PRINTER'S NO. 2056
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1210
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SCHWANK, COSTA, FONTANA, BREWSTER, WILEY, TEPLITZ,
SABATINA, FARNESE, BLAKE, DINNIMAN, YUDICHAK, BROWNE AND
HUGHES, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for emergency addiction
treatment; and imposing powers and duties on the Department
of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 83
EMERGENCY ADDICTION TREATMENT
Subchapter
A. Preliminary Provisions
B. Program
SUBCHAPTER A
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Sec.
8301. Short title of chapter.
8302. Declaration of policy.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
8303. Definitions.
§ 8301. Short title of chapter.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency
Addiction Treatment Act.
§ 8302. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) More than 219,000,000 prescriptions for opioid
painkillers were written in the United States in 2014.
(2) Sales of opioid painkillers generated more than
$11,000,000,000 in revenue in 2009 and are expected to grow
to more than $15,000,000,000 in 2016.
(3) This Commonwealth is in the middle of a major drug
epidemic, primarily driven by opioid painkillers and heroin.
(4) In 2013, there were more than 2,525 drug overdose
deaths in this Commonwealth.
(5) Heroin-related admissions to addiction treatment
programs in this Commonwealth increased by 17% in 2014. The
heroin problem is being driven by prescription drug
addiction.
(6) The widespread availability, overmarketing and
overprescribing of opioid painkillers have resulted in
increases in overdose deaths, emergency room admissions,
admissions to addiction treatment programs and crime, all of
which adversely impact State and local budgets.
(7) State and county funding for addiction treatment
programs is insufficient to handle the increased demand for
addiction treatment.
§ 8303. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20160SB1210PN2056 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs of
the Commonwealth.
"Program." The Emergency Addiction Treatment Program
established in section 8310 (relating to Emergency Addiction
Treatment Program).
SUBCHAPTER B
PROGRAM
Sec.
8310. Emergency Addiction Treatment Program.
§ 8310. Emergency Addiction Treatment Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Emergency Addiction Treatment
Program is established in the Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs to provide addiction treatment in licensed long-term
residential addiction treatment facilities, including licensed
halfway houses, for individuals who are unable to obtain timely
or appropriate treatment, as determined by the department, and
to establish such treatment facilities. The program shall be
administered by the department.
(b) Powers and duties of department.--In order to provide
individuals seeking assistance with better and more timely
access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, the department
shall:
(1) Maintain a toll-free telephone number to assist
individuals seeking help for drug and alcohol problems. The
telephone number shall be posted on the department's publicly
accessible Internet website and shall be posted or published
by the department in such other media as the department
determines is necessary to reach as many individuals as
possible.
20160SB1210PN2056 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(2) Provide assistance in accessing addiction treatment.
The department may provide this service by contract.
(3) Develop and maintain a database identifying problems
and patterns in accessing appropriate addiction treatment.
(4) Develop and provide a program to educate and counsel
families with addiction problems on how to prevent and treat
addiction.
(5) Prepare an annual report to the General Assembly on
the activities described in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3),
including recommendations for improving access to addiction
treatment. The report shall be posted on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website.
(c) Guidelines.--The department shall develop and forward to
the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin guidelines for the implementation of the
program established under section 1203-B of the act of March 4,
1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, and to
govern the eligible use of the fund by counties and other
entities or persons that provide addiction treatment services to
individuals in licensed long-term residential addiction
treatment facilities, including halfway houses.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20160SB1210PN2056 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22