HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 660
BYRepresentatives Brekke, Winsley, Leonard, Scott, Todd and Holm
Studying and providing for services to children including services for substance abusing youth.
House Committe on Human Services
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (7)
Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Leonard, Moyer, H. Sommers, Wang and Winsley.
Minority Report: Do not pass. (2)
Signed by Representatives Padden and Sutherland.
House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES MARCH 3, 1987
BACKGROUND:
At the request of the Committee on Social and Health Services, a 1986 interim study was conducted on youth substance abuse. The study objectives focused on the size of the problem of youth drug and alcohol abuse, what information was available on what leads children to abuse drugs and/or alcohol, what current programs were in place to combat the problem, and how an effective and comprehensive continuum of care including prevention, intervention, treatment and after care could be structured.
The concern of the legislature is that youth who abuse drugs and/or alcohol are also likely to overlap into many of the other problems faced by youth including delinquency, mental illness, child abuse and neglect, pregnancy and suicide. Not only do these youth diminish their chance for a full, rewarding and productive childhood and adult life, but they are at risk of becoming caught up in our correctional institutions, mental health facilities, and public assistance systems to the detriment of society in general.
To address these concerns, the recommendations of the 1986 interim study have been formulated into legislation.
SUMMARY:
SUBSTITUTE BILL: Substance abuse is defined. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to set minimum curriculum standards on substance abuse for grades K-12 to be phased in by 1991. A youth substance abuse pilot project is established. The substance abuse coordinating committee is established and located within the governor's office. Within its responsibilities is ensuring a state-wide survey of student involvement in substance abuse. The committee would terminate in 1990. Counties are directed to prepare a youth substance abuse service plan. The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services is directed to study the feasibility of consolidating children's services. The coordinating committee function is deleted from the duties of the Board of Pharmacy.
SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: The minimum standards set by the Superintendent of Public Instruction are expanded to include grades K-12 instead of 3-12, school drug/alcohol policies and the role of parent training. The Superintendent is authorized to use his/her discretion in deciding which grades shall have priority for implementation.
The pilot programs are reduced in number to one control site and two identical pilots, one in the western part and one in the eastern part of the state. The two pilots shall provide the full continuum of care from prevention through after care. They shall be established through coordination between the Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BASA) and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). An assessment tool shall be developed. Cross training between BASA and DCFS and the involved personnel shall occur. The Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, through contracted services, will handle prevention and early intervention efforts. Later intervention, treatment and after care will be handled by DCFS in the local offices using the case management approach.
The student surveys are spread out three years apart, 1987, 1990 and 1993.
The duties of the Board of Pharmacy to suggest drug abuse strategies, conduct educational programs for abuse by health care personnel, monitor trends of abuse and report on them to appropriate agencies and enter into written agreements with other state and federal agencies to assist in coordination of drug abuse strategies are retained within the board. A new proviso requires the information gathered from those duties to be made available to the Governor's Coordinating Committee on Substance Abuse.
Fiscal Note: Attached.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: Jule Sugarman, Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services; David Brenna, Coordinator, Drug Alcohol Services, Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation; Peter Berliner, Youth Eastside Services, Bellevue, Washington; Harry Johnson, Ryther Child Center; Kathy Burgoyne, Clinical Director, Project ADAPT, School of Social Work, University of Washington; Bob Newton, Dads Against Drugs, Valley General Hosptial; Diane and Rick Cambern, Citizens; Lynn and Ed Tebbutt, New Beginnings, Lakewood General Hospital, Tacoma; Linda Grant, Association of Alcoholism Programs; and Jurley Paddock, Principal, Alternative School, Franklin Pierce School District. Patty Payne, Tacoma Public School District spoke for the bill, but with reservations.
House Committee - Testified Against: Patty Payne, Tacoma Public School District, spoke for and against.
House Committee - Testimony For: Youth substance abuse continues to be a severe problem frequently involved with many of the other problems faced by adolescents, such as juvenile delinquency, mental illness, and school drop-out. This bill will provide statewide minimum curriculum standards for substance abuse education which does not currently exist. The pilot projects are the first attempt to establish a complete continuum of care for substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment and after care. The shift of the coordinating committee from the Board of Pharmacy will enhance the visibility of the state's efforts to deal with this serious problem. A statewide survey should be done to accurately discover the extent of the problem.
House Committee - Testimony Against: Enough data is available and the statewide surveys are not necessary. The money could be better spent going directly to current programs in the schools.