HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1619

BYRepresentative Brekke

Revising treatment of alcoholism and other drug addiction.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Raiter and Winsley.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (3)

      Signed by Representatives Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; and Padden.

House Staff:John B. Welsh, Jr. (786-7133)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse develops and administers a comprehensive program of alcoholism and drug addiction treatment and prevention services for residents of the state of Washington.  It seeks to reduce alcoholism and drug dependency by providing treatment services.  The bureau does not provide any direct treatment services.  The bureau's prevention and treatment funds are disbursed through contracts.  The bureau regulates all providers of alcoholism and drug abuse services in the state.  It contracts with counties and non-profit agencies to provide treatment services to persons who cannot pay for the full cost of that treatment, and through a prevention program directed at youth.

Currently, the duties and responsibilities of the Department of Social and Health Services for providing these services are specified in three chapters of the law:

Chapter 69.54, enacted in 1971, establishes certification standards for drug treatment centers, and also provides for financial support for county drug abuse programs, the establishment of county drug abuse administrative boards and the certification of methadone treatment programs.

Chapter 70.96, enacted in 1971, relates to alcoholism, and provides for the approval of alcoholism treatment facilities, financial assistance to county alcoholism programs and the establishment of county alcoholism administrative boards.

Chapter 70.96A, enacted in 1972, is the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxication Treatment Law, providing for voluntary and involuntary treatment of persons incapacitated by alcohol.  This chapter also authorizes a discrete treatment program for alcoholism provided by the department, including emergency treatment, inpatient and outpatient treatment and follow-up.  Standards for both public and private treatment facilities are required as well.  This program was initially under the responsibility of the Office of Financial Management.

These three chapters contain dated terminology, obsolete definitions, duplicative sections, and maintain a separate status for drug treatment centers and alcohol treatment facilities whose standards are combined and made uniform by rule in 1985.

Alcohol and drug addiction is unprofessional conduct under the Uniform Disciplinary Act for the regulated health professions.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Chapter 69.54 RCW relating to drug treatment, and Chapter 70.96 RCW relating to alcoholism treatment are repealed and re-codified in Chapter 70.96A RCW. The definition of alcoholic is clarified, and new definitions of alcoholism, chemical dependency, discrete chemical dependency treatment program, and drug addiction are provided. Chemical dependency refers to both alcoholism and drug addiction.

Treatment programs include the treatment of alcoholics and drug addicts as well as their families.

Obsolete language and duplicative sections are repealed and the separate distinctions for alcoholism and drug treatment programs are unified in a comprehensive chapter. Alcohol and drug misuse is unprofessional conduct under the Uniform Disciplinary Act for the regulated health professions.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Language is clarified to be consistent with other provisions of the bill.  A reference to the requirement of county programs being discrete for the purposes of department certification is deleted.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Brekke, Sponsor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Recodification of the separate alcohol and drug treatment chapters will end the artificial distinction between alcoholism and drug addiction services.  Common definitions and updated technology will streamline the treatment process.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.