Bill > A5354

Introduced Session

This bill expands access to substance use disorder treatment in the State by revising various laws and regulations concerning substance use disorder and opioid treatment programs and establishing Medicaid coverage for substance use disorder services provided by community-based organizations. The bill clarifies current law to remove language concerning an outdated certificate of need requirement for a substance use disorder treatment center located within 500 feet from any building in this State used for the instruction of children between the ages of five and 18 years. The bill provides that an opioid treatment program may voluntarily establish a medication unit that will be associated with a single primary opioid treatment program that will oversee the unit's operations. All required services that cannot be performed at the medication unit will be performed by the primary opioid treatment program. A medication unit may provide the following services if it provides appropriate privacy and adequate space: intake and initial psychosocial and appropriate medical assessments; initiation of medication-assisted treatment including, but not limited to, methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone; and telecounseling services. The bill provides that an opioid treatment program:· will not be required to engage, employ, or contract with a pharmacist;· may only require a patient to receive a minimum of eight random drug screenings per year;· will provide or coordinate harm reduction services for each patient as appropriate to the patient's treatment plan; and· will establish a counseling schedule for each patient based on an individualized treatment plan approved and documented by the patient's multidisciplinary treatment team. The bill provides that a patient will not be precluded from receiving treatment or medication for opioid use disorder from an opioid treatment program solely on the basis of the patient's refusal of counseling. The bill provides that an opioid treatment program's discharge policy may not permit the administrative discharge of a patient due to missed doses, non-participation, and continued illicit substance use, except under certain circumstances as outlined in the bill. The bill permits a patient to receive treatment from another opioid treatment program under certain conditions provided under the bill. The bill establishes certain Medicaid coverage for substance use disorder services provided by a licensed community-based organization. The bill requires the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, to establish standards and requirements for the licensure of community-based organizations and for the provision of substance use disorder services by licensed community-based organizations. Under the bill, the commissioner will establish a program to provide training and technical assistance to help community-based organizations meet any licensure and provider enrollment standards established by the commissioner and the Medicaid program.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Gary Schaer (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee (on 02/25/2025)

Official Document