HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1292

BYRepresentatives Braddock, Ballard, Vekich, D. Sommers, Day, Chandler, Wolfe, Brooks, Rector, May, Brekke and Spanel

Creating impaired health professional programs.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Ranking Republican Member; Cantwell, Chandler, Morris, Prentice, D. Sommers, Vekich and Wolfe.

House Staff:John Welsh (786-7133)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 6, 1989

BACKGROUND:

A voluntary state program for the detection, intervention, treatment and monitoring of health professionals, licensed, certified or registered by the state, who are impaired by alcohol or drug abuse is available as an alternative to sanctions for unprofessional conduct under the Uniform Disciplinary Act. Currently, dentists and veterinarians are covered under the program, but there is no authority to assess surcharges on licenses to finance the program.

SUMMARY:

The Department is required to levy a surcharge of $15 and $25 on the license fees of dentists and veterinarians, respectively, and and is also authorized to levy a surcharge on other regulated health professionals, for financing voluntary substance abuse monitoring programs.

The programs provide such services on prevention, referral and treatment, intervention and monitoring of health professionals impaired by alcohol and drug abuse.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 31, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Greg Hanon, Washington State Veterinary Medical Association and Linda Christopherson, Washington State Dental Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Meeting the expenses of a treatment program for health professionals impaired by alcohol or drug abuse is often beyond means of the individual.  The costs of the program should be borne equally by all the licensees.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.