDA, CalRx’s partner Civica has a clear path forward. California is using its market power as the 5th largest economy in the world to disrupt a billion-dollar industry to save lives and make health care and medication more affordable. More information about CalRx® can be found here. 

Learn more about today’s announcement here.

Healing and Restoration: California to Support the Return of Ancestral Tribal Lands and Lands Management Projects

SACRAMENTO – As part of a first-in-the-nation effort to address historical wrongs committed against California Native American tribes, Gov. Gavin Newsom April 25 announced that the state has awarded more than $100 million for 33 tribal land projects. The funding, which was appropriated as part of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 state budgets, will be used for ancestral land return, implementation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and tribal expertise, habitat restoration, climate and wildfire resilience projects, and more.

As part of the administration’s Native American truth and healing process, the Governor has worked collaboratively with tribes to establish the historic Tribal Nature-Based Solutions grant program. Designed to support tribal priorities – as determined by tribes themselves – grants can be used for ancestral land return, restoration, workforce development, implementation of traditional ecological knowledge and tribal expertise, habitat restoration, and climate and wildfire resilience projects.  

Early funding, as offered to time-sensitive and shovel-ready projects, went to the Hoopa Valley Tribe to acquire 10,395 acres of forested property and return Hupa Mountain to tribal stewardship. The Hoopa Valley Tribe’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for this ancestral land return is scheduled for May 14.

Many of these projects will also help bring California closer to its goal to conserve 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030, also known as the 30 x 30 initiative. The initiative builds on the Governor’s direction for state entities to work cooperatively with California Native American tribes in returning ancestral lands to tribal ownership in excess of state needs, and support California tribes’ co-management of and access to natural lands within a California tribe’s ancestral land. 

See the full list of recipients and learn more about today’s announcement here. 

More States Partner with California Climate Corps, Biden Administration Expands American Climate Corps

SACRAMENTO — With three new states teaming up with California, a third of America’s population now has access to Climate Corps programs, joining the state’s leadership in pioneering this nation-leading initiative.

Illinois, New Mexico, and Vermont created their own state-level Climate Corps in partnership with California volunteers and the Newsom administration, joining 10 other states – Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Utah and Washington – that have already established a Climate Corps. The Biden Administration also announced thousands of new paid service positions now available through the American Climate Corps.

What it means: 

• Positions range across a number of fields including energy-efficiency, disaster response and preparedness, and wildfire mitigation.
• Fellows in state-based climate corps programs will earn a living stipend and, after completing a term of service, will be eligible for a scholarship to pay for college or to pay off student loans.
• Some participating fellows will earn up to $30,000 (prorated for those serving in a less than full-time capacity) by serving their communities.

As a part of California’s comprehensive strategy to address the climate crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom created the California Climate Action Corps in 2020 – providing a case study on the success of climate-based and statewide service programs that empower climate action through volunteer and fellowship opportunities.