HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1599

BYHouse Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Locke, Silver, Bristow, H. Sommers, Winsley, Miller, Sayan, Pruitt, Wineberry, P. King, Rayburn, Raiter, R. King, Belcher, Jones, Scott, Baugher, Jacobsen, H. Myers, Rasmussen, Spanel, Basich, Phillips, Appelwick and Day)

Making appropriations for persons suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction.

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefore and the substitute bill do pass.  (27)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Holland, May, McLean, Nealey, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang, Wineberry and Youngsman.

House Staff:Sandi Gray (786-7136)

AS PASSED LEGISLATURE FEBRUARY 17, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1987, the Legislature enacted the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment and Support Act (ADATSA) to provide treatment or shelter services for low income disabled alcoholics and drug addicts.  The size of the program was limited by appropriated funds.  Under the original design, program participants would be offered a continuum of residential and outpatient treatment.  Those not entering treatment would receive room and board through contracted housing.  The state general assistance program (GAU) was revised to remove persons disabled solely because of drug or alcohol abuse.

Legal actions have expanded clients options.  As a result clients may now receive cash grants through a protective payee instead of room and board.  They may also enter directly into outpatient treatment without first receiving inpatient care.  The result was rapid expansion of the program, particularly in outpatient treatment (which includes shelter). 

In order to bring projected expenditures back within budget, the Governor proposed, effective February 1, elimination of outpatient programs and limiting shelter to those already in the ADATSA program.  A recent Superior Court restraining order prohibited the limit on shelter, while allowing the elimination of treatment.  Most of the successful legal actions have been based on provisions of this or other income assistance statutes.

Without a supplemental appropriation, outpatient treatment would be eliminated for all program participants.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Social and Health Services is authorized to establish caseload ceilings and eligibility standards for treatment and for shelter services which conform to appropriation limits.  In addition, it may establish priority classifications for ADATSA services.  Provisions which may be interpreted as providing a service entitlement are eliminated.  The program is exempted from general statutes relating to income assistance, other than those providing fair hearing rights.

An emergency appropriation of $10,200,000, of which $5,400,000 is from the state general fund is provided.  This is in addition to $38.9 million already appropriated for the program.  The appropriation is sufficient to allow current clients to complete treatment or to remain in the shelter program.  In addition, about 520 new individuals could enter treatment.

Appropriation:    $10,200,000 ($5,400,000 GF-S) to Department of Social and Health Services.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Barbara Baker, Legal Services; Philip Showstead, King County; Linda Grant, AAP; James Lye, Social Treatment Opportunity Programs.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Service providers, advocates and clients indicated support for the bill and stressed the importance of continuing a high level of treatment services.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.