AB 1514: Women and children's residential treatment services.

(a)The Legislature hereby finds and declares both of the following:

(1)The state has an interest in the women and childrens residential treatment services (WCRTS) program.

(2)In 2012, there are were eight local WCRTS programs established through grants from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Residential Women and Children, and Pregnant and Postpartum Women Demonstration Program. WCRTS programs pursue the following four primary goals:

(A)Demonstrate that alcohol and other drug abuse treatment services delivered in a residential setting and coupled with primary health, mental health, and social services for women and children, children can improve overall treatment outcomes for women, children, and the family unit as a whole.

(B)Demonstrate the effectiveness of six-month or 12-month stays in a comprehensive residential treatment program.

(C)Develop models of effective comprehensive service delivery for women and their children that can be replicated in similar communities.

(D)Provide services to promote safe and healthy pregnancies and perinatal outcomes.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature for the following outcomes to be achieved through the WCRTS program:

(1)Preserving family unity.

(2)Promoting healthy pregnancies.

(3)Enabling children to thrive.

(4)Freeing women and their families from substance abuse.

(c)It is also the intent of the Legislature for the State Department of Health Care Services to work collaboratively with counties and the eight WCRTS programs receiving funds from the Womens and Childrens Residential Treatment Services Special Account under the 2011 realignment to develop reporting requirements. It is the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent that WCRTS programs report to the counties, the counties annually report data on the outcomes achieved by the WCRTS program to the department and for the department to annually report to the appropriate budget committees of the Legislature on the fiscal and programmatic status of the WCRTS program.

(d)Any A county may establish a WCRTS program designed to meet the goals and produce the same outcomes as described in this section.