Bill Text: PA HR144 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directing the Department of Health to conduct a geographic study determining the accessibility and need for drug and alcohol treatment facilities throughout the counties of this Commonwealth and urging a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses for drug or alcohol treatment facilities until the completion of the study.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 14-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-13 - Referred to HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [HR144 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR144-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1036
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 144 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, STERN, COHEN, FAIRCHILD, GEIST, HARRIS, HELM, HESS, MOUL, SIPTROTH, J. TAYLOR, TRUE AND GILLESPIE, MARCH 13, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, MARCH 13, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Department of Health to conduct a geographic study
determining the accessibility and need for drug and alcohol
treatment facilities throughout the counties of this
Commonwealth and urging a moratorium on the issuance of new
licenses for drug or alcohol treatment facilities until the
completion of the study.
WHEREAS, It is the duty of the House of Representatives to
enhance the health and welfare of this Commonwealth's citizens
by the orderly and economical distribution of drug and alcohol
treatment resources to prevent needless duplication of services
and to make the delivery system responsive and adequate to the
needs of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Health should foster a sound drug
and alcohol services system which provides quality care at
appropriate treatment facilities throughout this Commonwealth,
evaluates potential providers on quality of care issues and
monitors the demand for, supply of and use of services to ensure
that treatment needs are met and unnecessary duplication is
avoided by regulatory authority; and
WHEREAS, Drug and alcohol health care facilities should
obtain approval from the Department of Health prior to
establishing or expanding services in order to ensure
accessibility to care and quality treatment for all Commonwealth
residents; and
WHEREAS, There are nearly 700 nonprofit and for-profit drug
and alcohol facilities across this Commonwealth, including 37
methadone clinics which provide treatment services to the
public; and
WHEREAS, There is one drug and alcohol treatment facility per
18,000 constituents, including one methadone clinic per 336,000
individuals of this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The actual locations and numbers of drug and alcohol
treatment facilities in each county vary drastically from
Statewide ratios, signifying that there is limited accessibility
for treatment in some counties, while there is a proliferation
of for-profit facilities in other counties; and
WHEREAS, Blair, Centre, Elk, Franklin, Lebanon, Lycoming,
Snyder, Somerset and Venango Counties are experiencing a
proliferation of for-profit drug and alcohol treatment
facilities with half or more than half of the treatment
facilities operating under profit ownership; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth should strive to provide
accessibility and quality care to its own residents; and
WHEREAS, Counties such as Blair, Cameron, Erie, Forest,
McKean, Mercer, Sullivan and Tioga are home to a high number of
treatment facilities in relation to their county population,
indicating that a large number of those receiving care are not
county residents; and
WHEREAS, Adams, Carbon, Clarion, Clinton, Delaware, Indiana,
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Lackawanna, Northampton, Perry, Pike and Somerset Counties are
experiencing a significant lack of accessible care for drug and
alcohol treatment services; and
WHEREAS, All these counties contain more than 10,000 citizens
over the Statewide and county averages of persons per treatment
facility; and
WHEREAS, To promote geographical and economical access to
care with an equitable distribution of drug and alcohol
treatment resources and to deter focusing development in areas
with the greatest profit opportunities and not in areas of the
greatest need, the General Assembly must devote sufficient
resources and information systems to examine the supply,
capacity, cost and quality of drug and alcohol services
throughout this Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
Department of Health to conduct a geographic study determining
the accessibility and need for drug and alcohol treatment
facilities throughout the counties of this Commonwealth; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
Department of Health to place a moratorium on the issuance of
any new licenses for drug or alcohol treatment facilities during
this study; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Department of Health report to the House
of Representatives no later than six months after the adoption
of this resolution on its activities, findings and
recommendations for any needed changes in law to make the
availability and accessibility of this type of care as uniform
as possible across the diversity of this Commonwealth.
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