Struck = removed from the bill ·
added = the amendment's new text.
SBSenate 495-FNFinance -April AS3, AMENDED2024 BY2024-1420s THE SENATE 02/08/2024 0407s 04/11/2024 1420s SESSION 24-2878 05/08 SENATEAmendment BILLto SB 495-FN ANAmend ACTthe relativebill toby certificationreplacing ofall alcoholafter andthe otherenacting drugclause usewith treatmentthe facilities.following:
SPONSORS:3 1 New Hampshire Substance Use Disorder Services System.
Sen.
Carson, Dist 14;
Sen.
Avard, Dist 12;
Sen.
Altschiller, Dist 24;
Sen.
Whitley, Dist 15;
Sen.
Birdsell, Dist 19;
Sen.
Bradley, Dist 3;
Rep.
Nagel, Belk.
6;
Rep.
Schapiro, Ches.
16 COMMITTEE:
Health and Human Services ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── AMENDED ANALYSIS This bill provides for certification of substance use treatment programs by the department of health and human services.
The bill also directs the department to establish within the office of the ombudsman, a behavioral health specialist dedicated to complaint investigations regarding substance use and mental health treatment programs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Explanation:
Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.] Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
SB 495-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE 02/08/2024 0407s 04/11/2024 1420s 24-2878 05/08 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four AN ACT relative to certification of alcohol and other drug use treatment facilities.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Hampshire Substance Use Disorder Services System.
Programs and facilities required to be certified shall include, but not be limited to those providing early intervention treatment, outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization SBAmendment 495-FNto -SB AS495-FN AMENDED BY THE SENATE - Page 2 - treatment, residential treatment, and medically managed intensive treatment.
Every program shall, at a minimum, provide substance use disorder screening and evaluation, case management, and outpatient counseling SBAmendment 495-FNto -SB AS495-FN AMENDED BY THE SENATE - Page 3 - services.
LBAAmendment 24-2878to RevisedSB 3/19/24495-FN Amended- 2/20/24Page SB4 495-FN-- FISCAL2024-1420s NOTE AS AMENDED BYANALYSIS THEThis SENATEbill (AMENDMENTprovides #2024-0407s)for ANcertification ACTof relativesubstance touse certificationtreatment ofprograms alcoholby andthe otherdepartment drugof usehealth treatmentand facilities.human services.
FISCALThe IMPACT:bill also directs the department to establish within the office of the ombudsman, a behavioral health specialist dedicated to complaint investigations regarding substance use and mental health treatment programs.
[ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 Revenue $0 $0 $342,000 $351,000 Revenue Fund(s) Substance use center certification fees $383,000 general $342,000 $351,000 special Expenditures $0 funds special funds funds General Fund Funding Source(s) Substance Use Treatment and Certification Fund Appropriations $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source(s) None • Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditu[X] See Below • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] Yes METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes a certification process for substance use treatment programs and facilities operating in the state of New Hampshire.
The Department of Health and Human Services would be required to maintain a publicly available listing of all certified programs and facilities, as well as all investigatory reports, monitoring reports, and final decisions made relative to certification.
In addition, the bill establishes a new substance use treatment certification fund.
All fees received from certification will be kept in the separate fund.
The Department assumes that certification rates will be based on the revenue needed to support operation of the program.
Finally, the bill establishes a behavioral health ombudsman within the Department.
The Department states that although the total number of substance use treatment agencies is unknown, there are 65 individual organizations enrolled with Medicaid as substance use disorder outpatient groups or programs, with a total of 106 separate sites.
There are also agencies that are not enrolled with Medicaid, as well as fluctuation in agencies opening and closing over time.
In addition, the bill includes residential facilities within its definition of treatment programs and facilities.
The Department estimates a total of 50-150 agencies in need of certification, requiring four additional staff:
three Licensing and Evaluation Coordinators and one Supervisor IV, at a total cost of $333,000 in FY25, $342,000 in FY26, and $351,000 in FY27.
The Department notes that although the program is intended to be self-funded through the substance use treatment and certification fund, the positions will need to be filled before any revenues are received, resulting in a general fund cost in the first year of implementation.
With respect to the establishment of a behavioral health ombudsman, the Department did not provide an estimated cost.
Instead, the Department stated that it would be able to handle the new responsibilities within the existing Department-wide ombudsman's office, at a cost of $50,000 to provide training to ombudsman personnel.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services