HB2554 - 472R - House Bill Summary

House of Representatives

HB 2554

substance abuse treatment; appropriations

Sponsor: Representative Anderson

DPA	Committee on Human Services
DPA	Committee on Appropriations B
DPA	Caucus and COW
X	As Transmitted to the Governor	This bill as introduced contains *an Appropriation clause.*

HB 2554 creates the Addiction Reduction and Recovery Fund (ARRF) and appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund (GF) to ARRF to fund drug and alcohol abuse services and prevention programs through Regional Behavioral Health Authorities (RBHAs). HB 2554 also appropriates $3 million to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) for increased drug enforcement efforts, and $2 million to Arizona Families F.I.R.S.T. for increased treatment services. Finally, it appropriates $500,000 to the Department of Health Services (DHS) for methamphetamine abuse prevention services.

History

Last year, the Arizona DHS, Division of Behavioral Health Services contracted with five RBHAs to deliver substance abuse and mental health treatment services throughout Arizona. During 2005, the DHS admitted 59,661 adolescents and adults for behavioral health services who reported an alcohol or drug related treatment concern. The most frequently used substance reported was alcohol, with nearly 45% of treatment participants assessed as suffering alcoholism. The second largest category was stimulant drugs (methamphetamine, cocaine, and crack cocaine) with 26% reporting a primary stimulant drug problem. Titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act provide federal funding to assist states in the operation of medical assistance programs. Individuals and families eligible under Title XIX and XXI receive all medically necessary covered services for substance abuse through the RBHAs. Behavioral health services for Arizonans not eligible under Title XIX and XXI are based on available funding.

Provisions

· Establishes the ARRF to fund drug and alcohol abuse services and prevention programs through RBHAs and to be administered by the Director of the DHS.

· Allows the Director of the DHS to accept and spend other funds from the federal government or private sources to supplement the ARRF’s purposes.

· Stipulates any federal government or private source funding will not revert to the GF at the end of the fiscal year.

· Specifies that all monies deposited in the ARRF are in addition to appropriated funds and other funding sources, and are not to replace those funds.

· Exempts funds in the ARRF from lapsing and indicates funds are continuously appropriated.

· Empowers the Director of the DHS to instruct the state treasurer to invest or divest monies in the ARRF, and deposit monies earned from investment in the ARRF.

· Requires the Director of the DHS to spend ARRF monies through RBHAs as follows:

-for rural detoxification programs, including for methamphetamine addiction and related follow-up services, and

-for substance abuse and addiction prevention programs, including for methamphetamine abuse.

· Requires the RBHAs to make efforts to partner with community and faith-based organizations in implementing the prevention programs.

· Exempts ARRF monies from the normal administrative withholdings imposed by the DHS and the RBHAs.

· Appropriates $2.5 million from the GF in fiscal year (FY) 2006-2007 to the ARRF, which is subsequently appropriated to the DHS for drug and alcohol abuse services and prevention programs.

· Appropriates $3 million from the GF in FY 2006-2007 to the ACJC for distribution to each county board of supervisors based on population for increased methamphetamine interdiction, treatment, and education programs, and exempts this appropriation from lapsing.

· Stipulates that the most recent United States decennial census shall be used to determine population, but no county shall receive less than $50,000.

· Requires each county that receives money to submit quarterly reports to the ACJC on the use and effectiveness of the distributed monies.

· Mandates the ACJC submit a summary of the county reports to the governor, president of the Senate, speaker of the House, and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), which will also be provided to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona State Library.

· Restricts monies appropriated to the ACJC from being used for media campaigns that refer to any elected official in Arizona or any of its agencies or political subdivisions.

· Appropriates $2 million from the GF in FY 2006-2007 to the Department of Economic Security for substance abuse treatment services through the Arizona Families F.I.R.S.T. program, and exempts this appropriation from lapsing.

· Appropriates $500,000 from the GF in FY 2006-2007 to the DHS for comprehensive methamphetamine prevention services provided by community based organizations with a proven record of providing prevention programming to children, including programs serving children throughout Arizona, and exempts this appropriation from lapsing.

· Requires the community based organizations receiving monies to submit quarterly reports to the DHS on the use and effectiveness of the distributed monies and further requires the DHS to submit a quarterly summary of the reports to the governor, president of the Senate, speaker of the House, and the JLBC, which will also be provided to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona State Library.

· Includes a purpose clause describing the intent of the bill as a comprehensive effort to stem the growth of methamphetamine abuse.

· Delays the repeal of the ARRF to June 30, 2008.

· Includes an emergency clause.

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· Forty-seventh Legislature