Spring/Summer 2009 - Legislation

On 4/3/09, Representative DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) introduced House Bill 1186 (prior session House Bill 614). House Bill 1186 elevates the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs and all of its functions to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The new Department would consolidate authority and management of drug and alcohol abuse prevention and addiction treatment into a single, high level agency.

Upon introduction, House Bill 1186 was referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where it awaits review by the Committee. The bill was introduced with 132 co-sponsors.

The bill and its co-sponsorship is available for review at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2009&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1186

Please check the co-sponsorship list, call and leave messages for your legislator thanking him or her for co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Need to identify your member of the Pennsylvania House? Please go to www.legis.state.pa.us and enter in your zip code in box located in the upper right hand corner of web page.

FEDERAL OMNIBUS BUDGET BILL ENACTED FOR FFY 2009

On 3/11/09, U.S. Congress enacted an Omnibus Budget Bill outlining the delayed federal spending plan for the current FFY2009. (The Federal fiscal year runs from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009)

The Omnibus Budget Bill for FFY2009 includes an increase for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant of $19.8 million ($1.7587 billion to $1.7786 billion), an increase for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) of $6.88 million ($194.12 million to $201 million), an increase for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) of $14.5 million ($399.8 million to $414.3 million) and level funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities: State Grants Program of $294.76 million.

Other drug and alcohol programs included in the Omnibus Budget Bill also were level funded to FFY2008 or received increases. Some of these are: the Access to Recovery Program (ATR) - $99 million (+$2.5 million), the Screening and Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) - $29.1 million (level funded), the Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP) - $5.24 million (level funded), the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTCs) - $9.08 million (level funded), Programs for Pregnant and Postpartum Women - $16 million (+$4.2 million), the Minority AIDS program - $66 million (+$2.9 million) and Treatment Systems for the Homeless - $42.75 million (+$250 thousand).

Also, the recently enacted Second Chance Act received first year funding ($25 million) under the Omnibus Budget Bill.

Congress is now beginning deliberations on the federal budget for FFY2010 which runs from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.