Imagine This:
You and your friends just got back from a Friday night out and you are worried about the health of one of your friends. You know that you should call for some medical assistance or go to the hospital but you don’t want to get yourself or your friend in trouble. Have you ever been in a situation like this? What did you do?
UC Davis passes a new protocol!
Did you know that there is a new policy that ensures that students reaching out for help in potentially life threatening situations will not be sanctioned?
UC Davis just recently adopted Aggies Act, a new protocol that prioritizes the health and safety of our campus. Aggies Act influences the campus conduct system, similar to the way the California Assembly Bill 1999 eliminates legal repercussions for underage drinkers.[1] Both the California AB-1999 and Aggies Act seek to remove the fear of getting into trouble when seeking medical assistance for someone who may be overdosing on alcohol or other drugs.
Reports show that far too many college students are dying each year from alcohol poisoning.[2] Students often hesitate to seek medical help because they are worried about the consequences. UC Davis wants to take charge and remove any barriers that could stop a student from calling for help.
What’s great about Aggies Act is that it is both a Good Samaritan and Medical Amnesty policy. This means it covers both the person calling for help and the person suffering from a medical emergency. This protocol will remove any punitive sanctions for anyone involved in a medical emergency involving alcohol and/or other substances. Most importantly, Aggies Act hopes to make sure that there will never be a life lost due to the fact a student didn’t feel safe enough to make the call.
Now What?
If you ever are in a situation where you fear for someone's life, then make the call to 911 and be a good friend. Now with the new Aggies Act protocol, you can rest assured that campus wants you to feel safe making the right decision! Once the protocol is used, there are a few steps that will follow:
- The Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs (OSSJA) or Student Housing will review the incident to make sure that it is covered under Aggies Act. Aggies Act will always protect incidences where “a student experiencing an alcohol or drug related overdose seeks medical assistance; or any other person who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance on behalf of the person experiencing the overdose.” Limitations can be found at shcs.ucdavis.edu/aggiesact.
- Once the incident is reviewed and is confirmed as qualifying under the Aggies Act protocol, the student who experienced the medical emergency may be assigned a follow-up consultation with a professional counselor from Student Health and Counseling Services. The student who called for help may or may not be assigned an educational program. Outcomes are dependent on the circumstances of the incident and are variable.
- Upon completion of any program requirements (counseling or educational), amnesty is applied for qualified incidents. The incident will not go on any student conduct records but there will be records to track students who have used the protocol because Aggies Act can only be used once in a two-year timeframe.
How to know when to call:
Always keep the acronym CUPS in your mind to help remember the signs of alcohol poisoning[3]
Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin
Unconscious or unable to be roused
Puking repeatedly or uncontrollably
Slow or irregular breathing
Take the Pledge
If you see any of one of these signs, make sure to immediately call 911 or seek assistance from a Residence Advisor. Make the pledge today and save a life, call for a friend if you’re worried about them!
Useful Resources
[1] http://awareawakealive.org/bills/california.pdf
[2] https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/collegefactsheet/collegefact.htm
[3] http://safeparty.ucdavis.edu/alcohol-poisoning.html