BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to the Washington state clinical depression in poverty study; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that clinical depression is a serious problem in America, undermining the ability of those afflicted to deal with work, family, and life issues. The majority of those diagnosed as clinically depressed are women, as are the majority of adult recipients of temporary assistance for needy families. The legislature finds that some studies indicate a relationship between severe depression and poverty, with the possibility that each condition potentiates the other. Furthermore, some major depression appears to have a biochemical cause.

The legislature finds that, in recent years, a pharmaceutical approach to the management of clinical depression has proven successful for many of those with middle class access to health care professionals. The legislature intends to provide access to pharmaceutical treatment for clinical depression, under medical supervision, for a study group of temporary assistance for needy families recipients for whom depression is a barrier to employment. The legislature intends that the Washington state clinical depression in poverty study be conducted, to estimate the extent of serious, disabling depression in the temporary assistance for needy families population, and to determine whether medication is effective in freeing an unknown number of those in poverty to live productive and self-sufficient lives while caring for their families.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of health shall perform or contract for the performance of the Washington state clinical depression in poverty study to be conducted on the Washington state temporary assistance for needy families adult recipient population. The goal of the study is to estimate to what extent the subject population is experiencing major clinical depression as a barrier to self-sufficiency, and to examine the utility of appropriately administered and medically supervised pharmaceutical treatment for depression.

(2) The study shall, at a minimum, consist of the following elements:

(a) Initial screening of volunteers for the study, by administration of a simple screening device, such as the center for epidemiological studies depression scale (CES-D) or other scale;

(b) Final screening and selection of volunteers by clinical assessment and diagnosis, in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition revised (DSM-III-R), performed by professionals licensed under chapter 18.71 or 18.83 RCW;

(d) Division of the study population into a group to receive selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors under medical supervision and a control group; and

(e) Analysis and comparison of the study population to assess whether or not clinical depression is a present barrier to self-sufficiency and undermines the ability to achieve economic independence and exit temporary assistance for needy families, and whether or not a pharmaceutical approach to resolution of the depressive condition offers sufficient therapeutic effect to enable and assist the recipient's progress to welfare-independence.

(3) The department of social and health services and the employment security department shall cooperate with the department of health, and shall provide access to data and to study volunteers. Personal data and the identities of individual volunteers is protected by confidentiality requirements, to the extent necessary.

(4) The results of the study shall be reported to the legislature on or before September 1, 2001.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, from the general fund to the department of health for the purposes of this act.