BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                    Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
          
                                           631 (Leno)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/25/05          Amended: 5/26/05       
          Consultant:  John Decker            Policy Vote: Health  
          (10-0)                   
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          BILL SUMMARY:   The bill requires the Department of Alcohol  
          and Drug Programs to provide for mobile narcotic treatment  
          programs 
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                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions                    2005-06             2006-07   
                      2007-08            Fund
           Drug Medi-Cal           $100               $200            
          $200                         General 
                                                                       
          & Federal
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          STAFF COMMENTS:    Suspense File

          The department licenses and regulates adult alcohol and  
          drug treatment facilities. 

          The bill requires that a mobile treatment program hold--or  
          be affiliated with a holder of--a primary narcotic  
          treatment program license.

          Before granting a license for the mobile treatment, the  
          department must consider the needs and concerns of the area  
          served by the program. 
          
          The bill provides no limitation or scope for the program  
          envisioned for the treatment facilities.  If the mobile  
          facilities were to add less than 45 patients for a year,  
          the program would increase Drug Medi-Cal costs by over  
          $200,000 annually, with the costs evenly distributed  
          between the state General Fund and federal funds.  To the  
          extent that the treatment provided by the mobile facilities  
          reduced treatment in other state programs, the identified  










          costs could be offset by savings in other programs.

          Staff note that the bill requires the department to  
          "operate" the specified narcotics program.  In making the  
          fiscal estimate, staff assume that the author intends for  
          the department to license and regulate providers, rather  
          than directly administer treatment.  If, however, the  
          department used the authority in this bill to run treatment  
          facilities, the bill's costs could be significantly higher.