MAADAC News

Massachusetts Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors

PO Box 741 Ware, MA 01082

October 2001

MAADAC Announcements:

h CORI Update: DPH Implements New Regulations October 10th

hLADC Regulation Draft Hearings held- Next Step BSAS Review

hMAADAC Website: http://www.maadac-ma.org

hRecovery Month 2001-MOAR State House Celebration- September 26- Excellent!

iBoston MAADAC meeting – 2002 elections- 10/3/01, 3:30 PM, Atrium 2, Faulkner

iNAADAC Annual Conference ~ Boston, MA ~ July 3-6 , 2002 – Save The Date

iNAADAC New Executive Director ~Pat Ford-Roegener, ACSW,RN, FAAN

Criminal Offender Report Information Update

The Department of Public Health Council approved new rules that shift workplace

applicants who would be automatically disqualified into a new category,

that assumes the applicant’s history disallows job entry. However, the applicant can request a review process to support job entry. Improvement, but better is the proposed budget amendment from former Senator James Jajuga to:

Executive Office of Health and Human Services Line Item 4000-0100 towards giving the employer the hiring capacity. Please thank former Senator James Jajuga for leading this move. Please ask your legislators to support this amendment. The requirement is proof of a CORI review with oversight from the appropriate agency within EOHHS, Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Current policy disallows many persons who have made restitution from most felony crimes to enter the human service field, as in alcohol and drug counseling. Info: MA Law Reform Institute:617-357-0700.

New Public Safety and EOHHS Commissioner Named

The new Executive Office of Health and Human Services Commissioner is

Robert Gittens, former Department of Youth Services Commissioner.

Public Safety Commissioner is former Senator James Jajuga! Excellent!

LADC Regulation Draft Hearings Held – Next Step: BSAS Review

Licensure for Alcohol and Drug Counselor Hearings held September 24 and 28

n Next Steps

Bureau of Substance Abuse Services reviews testimonies to finalize draft

Public Health Council reviews finalized draft

Approved draft must go through an authorization process

Authorization allows for LADC Regulation to be put into effect

What You May Want to Know?

hH2184 was filed to broaden the grandparenting criteria. The criteria: Level I Masters- 270 hours AOD ed, 2 years fulltime experience or Bachelors - 270 hours AOD ed, 3 years experience or CCS-CADAC-CAC-CAS-CEAP or all DPH approved Clinical, Program, Executive Directors or 5 years work experience with 1 year as a clinical supervisor. Level II- 3 years working experience and 180 hours of AOD education.

Questions about H2184 should go to:

Recovery Homes Collaborative President, John Brennan, 617-321-2600

FYI about The LADC

hLicensure is not a requirement to work as an alcohol and drug counselor.

This allows for people to make entry into the field, and explore future choices.

Third Party Payment Legislative Proposal Initiated by MAADAC

H2191 An Act Authorizing Certain Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors To

Receive Certain Insurance Payments, Rep. Kevin Fitzgerald and others

Present Status

H2191 placed in “active study” by The Joint Insurance Committee. This means that the Insurance Committee will continue to review the proposed legislation.

Two issues for extended study consideration: insurance premium costs and

finalized regulation. The committee wants to ascertain that mental health parity costs are minimal to insurance premiums before any other insurance related legislation is passed.

The committee wants to review the finalized license regulation.

Please Help: Keep the momentum going If your elected rep or senator helped

support H2191~ please thank them, and ask for continued support. Please thank

Representative Fitzgerald for leading the effort. Please thank Insurance Committee

Chairs, Sen. Therese Murray and Rep Ronald Mariano for being willing to extend the

review. Send your letters to The State House, Boston, MA 02133. Call the State House:

617-722-2000 to be connected to your legislators.

Support The Following to Pass in Budget Conference Committee

Please Note with The Current Economic Strains Advocacy Might Prevent Cuts

The Conference Committee resolves the differences between the House and Senate

versions of the Budget. House Conferees are Ways and Means Chairman John Rogers of Norwood, Representative Nancy Flavin of Easthampton, and Representative John Lepper of Attleboro. Senate Conferees are Ways and Means Chairman Mark Montigny of New Bedford, Senator Fred Berry of Peabody, and Senator Michael Knapik of Westfield. If aforementioned are your district legislators- great. If not, you can still contact them and your elected legislators.

So Please ask for The Following to be Passed

The MA Senate Passed Substance Abuse Services Line Item Increase

Bureau of Substance Abuse Services Line item 4512-0200- by $3 million for 3 family treatment residences with childcare, plus expand transitional support and residential services., as passed in the Senate. Project ABLE, Mental Health Substance Abuse Corp (MHSACM),Recovery Homes Collaborative, MA Housing and Shelter Alliance are leading this move. More Information? Please call: MHSACM, 508-647-8385.

Removal of Food Stamp Disqualification for Persons with Drug Felony Senate

Version to Line items 4401-1000 (ESP) and Dept of Transitional Assistance 4400-1000

The Senate FY02 budget includes language in ESP line item 4401-1000 making many important improvements to the TAFDC program for non-exempt low income families,

- mandating DTA to offer screenings, assessments and referrals to TAFDC

- prohibiting DTA from reducing funding for substantive pre-employment education and training programs & DTA must notify recipients of educational programs

- requiring DTA to consider if a parent needs more time to complete training, thus grant an extension of the 24 month time limit on benefits.

In addition, allowing ten hours of education and training to count toward the welfare to work requirement. Info: Call MA Law Reform Institute: 617-357-0700.

More Legislation to Support

S763/H2544 An Act to Provide Equitable Coverage for Substance Abuse (SA Parity), was placed into active study by The Insurance Committee.

Info: David Matteodo, MA Association of Behavioral Health Systems, 617-855-3520.

H3948, Expansion of Scope of Commonwealth’s Drug Treatment Program funded by

fines and forfeitures relative to Drug Offenses, (Rep. Kevin Fitzgerald). Expands drug treatment diversion under the 1981 Drug Dependent Persons Act. It received an extension from The Judiciary Committee. Chairs are Representative David Donnelly and Senator Robert Creedon. Please call: Rob Stewart, 617-330-8777.

S611, A Health Protection Fund- (Senator Marian Walsh) taxes alcohol, funds treatment. Taxation Committee moved it into active study. Senator Walsh is Chair.

National Legislative Proposals –

Congress has Experienced Severe Challenges From The September 11^th Tragedy

Call your Congressmen The U.S. Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.

What You Need to Say:

Thank you for putting our Nation’s security as a priority measure. I understand that

Capitol Hill – legislators and staff are experiencing painful challenges. As a caring

citizen and constituent, I send you my personal support. I, also, hope when considering budget decisions – that it is not the time to cut alcohol and drug treatment, prevention, education and research. These services save lives and money by reducing crime, welfare, health and social costs.- improve quality of life. .... very much needed by our nation.

Support National Parity for Addiction Treatment-

Go to WWW.NAADAC.Org- Make your voice heard to Congress on line!

From The Office of The MAADAC President.

Russell Viveiros

978-851-0180 Russellv@centerforlifemgtskills.com

Send Counselor of the Year Nominations to MAADAC, PO Box 741 ~ Ware, MA 01082. Enclose short nomination summary, and biography for your nominee. Person must be a member for three years. The recipient will be nominated for NAADAC Counselor of The Year.