PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1905
PRINTER'S NO. 2276
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1650
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY GREGORY, HOHENSTEIN, BERNSTINE, DIAMOND, ECKER,
FLICK, GALLAGHER, GUENST, HANBIDGE, HOWARD, KAUFFMAN, KAZEEM,
KUZMA, E. NELSON, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, MADDEN, MERCURI, HEFFLEY,
KRAJEWSKI, KHAN, GREEN, OTTEN AND GIRAL, AUGUST 15, 2023
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 13, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for substance abuse USE
treatment and recovery support and for powers and duties of
the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs; and establishing
the Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE Grant Program.
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 52C
SUBSTANCE ABUSE USE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT
Subchapter
A. Preliminary Provisions
B. (Reserved)
C. Support for Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE
Grant Program
SUBCHAPTER A
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
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Sec.
52C01. (Reserved).
52C02. Scope of chapter.
52C03. Definitions.
§ 52C01. (Reserved).
§ 52C02. Scope of chapter.
This chapter relates to substance abuse USE and misuse
treatment and support services.
§ 52C03. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Alcohol." The term includes "malt or brewed beverages" and
"liquor" as defined in section 102 of the act of April 12, 1951
(P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code.
"Applicant."
(1) Any of the following:
(i) A recovery support provider.
(ii) A person that provides support and technical
assistance to a recovery support provider.
(2) The term does not include an individual or a for-
profit entity.
"Controlled substance." As defined in section 2 of the act
of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled
Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.
"Department." The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs of
the Commonwealth.
"Peer recovery specialist." An individual who has received
certification from a certifying entity under section 52C44(a)(4)
(relating to application and review) as having received training
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sufficient to provide peer recovery services.
"Program." The Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE
Grant Program established under section 52C43 (relating to
Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE Grant Program).
"Recipient." An applicant that receives a grant under this
chapter.
"Recovery from substance abuse USE ." The process of change
through which an individual who had been engaging in substance
abuse USE takes steps to improve the individual's health and
wellness, leads a self-directed life and strives to reach the
individual's own potential.
"Recovery support providers." Any of the following that
provide recovery support services to individuals, families and
communities in this Commonwealth:
(1) A nonprofit organization.
(2) A hospital or other health care provider.
(3) A municipality.
(4) A single county authority created under the act of
April 14, 1972 (P.L.221, No.63), known as the Pennsylvania
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act.
(5) A recovery house licensed under Subarticle (b) of
Article XXIII-A of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929.
"Recovery support services." Any of the following services
relating to an individual in recovery from substance abuse USE :
(1) Providing a network of peer support provided by peer
recovery specialists for an individual in recovery from
substance abuse USE , including advocacy for individuals in
recovery from substance abuse USE .
(2) Providing and supporting a network of family support
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or community support for families and communities of those in
recovery from substance abuse USE .
(3) Providing crisis intervention referrals for
individuals in recovery from substance abuse USE .
(4) Assisting an individual in recovery from substance
abuse USE in gaining stable living arrangements, including
assisting the individual in identifying appropriate living
arrangements and preparing necessary paperwork.
(5) Assisting an individual in recovery from substance
abuse USE in obtaining gainful employment, including
providing a skill evaluation and assisting the individual in
identifying employment opportunities.
(6) Creating and maintaining the technical assistance
needs of workplaces that provide support for employees in
recovery from substance abuse USE .
(7) Providing mentoring service to an individual in
recovery from substance abuse USE .
(8) Providing referrals, assistance or consultation for
individuals in recovery from substance abuse USE in obtaining
services under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and
(7).
"Substance abuse USE ." The abuse USE or misuse of a
controlled substance or alcohol.
SUBCHAPTER B
(Reserved)
SUBCHAPTER C
SUPPORT FOR LIFETIME RECOVERY FROM
SUBSTANCE ABUSE USE GRANT PROGRAM
Sec.
52C41. (Reserved).
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52C42. Scope of subchapter.
52C43. Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE Grant
Program.
52C44. Application and review.
52C45. Costs.
52C46. Funding.
52C47. Performance evaluation.
52C48. Report.
§ 52C41. (Reserved).
§ 52C42. Scope of subchapter.
This subchapter relates to grants to support lifetime
recovery from substance abuse USE and misuse.
§ 52C43. Lifetime Recovery from Substance Abuse USE Grant
Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Lifetime Recovery from Substance
Abuse USE Grant Program is established within the department.
(b) Purpose of program.--The program shall provide grants to
assist in the development, expansion or improvement of recovery
support services delivery in this Commonwealth.
(c) Statewide and geographic balance.--The department shall
award a portion of the amount available under this subchapter to
applicants seeking grants on a Statewide basis and a portion of
the amount to each of the geographic areas of this Commonwealth
designated under section 52C44(a)(2) (relating to application
and review).
§ 52C44. Application and review.
(a) Guidelines.--No later than 45 days after the effective
date of this section and no less than once per year AT THE
DISCRETION OF THE DEPARTMENT thereafter, the department shall
adopt guidelines, after consulting with a representative cross
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section of this Commonwealth's recovery support providers,
including individuals in recovery from substance abuse USE or
family members of individuals in recovery from substance abuse
USE , for the administration of the grant program under this
subchapter, and shall make the guidelines available on the
department's publicly accessible Internet website. The
guidelines shall include the following:
(1) The dates of the first and last day during which the
department will accept applications.
