04/18/2007 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

9:06:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 100(STA)                                                                                            
     "An  Act  relating  to substance  abuse  and  mental  health                                                               
     disorder prevention and treatment  programs; and relating to                                                               
     long-term  secure   treatment  programs  for   persons  with                                                               
     substance abuse  or co-occurring substance abuse  and mental                                                               
     health disorders."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was the  second hearing for this bill in  the Senate Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:06:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  announced  intent  to report  this  bill  from                                                               
Committee. He noted  receipt of a revised fiscal  note to replace                                                               
the two previous fiscal notes.  The new fiscal note indicates the                                                               
cost to implement this legislation would be zero.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:07:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOHNNY  ELLIS, Sponsor  of the  bill, testified  that the                                                               
Senate State  Affairs Committee substitute  of this  bill retains                                                               
the  "non-controversial"  provisions  of the  original  bill.  He                                                               
listed  these  as treatment  priority  for  pregnant women,  non-                                                               
discrimination  against faith-based  oriented treatment  programs                                                               
and public  facilities, provided they  meet the same  criteria as                                                               
qualifying  secular programs,  and requirement  of research-based                                                               
and  evidence-based programming  for  substance abuse  treatment.                                                               
The  latter  provision  is  intended  to  ensure  that  effective                                                               
programs  were funded,  and represents  a  national trend.  These                                                               
provisions would update  or provide "fine tuning"  of the State's                                                               
statutes governing substance abuse treatment.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:08:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ellis  told of  the provision  contained in  the original                                                               
version of  the bill  and deleted  from the  committee substitute                                                               
pertaining to  utilization of the current  involuntary commitment                                                               
statute  for  "secure  detox beds".  This  provision  would  have                                                               
allowed  for  a  pilot  project  of  ten  to  12  beds  providing                                                               
detoxification treatment in a secure facility.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Ellis  informed  that  he would  convene  a  meeting  of                                                               
"stakeholders"   including  the   Executive  Branch   and  "other                                                               
potential funders, to attempt to  create a "longer term project".                                                               
He  relayed  interest  expressed   by  Senate  Finance  Committee                                                               
members  to   create  an  expanded   rural  program   located  in                                                               
additional communities.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:09:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  reiterated that the  revised fiscal note  is in                                                               
the amount of zero.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:09:40 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked the timeframe  in which a pilot program would                                                               
be instituted.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Ellis  indicated intent  that  funding  for the  program                                                               
would be included in the FY  09 operating budget to be considered                                                               
in the  next legislative session.  The delay is  a disappointment                                                               
to  advocates, many  who argue  such a  program should  have been                                                               
implemented  "years  ago".  The  program  would  be  directed  to                                                               
intervene in  situations involving the most  "dangerous substance                                                               
abusers" and those  incurring the highest cost  to government and                                                               
organizations.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:10:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Huggins  offered  a  motion  to  report  the  bill  from                                                               
Committee with individual recommendations and new fiscal note.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
There  was no  objection and  CS SB  100(STA), was  REPORTED from                                                               
Committee  with a  new zero  fiscal note  dated 4/17/07  from the                                                               
Department  of  Health  and Social  Services,  Behavioral  Health                                                               
Administration.