Assigned to HEALTH & APPROP FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Forty-seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2554
substance abuse treatment; appropriations
Purpose
Appropriates a total of $12 million from the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 to various agencies to stem the growth of methamphetamine and other substance abuse.
Background
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be injected, snorted, smoked or ingested orally. The effects of methamphetamine include increased activity, decreased appetite and a sense of well being. According to the National Institutes for Drug Abuse, methamphetamine use increases the heart rate and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, which may produce strokes. It may also result in cardiovascular conditions, convulsions and death.
H.B. 2554 appropriates $3.5 million to the Department of Health Services to be distributed to regional behavioral health authorities (RBHAs). RBHAs contract with a network of service providers to deliver a full range of behavioral health care services, including prevention programs for adults and children, a full continuum of services for adults with substance abuse and general mental health disorders, adults with serious mental illness, and children with serious emotional disturbance. Arizona is divided into six geographical service areas served by four RBHAs.
H.B. 2554 also appropriates $2.5 million to the Department of Economic Security’s Families F.I.R.S.T. Families F.I.R.S.T. offers a continuum of community-based substance abuse treatment services to a parent of a child who is named in a report to Child Protective Services or a person whose substance abuse is a significant barrier to maintaining or obtaining employment and is a recipient of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. Services include education, outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, residential treatment, aftercare services and supportive services.
This legislation appropriates a total of $12 million in FY 2006-2007 from the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Addiction Reduction and Recovery Fund (Fund) and requires the Director of the Department of Health Services (Director) to administer the Fund. Subjects these monies to legislative appropriation and exempts monies from lapsing. Requires the State Treasurer,
on notice from the Director, to invest and divest monies in the Fund. Monies earned from investment shall be credited to the Fund.
2. Requires the Director to spend monies in the Fund through RBHAs for rural detoxification programs and for substance abuse and addiction prevention programs. RBHAs shall make efforts to partner with community and faith-based organizations to implement the rural detoxification programs.
3. Prohibits supplanting of monies already used for these purposes.
4. Allows the Director to accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises for the purposes of this legislation. These monies do not revert to the state General Fund at the end of the fiscal year.
5. Appropriates $3.5 million from the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 to the Addiction Reduction and Recovery Fund, and appropriates these funds to the Department of Health Services for:
6. Appropriates $6 million from the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 to the Department of Public Safety for:
7. Appropriates $2.5 million from the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 to the Department of Economic Security for the Arizona Families F.I.R.S.T. program for substance abuse treatment.
8. Provides that the purpose of the legislation is to stem the growth of methamphetamine and other substance abuse.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
HS 2/2/06 DPA 8-0-0-0
APPROP (B) 2/7/06 12-0-0-3
3rd Read 2/15/06 41-8-11
Prepared by Senate Research
February 23, 2006
CMH/ac