HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1599

BYRepresentatives Locke, Silver, Bristow, H. Sommers, Winsley, Miller, Sayan, Pruitt, Wineberry P. King, Rayburn, Raiter, R. King, Belcher, Jones, Scott, Baugher, Jacobsen, H. Myers, Rasmussen, Spanel, Basich, Phillips, Appelwick and Day

Making appropriations for persons suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction.

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefore and the substitute bill do pass.  (27)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Holland, May, McLean, Nealey, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang, Wineberry and Youngsman.

House Staff:Sandi Gray (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 2, 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). 

In order to bring projected expenditures back within budget, the Governor proposed, effective February 1, elimination of outpatient programs and limiting shelter to those already in the ADATSA program.  A recent Superior Court restraining order prohibited the limit on shelter, while allowing the elimination of treatment.  Most of the successful legal actions have been based on provisions of this or other income assistance statutes.

Without a supplemental appropriation, outpatient treatment would be eliminated for all program participants.

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.

A priority system is established in the event of waiting lists for treatment.  The priorities, in descending order are:  persons referred by the child protective service program, pregnant women, adults in households with children, and other heavy users of social and health services.

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.  Fair hearing rights are maintained.

Separate appropriations are provided for treatment, shelter and assessment services.  The overall appropriation is increased by $11,000,000, of which $6,200,000 is from the state general fund.  This is in addition to $38.9 million already appropriated for the program.  The appropriation is sufficient to provide treatment services each month to an average of 775 residential care clients and 1,700 outpatient treatment clients.  In addition, an average of 1,250 clients may receive shelter services each month.  This will permit everyone currently in treatment to complete their programs.  In addition, about 900 new individuals could enter treatment.  Everyone currently receiving shelter would be housed along with about 100 new applicants.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Provision is made for outpatient treatment for persons receiving public assistance through other programs. Persons awaiting treatment must be referred to the shelter program for shelter services.  Persons awaiting shelter services who appear to have disabilities qualifying them for state general assistance are to be referred to that program.

The original bill provided an emergency appropriation through April. The substitute provides an appropriation to cover the remainder of the biennium.

Language is generally clarified regarding eligibility, administrative rules, and other provisions.  Medical care services and fair hearing rights are included.

Appropriation:    $11,000,000 ($6,200,000 GF-S) to Department of Social and Health Services.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Barbara Baker, Legal Services; Philip Showstead, King County; Linda Grant, AAP; James Lye, Social Treatment Opportunity Programs.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Service providers, advocates and clients indicated support for the bill and stressed the importance of continuing a high level of treatment services.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.