SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5377

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McDonald, Gaspard, West, Talmadge, Sellar, Bailey, Craswell, Cantu, Hayner, Smitherman, Wojahn, McMullen, Smith, Sutherland, Murray, Niemi, Stratton and Anderson)

Appropriating money for the alcoholism and drug addiction treatment and support act.

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 25, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5377 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, Moore, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Saling, Smith, Talmadge.

Senate Staff:Jan Sharar (786-7715)

                  January 31, 1989

AS PASSED SENATE, JANUARY 30, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1987 the Legislature enacted the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment and Support Act.  The law removed those incapacitated due to alcoholism and/or other drug addiction from the General Assistance Unemployable (GA-U) program and established a new treatment and shelter program to more appropriately meet their special needs.

In November of 1987, court injunctions forced the Department of Social and Health Services to allow clients not in a residential treatment program to choose their own type of shelter instead of requiring them all to live in dormitory settings.  The court was also concerned with the treatment portion of the program, and enjoined the department from requiring inpatient as a precursor to outpatient treatment in all cases.  The Legislature amended the act to reflect these actions.

In June of 1988, the court found that mandated use of shelter facilities to be an unconstitutional invasion of rights to privacy and freedom of association.  Program clients were given class action certification and the department was ordered to provide alternative shelter assistance.  No increases to the program caseloads were directly apparent from these actions.

Far more people than expected have chosen treatment, and cost control mechanisms to assure the program stays within the funds have been removed by court actions causing the program to exceed available funding if it continues at its current caseloads.

SUMMARY:

The program is found to be a successful method of providing treatment and assistance to indigent drug addicts and alcoholics.  It is also found that the program is facing fiscal problems in the current biennium that could prevent the program from accomplishing its goals and may do irreparable harm to the continuation of the program.

Additional funds are appropriated to the program for the current biennium ending June 30, 1989.  They are being provided solely for treatment for clients currently being served.  Additional clients are to be treated, if possible.

Direction is given to the Office of Financial Management to ensure that the additional appropriation provides for a uniform level of program operation for the remainder of the current biennium.

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to establish lids on caseloads to allow for treatment services through the end of the current biennium and to prevent overexpenditure of funds.  The additional funds shall not be expended for shelter services other than living stipends for outpatient clients.  Language is included so that remaining funds from the appropriation lapse if any provision of the act or application to any person or circumstance is deemed invalid.

Appropriation:    $4,200,000 from the state general fund

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Senate Committee - Testified: FOR:  Linda Grant, Association of Alcoholism/Addictions Programs; Phil Showstead, King County Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services; NEUTRAL:  Mike Doubleday, City of Seattle