Pennsylvania is just one step closer to have some sort of certification process – even if voluntary – for recovery homes.
On Tuesday, a bill – House Bill 119 – that would set a series of certification processes for recovery residences and restrict state funding to non-certified recovery homes passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. According state records, the vote passed with no “nay” votes.
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HB 119 was introduced by by Republican State Rep. Aaron Kaufer of Luzerne County. It includes revisions from previous legislative efforts, including from Bristol Township Democratic State Rep. Tina Davis’ efforts and a task force that involved Langhorne-based State Rep. Frank Farry.
Kaufer’s bill would create rules for ownership and recovery home staff and administration, add policies to create better living conditions, prevent fraud of welfare programs granted to recovery home residents, create a code of ethics and restrict some public funding for homes who chose not to comply.
The bill states that recovery homes should provide a “peer-supported, alcohol free and drug free living environment.”
Read all of LevittownNow.com’s Recovery Home coverage
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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs would be responsible to inspect certified drug and alcohol recovery homes. Under the bill, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs may pass the authority to county officials.
If the bill or one similar passes the Senate and is signed by the governor, there could be a major impact on Bucks County recovery homes. Data compiled by LevittownNow.com in recent years indicated Bristol Township has more than 100 homes. Other Levittown-area towns have small amounts of recovery homes.
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“We need to ensure our recovery houses are meeting standards as our state’s opioid-related epidemic continues to grow. Further, we must ensure that individuals residing in these houses are in the safest, most beneficial locations they can be,” Kaufer said in a statement.
“I have been fighting for years to have Pennsylvania adopt a certification process for Recovery and Sober Living houses. My community is under siege from fly-by-night flop houses masquerading as legitimate recovery homes. These boarding houses are owned by people who do not care about their tenants in recovery who are at their most fragile point, and only care about making as much money as possible. These owners are destroying our neighborhoods. Our residents and legitimate recovery house owners are demanding we do something,” Davis said.
Davis added the bill doesn’t go as far as she would like, but it is a “good first step.”
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“I think the legislation still needs some work,” Farry said. “I’m working with them to try to tidy this us.”
One of the main differences between Davis’ bill from earlier this year is the establishment of the Board of Recovery Residences within the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs. Under Davis’ proposal, the new oversight body would develop and administer the voluntary certification program and code of ethics for recovery residences.
