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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06261990 - 1.29 ®®29 TO1 . : BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ?�,...... o Contra FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Costa P° Count DATE: June 19, 1990 Y SUBJECT: LEGISLATION: SB 2669 (Presley & Bates) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECONIlEENDATION Indicate that the Board of Supervisors continues to SUPPORT SB 2669 by Senator Robert Presley and Assemblyman Tom Bates which would enact the Perinatal Substance Abuse Services Act, permitting a County to develop a comprehensive plan for the delivery of services to women, their infants and families where substance abuse is involved. BACKGROUND: On May 15, 1990 the Board of Supervisors voted to support SB 2669. On May 22, 1990 the Board of Supervisors voted to continue their support of SB 2669 as amended April 17 , 1990. On May 30 , 1990 the bill was again amended. Existing law establishes various substance abuse programs, many of which are administered by the counties and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. Existing law also establishes various programs which provide services to pregnant women and infants, many of which are administered by each county and the State Department of Health Services. Senator Presley has introduced SB 2669 in an effort to encourage the development of a comprehensive service delivery system to pregnant women who are abusing drugs and alcohol, their infant children and their families. SB 2669 is co-authored by CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:Yes-YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE _ APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON June 26 , 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED 51 OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. JUN 2 6 1990 CC: ATTESTED Please see Page 4. PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR '0 hlaA!��e M382 (10/88) BY DEPUTY Assemblyman Tom Bates and nine other members of the Legislature. The bill makes findings and declarations concerning problems related to substance abuse among pregnant women, and the need for services to these women, their infant children and their families. Specifically, SB 2669 indicates that the intent of the Legislature in enacting this bill is to: * Encourage the development of policies that recognize and respond to the problem of substance exposed infants and the underlying problem of maternal substance abuse. * Encourage the development of a comprehensive delivery system of services to the mother, child and family. * Protect the child from abuse or neglect and promote, maintain and support healthy family systems. * Develop policies which recognize that the incidence of substance exposed infants and maternal substance abuse is fundamentally a health problem which is driven by addictive behavior and that a substantially expanded substance abuse treatment, health care and social services support system is required to deal with the problem effectively. * Develop and provide for a comprehensive continuum of substance abuse treatment, health care and social services at the local level which includes preventive and early intervention services that support the family unit and maximize the healthy development of mother, child and family, thus minimizing the long-term need for, public resources to support substance impaired children throughout their lives. * Identify gaps in services to the target population. * Provide case management services to children and families with multiple needs. * Allow for flexibility of expenditures in public funds by emphasizing local decision making and providing for greater flexibility to local government in designing policies and delivery systems. SB 2669 authorizes each county or consortium of counties wishing to participate in this program to develop a single comprehensive plan and system of services for the prevention, early intervention and treatment of perinatal substance abuse and substance exposed infants and their families which includes, but is not limited to, the services specified in this bill. The bill specifies the elements which must be included in the comprehensive plan. The bill also requires the development and utilization of a needs assessment both prenatally, as a prevention and early intervention tool, and postnatally, immediately following the birth of a substance exposed newborn before the infant is released from the hospital. The bill defines the purpose of the needs assessment. SB 2669 indicates that the comprehensive plan is also to include the development of a substance abuse treatment system to provide appropriate treatment, upon demand, to the extent practicable and feasible. This treatment system is to provide outreach, prevention and early intervention services. Priorities for services under this provision are included in the bill. The bill also requires that counties establish protocols between county health departments, welfare departments and all public and private hospitals in the county, regarding the application and use of an assessment of the needs of, and a referral for, a substance exposed infant to a county welfare department or a public health nurse. The bill also requires that the plan provide for public health nursing services and identifies the reasons for such a requirement. The bill also requires that the plan be developed through a cooperative process including such agencies as child welfare, county health services, county mental health services, public health nursing, county substance abuse services, hospitals, local educational agencies, regional centers, for-profit and nonprofit substance abuse, health care and mental health providers and the county juvenile court. An annual report to the state is required to identify the extent to which the target population is being served. Counties may request waivers of existing state regulations pertaining to single agency operations and auditing and accounting requirements which hinder coordination of perinatal substance abuse services. The bill requires the State Health and Welfare Agency to develop guidelines to review, approve and fund county perinatal substance abuse service plans, and collect and analyze county data and . develop a statewide perinatal substance abuse services plan. The Health and Welfare Agency is required, by July 1, 1991, to develop and disseminate a model , needs assessment protocol for pregnant and post partum women in conjunction with the appropriate professional organizations in the areas of hospital administration, substance abuse prevention and treatment, social services, public health, and appropriate state agencies, including the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Health Services, State Department of Developmental Services and the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. This model is to be used by each participating county as a basis for the development and utilization of the county' s needs assessment. The bill also requires the State Department of Health Services to develop and implement a training program for public health nurses in order to further their understanding of, and ability to respond appropriately to, the problems posed by perinatal substance abuse. The bill also addresses the issue of potential child abuse where there is a positive toxicology screen and the basis for a referral and investigation of potential child abuse as a result of such a screen. The sum of $3 million is appropriated for allocation to local agencies in order to reimburse agencies for the costs mandated by this bill. SB 2669 appears to be entirely consistent with many elements of the Board of Supervisors' Drug and Alcohol Action Plan in regard to the need for additional comprehensive services to mothers who are abusing alcohol and other drugs and their infants and families. It is therefore recommended that the Board of Supervisors indicate its continued support for SB 2669, as amended May 30, 1990. SB 2669 passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on April 4, 1990 by a vote of 7: 0. The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee June 7, 1990 by a vote of 10:0. The bill passed the full Senate June 12, 1990 and is now pending a referral to a Committee in the Assembly. cc: Senator Robert Presley Assemblyman Tom Bates County Administrator Health Services Director Public Health Director Drug Program Administrator Alcohol Program Administrator Social Services Director Mental Health Director Chair, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Advisory Board Chair, Drug Abuse Advisory Board Chair, Alcohol Advisory Board Les Spahnn, SRJ. Jackson, Barish & Associates