ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
tobacco tax allocation;
detoxification services
Purpose
Appropriates, subject to the
availability of monies, $500,000 annually from the medically needy account for
detoxification programs.
Background
Laws
1995, Chapter 275 established the detoxification services pilot program by
appropriating $500,000 in each of FYs 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 from the tobacco
tax and health care fund medically needy account. These pilot programs were established to determine the
appropriateness and effectiveness of having behavioral health facilities
deliver detoxification services to indigent or uninsured people who do not
require the services of a hospital or restrictive behavior management
practices.
Directed
specifically at counties with a population below 500,000, the rural county
detoxification services programs provide “social model” detoxification and
treatment programs in the rural areas of Yuma and Page. In 2000, Page served 330
adults and Yuma served 243 adults.
Appropriations for this program were continued in FYs 1997-1998 through
1999-2000; however, funding was not
continued last year. While the Yuma and Page facilities are both funded in part
with city, county funds and other outside funds, their primary funding source
was lost.
As
a result, the Governor issued executive orders 11 and 12 allocating up to
$250,000 from the health crisis fund for each of the detoxification centers
established for the pilot program.
These monies were allocated on an emergency basis, and will not extend
past the year. S.B. 1537 continues
funding for this program on a nonpilot status by appropriating, subject to
availability, $500,000 annually for detoxification services in rural
areas.
Provisions
1. Appropriates, subject to the availability of monies, $500,000 annually from the medically needy account for detoxification services in counties with a population under 500,000.
2. Eliminates the pilot status of the program.
3. Specifies only providers that have been providing detoxification services for the last 24 months are eligible for the program.
4. Requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System administration to divide the monies equally between the programs.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
House Action
HEA 1/29/01 DPA 9-0-1-0
APPROP 2/27/01 DP 13-0-0-3
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 16, 2001