HOUSE BILL REPORT
SHB 1252
As Passed House:
March 9, 2001
Title: An act relating to faith‑based chemical dependency treatment programs.
Brief Description: Exempting faith‑based chemical dependency treatment programs from state regulation.
Sponsors: By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Boldt, Mulliken, Schindler and Lambert).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Children & Family Services: 2/5/01, 2/22/01 [DPS].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/9/01, 95-0.
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Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
$Faith-based chemical dependency programs are required to conspicuously display a statement about the nature of the services offered.
$A person entering such a program is required to sign a declaration stating that she or he understands the nature of the services offered by the program.
$State or federal benefits may not be denied to a person because the person is participating in a licensed faith-based residential chemical dependency treatment program.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 10 members: Representatives Boldt, Republican Co‑Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co‑Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Morell, Republican Vice Chair; Ballasiotes, Campbell, Darneille, Dickerson, Miloscia and Pflug.
Staff: Deborah Frazier (786‑7152).
Background:
Residential and outpatient chemical dependency treatment programs may choose to be regulated by the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA) of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Certification of programs is voluntary.
Residential chemical dependency treatment programs must meet licensing requirements established by the Department of Health (DOH).
State and federal treatment funding currently is limited to programs certified by DASA. To be certified, programs that include a religious component must make participation in that aspect of the program voluntary.
Summary of Bill:
The bill defines ?religious organization.@ Faith based chemical dependency programs are required to conspicuously display a statement about the nature of the services offered. A person entering such a program is required to sign a declaration stating that she or he understands the nature of the services offered by the program.
State or federal benefits may not be denied to a person because the person is participating in a licensed faith-based residential chemical dependency treatment program.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: We support this bill. We already have people sign an agreement about the nature of our services. We contract for medical and detox services. We=d like to be able to access state and federal funding, which we can=t get if we=re not licensed.
Testimony Against: We can=t support a double standard for secular and faith-based programs. Uncertified programs have no standards for background checks to screen out sex predators as employees. These programs are exempted from treatment standards for their staff.
Testified: (In support) James Jones and Frederick Robinson III, Union Gospel Mission; Duffy Hobbs, Church of Living Water B Celebrate Recovery; and Bob Higley, Washington Evangelicans for Responsible Government.
(Opposed) Helen Gorsuch, Association of Alcoholism-Addiction Programs; Dr. Pat Knox, Recovery Centers of King County; John Wise, West Sound Treatment Center; Scott Munson and Bill Starr, Sundown M Ranch; and Ken Stark, Department of Health and Human Services.