(2) A division of this Commonwealth into nine geographic
areas. To the extent practicable, the geographic areas under
this paragraph shall be comparable to geographic areas
recognized by the department for similarly focused grants.
(3) The standards by which an application will be
scored. The following apply:
(i) The standards adopted under this paragraph shall
be designed to ensure that the grants awarded under this
subchapter are used in the most effective manner across
this Commonwealth.
(ii) The standards adopted under this paragraph
shall provide priority to applicants that meet any of the
following:
(A) Applicants that are independent, nonprofit
organizations led and governed by representatives of
local communities of individuals in recovery from
substance abuse USE .
(B) Applicants proposing to serve areas or
assist recovery support providers serving areas of
this Commonwealth with a high incidence of substance
abuse USE or that have demonstrated need for
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additional substance abuse USE recovery support
services.
(4) Designation BY THE DEPARTMENT of nationally
recognized certifying entities which provide certification as
peer recovery specialists.
(5) Statistics to be used for determination of areas of
this Commonwealth that have a high incidence of substance
abuse USE .
(b) Application.--An application for a grant under this
subchapter shall be made on a form and in the manner required by
the department.
(c) Content of application.--An application for a grant
under this subchapter shall include the following:
(1) The name of the applicant.
(2) Whether, if awarded a grant under this subchapter,
the applicant would use the grant as follows:
(i) on a Statewide basis; or
(ii) within a geographic area of this Commonwealth.
(3) Subgrantees with which the applicant will contract
to provide substance abuse USE recovery support services.
(4) Recovery support providers to which the applicant
intends to provide support and technical assistance.
(5) Recovery support providers to which the applicant
intends to subgrant amounts received from the grant.
(6) A proposed budget of what eligible costs will be
paid for with a grant.
(d) Review of application.--Beginning after the last day
that the department accepts applications, the department shall
review the applications in accordance with this section and the
guidelines adopted under subsection (a).
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(e) Awarding of grants.--After review of the applications
under subsection (d), the department shall award grants as
follows:
(1) For applicants seeking a grant under subsection (c)
(2)(i), the department shall award grants to applicants whose
applications received the highest scores among applicants
seeking a grant on a Statewide basis.
(2) For applicants seeking a grant under subsection (c)
(2)(ii), the department shall award grants to applicants
whose applications received the highest scores among
applicants seeking a grant within each geographic area.
(f) Denial of applicant information.--An applicant that is
not awarded a grant under subsection (e) shall be provided with
information documenting the overall score the applicant
received, the score received for each of the standards under
subsection (a)(3) and the overall scores of all applicants in
the denied applicant's category under subsection (c)(2) .
§ 52C45. Costs.
(a) Allowable costs.--An amount awarded as a grant under
this subchapter may be used for the following costs:
(1) Costs associated with providing recovery support
services to residents of this Commonwealth.
(2) Costs associated with assisting recovery support
providers with developing, expanding or improving recovery
support services, including providing training and
development of the tools and facilities necessary to provide
recovery support services.
(3) Costs incurred by the recipient under section 52C47
(relating to performance evaluation).
(b) (Reserved).
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§ 52C46. Funding.
(a) Appropriation.--The General Assembly may appropriate
money to the department for the program.
(b) Funding from Opioid Settlement Restricted Account.--
(1) Money appropriated to the department from the Opioid
Settlement Restricted Account for costs associated with
opioid remediation may be used to make grants under this
subchapter.
(2) The department shall ensure that amounts under
paragraph (1) used for the program comply with restrictions
on the use of the money in the Opioid Settlement Restricted
Account.
(C) FUNDING FROM STATE OPIOID RESPONSE ADMINISTRATION
APPROPRIATION.--FEDERAL MONEY APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY FOR STATE OPIOID RESPONSE ADMINISTRATION MAY BE USED
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBCHAPTER.
§ 52C47. Performance evaluation.
(a) Survey.--No less frequently than once per year, a
recipient shall perform a survey of individuals who received
recovery support services from the recipient during the time
period in which a recipient received a grant under this
subchapter.
(b) Contents of survey.--Results of the survey may not
contain any personally identifiable information.
(c) Voluntary participation.--Participation in the survey
under this section by an individual who received recovery
support services shall be voluntary.
(d) Submission to department.--A recipient shall provide
information received under subsection (a) to the department in
the manner and form as requested by the department.
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§ 52C48. Report.
(a) Annual report.--No later than March 31, 2024, and each
March 31 of each year thereafter, the department shall publish
an annual report that includes the following:
(1) The name and address of each recipient.
(2) The amount awarded to each recipient for each fiscal
year.
(3) The number of individuals who received recovery
support services from each recipient under paragraph (2) in
each fiscal year in which the recipient received a grant
under this subchapter.
(4) A review of results of the surveys conducted under
section 52C47 (relating to performance evaluation), including
the percentage of individuals receiving services from the
recipient who remain in long-term recovery after six months,
one year, two years, five years and more than 10 years.
(b) Prohibited content.--The report under this section may
not contain any personally identifiable information of an
individual who received recovery support from a recipient.
(c) Report recipients.--The report under this section shall
be issued to the following:
(1) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the Senate.
(2) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.
(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Human Services Committee of the House of Representatives.
(5) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
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Health Committee of the House of Representatives.
(d) Public availability.--The report shall be made available
to the public on the department's publicly accessible Internet
website.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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