HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2087

BYRepresentatives Bristow, Rayburn, Baugher, Basich, Leonard, Fraser and Rasmussen

Revising and adding provisions on alcoholism and drug abuse programs.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Padden, Raiter and Winsley.

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

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services as amended by Committee on Appropriations be substituted therefor and the substitute bill as amended do pass.  (23)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Dorn, Ebersole, Hine, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Sandi Gray (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS MARCH 4, 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. 

The Governor's attempt to control expenditures with program restrictions resulted in a Superior Court restraining order prohibiting any limit on shelter.  This restraining order, along with the previous legal actions, was based on provisions of the ADATSA and income assistance statutes.

Emergency legislation adopted in February, 1989, provided additional funds and placed limits on the expenditure of those funds.  The emergency legislation also authorized caseload ceilings and client eligibility standards and priorities as necessary to comply with appropriation limits.

Currently, however, eligibility standards specifically for the ADATSA program are not required.  Information and client tracking systems are not sufficient for program evaluation and management control purposes.  There is little statutory direction regarding treatment programs.  There are indications that the pilot intensive protective payee program is effective in encouraging treatment and reducing dependency on the ADATSA program.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Department of Social and Health Services is required to establish specific eligibility criteria for treatment and for shelter services which conform to appropriation limits on maximum caseloads and expenditures.  Provisions which may be interpreted as providing a service entitlement are eliminated.  A client tracking and information system is required to facilitate management control and program evaluation, and the department is required to develop a performance-based contracting system.

The department is required to adopt rules providing for a classification of applicants for treatment into priority classes. The department must consider the treatment needs of pregnant women, the impact on families and children, and the availability of treatment alternatives for other persons eligible for drug and alcohol treatment.

The department is required to develop an intensive protective payee system to prevent the diversion of public assistance grants for purchasing of alcohol or drugs.

Outpatient services may be provided to persons receiving income assistance from other public assistance programs.  The program is exempted from general statutes relating to income assistance.  Eligibility criteria for medical care services are maintained at current levels.

Separate unspecified appropriations are provided for outpatient treatment, in-patient treatment, shelter and assessment services, as well as caseload lids.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The department is required to establish priority classes of applicants for treatment, but the ranking of these specified classes into priorities in the bill is deleted. Outpatient treatment may be provided to SSI recipients.  Persons on the waiting list for treatment are to be referred to the GA-U program for evaluation for eligibility by the department. The department is required to develop an intensive protective payee system. Section 7 is deleted as redundant with current law.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS:  The striking amendment makes technical corrections, allows shelter services to be provided through a regular protective payee system where appropriate, and removes the appropriations sections.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

Effective Date:The bill takes effect on July 1, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Human Services) Linda Grant, Alcohol Addiction Program; Mike Doubleday, City of Seattle; Thelma Struck, Department of Social and Health Services; Philip Showstead, King County Association of Alcohol and Abuse; Greg Bass, Evergreen Legal Services.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Human Services) The ADATSA law for treating alcoholics and drug abusers on the state's general assistance program has proven to be a very successful program.  The excellent results are attributable to a greater access to care and a stable prescribed continuum for each recipient.  The program has also been successful in restoring a great percentage of persons to full employment.  Without the ADATSA program, the GA-U caseload would have climbed enormously.  By lidding the program to appropriated funds, there will be better management of the program.  The benign purpose of the program has prevented alcoholics and drug addicts from continuing their destructive lifestyle with their cash assistant grants.  The option for treatment provided to public assistance recipients is diverting many persons into productive lives beyond public assistance.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.