Credit: Tom Sofield
LevittownNow.com
A local issue brought to State Rep. Frank Farry’s (R-Bucks) attention by residents of Bucks County was passed by the House of Representatives with resounding approval 201-0 on Tuesday.
The “recovery house bill ” as its come to be known in Lower Bucks County seeks to statutorily define recovery-based housing and establish statewide standards to govern the facilities, Farry said of the measure he authored.
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“Recovery housing is a very important part of the process to overcoming an addiction; therefore, we must ensure they are operated in a safe and appropriate manner in order to warrant the best possible outcomes for those seeking treatment and the surrounding communities,” he added.
Recovery-based housing facilities offer assistance to individuals with substance abuse problems. There are currently no regulations in place in Pennsylvania to govern the operation of these facilities. A public hearing held in Middletown last fall highlighted concerns of residents, state and local law makers and those operating recovery houses in the state.
Read Public Hearing Story on Recovery Homes
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The measure, Farry said, addresses common sense solutions not political issues.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) would be required to define the term “recovery house” under the measure. Guidelines for inspection of the facilities and establishmennt penalties for violations of the regulations would also be put in place.
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Farry said that a person living in a recovery home, for example, receiving state benefits, such as state medicaid or food stamps would allow DDAP to regulate the recovery house they are living in because the person living in the home is receiving state benefits.
Facilities that do not comply with the DDAP regulations would not qualify to receive any federal or state funding under the bill.
“We want to be sure that persons in recovery living in recovery homes are protected as well as the surrounding communities,” Farry said.
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Middletown resident Jim Jenca has been outspoken on the issue of recovery homes and said Tuesday that Farry’s measure protects the people in the homes and the surrounding community.
“These homes need oversight,” said Jenca.
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“It’s important we ensure that we have a strong and reliable system in place to assist these people in their journey to re-enter society and become productive citizens,” Farry added. “With that, we must also take steps to ensure residents in the communities surrounding these facilities feel safe, so they, too, may contribute to an individual’s successful recovery.”
House Bill 1298 awaits consideration by the Senate.
