Bill Text: HI HR81 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Health To Restore Funding For Certain Substance Use Disorder Treatment Agencies For The Fiscal Years 2022-2023 And 2023-2024 For Residential, Outpatient, And Adolescent School-based Services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-14 - Referred to HHH, referral sheet 27 [HR81 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2022-HR81-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
81 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO restore FUNDING FOR certain SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT AGENCIES FOR THE fiscal years 2022-2023 AND 2023-2024 FOR RESIDENTIAL, OUTPATIENT, AND ADOLESCENT SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES.
WHEREAS, all citizens possess the basic human right to the preservation of personal dignity; and
WHEREAS, all citizens deserve the investment of every possible resource to ensure lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being; and
WHEREAS, every child deserves to live a good life -- to have a healthy body, a clear mind, loving family and friends, and the freedom to make the choices that are best for themselves; choices that open doors to new passions, opportunities and a bright future; and
WHEREAS, teenager's brains and bodies are still growing while learning how to make smart choices, control impulses, and live a respectful life, which can be short circuited by drugs and alcohol; and
WHEREAS, substance use disorders (SUD) are complex but treatable diseases that affect brain function and behavior; and
WHEREAS, SUDs and their co-occurring disorders have a range of severity, with higher severity levels causing primary suffering and the pathological effects of addiction causing secondary suffering, requiring effective treatment; and
WHEREAS, chronic and severe SUDs lead to liver damage, liver failure, seizures, stroke, mental confusion, lung disease, and cardiological problems, in addition to problems with memory, attention, and decision-making, thus making daily living difficult; and
WHEREAS, the most serious SUD is addiction, which causes afflicted persons to engage in heavy drug use, resulting in low functioning mental health issues such that there is uncontrollable use of a substance despite harmful consequences leading to impaired day to day life; and
WHEREAS, often, a person afflicted with addiction cannot stop heavy drug use even if they want and try to because changes in their brain structure cause intense cravings; changes in personality; abnormal behaviors that affect judgement, decision‑making, learning, memory, and behavioral control, which can last a long time and, if left untreated, becomes one of the leading causes of preventable illnesses and premature death; and
WHEREAS, severe SUDs experienced by pregnant women can impact the development of their infants and can lead to both pre- and postnatal complications, be a detriment to both the mother’s and child’s physical and mental well-being, and places the child at risk for future substance use; and
WHEREAS, no single treatment is right for every person suffering from addiction, and those with the most severe conditions need to have quick access to appropriate treatment when the opportunity arises or when motivation is present; and
WHEREAS, patients or clients can live a drug-free, crime-free lifestyle after treatment; and
WHEREAS, studies indicate that residential treatment programs are most effective for patients suffering from chronic and severe SUDs and that there are very rare alternative interventions that could meet this special population's needs; and
WHEREAS, studies from the American Society of Addiction Medicine have determined that a chronic SUD diagnosis needs abstinent-based residential treatment for a minimum of thirty to ninety days; and
WHEREAS, pregnant and parenting women who suffer from SUDs have complex needs such as addressing co-occurring mental health disorders, managing medical conditions such as high risk pregnancy and relationship building particularly with regards to parenting, that are best addressed within residential and outpatient treatment, including therapeutic housing; and
WHEREAS, SUD treatment programs are becoming more advanced in treating people with co-occurring mental health disorders by helping people with symptom management training and providing medications (psychopharmacology), while also addressing co-morbidity health illnesses; and
WHEREAS, in school-based environments, teachers play a key role as part of the intervention process as well as mentoring during and after treatment, thereby helping to sustain positive outcomes; and
WHEREAS, substance abuse treatment programs in schools can offer the expertise for providing special interventions for youths, strengthening families, and empowering communities; and
WHEREAS, through nationally recognized therapeutic practices, treatment can also help students make positive changes in their lives to address other health problems; injuries from accidents, suicide, family problems; relationship issues; problems in schools; and even legal issues; and
WHEREAS, the loss of funding to and resulting shortened treatment times and lowered rates for adult treatment and school-based adolescent services to Hina Mauka (The Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaii); The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services; The Salvation Army Family Treatment Services; Po‘ailani, Inc.; and Aloha House, Malama Family Recovery Center, and Maui Youth & Family Services has caused five hundred fifty adults to lose access needed services and caused the loss of school-based services to two hundred students per year and has caused a fifty percent decrease in bed spaces available for pregnant and parenting women to receive gender responsive residential SUD treatment that they could engage in with their infants or young children; and
WHEREAS, these services are much needed and funding was removed despite excellent performance and outcomes; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Department of Health is requested to restore funding and services to substance use disorder treatment services for residential and outpatient adult and adolescent school-based programs for fiscal years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to restore funding for:
(1) Adult and adolescent school-based services treatment services offered by Hina Mauka (The Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaii);
(2) Adult services offered by The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services;
(3) Adult and children services provided by The Salvation Army Family Treatment Services;
(4) School-based services provided by Aloha House, Malama Family Recovery Center, and Maui Youth & Family Services; and
(5) Subsidization of reduced rates for services provided by Po‘ailani, Inc. and the above-mentioned agencies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is urged to develop a statewide plan to identify, coordinate, and develop protocols for various forms of treatment, including both evidenced-based practices and harm reduction practices that would comprehensively help individuals and their families receive timely access to appropriate and adequate treatment for substance use disorders, including addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Director of Health.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Funding; Substance Use Disorder; Adolescent Treatment
