Ohio House Bill Would Provide Expanded Addiction Treatment Opportunities
State Representative Robert Sprague (R-Findlay) announced that the Ohio House has passed legislation requiring every county to have the full spectrum of opioid addiction recovery treatment and recovery housing. Rep. Sprague was the chair of the House Prescription Drug Addiction and Healthcare Reform Committee, which traveled around Ohio last summer learning about and studying drug abuse and addiction.
Sub. H.B. 369 was introduced into the legislature in December of 2013, but its provisions were incorporated into House Bill 483 as part of the mid-biennium budget review (MBR) process. The bill requires that each county board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services (ADAMHS) establish of full spectrum of care, resources, and treatment services for opioid and co-occurring drug addiction.
The complete range of recovery treatments are required to include the following under the legislation:
- Ambulatory and sub-acute detoxification
- Outpatient services that are both intensive and non-intensive
- Peer mentorship
- Residential care
- 12-step programs
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Sober housing for recovery
In addition, the bill provides funding for case managers in specialty docket drug courts.
“House Bill 369 is a critical part of the legislative package that was introduced after our traveling legislative study committee,” said Rep. Sprague. “Currently, the majority of funding goes to the eight biggest counties in Ohio. So, for example, a person in a rural county might have to travel to Lucas County for detox or residential treatment, only to return home and find that there isn’t proper integrated treatment available, often resulting in relapse. With drug overdose being the number one cause of accidental death in Ohio, this issue needs to be addressed.”
Sub. H.B. 369, and its provisions in H.B. 483 as a part of the MBR, now awaits consideration by the Ohio Senate.