Title
Authorizing the Committee on Health and Human Services to hold hearings on the proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated recovery homes in the City of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, A report from the Philadelphia Department of Health found that there were 1,217 unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2017, a 34 percent increase from 2016; and
WHEREAS, More than 15 million people struggle with alcohol abuse in the United States, while less than eight percent of those receive treatment; and
WHEREAS, Those who are recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction often require an array of supportive services to maximize their rehabilitation and create additional opportunities for wellness and recovery, including life skills, literacy/education, domestic violence counseling, job readiness, and housing; and
WHEREAS, For people who are newly sober, certified and regulated recovery housing can provide a structured drug-free environment and support for recovering substance abusers as they rebuild their lives and maintain sobriety after treatment or incarceration; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services' Office of Addiction Services (OAS) currently funds a recovery house system for persons enrolled in state-licensed outpatient substance abuse programs, which includes 21 recovery house sites operated by 13 organizations, providing a total of 288 beds across Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Recovery and sober living housing has become a fast-growing and lucrative segment of the housing industry, fueling an increase in the number of unregulated recovery houses which exploit their residents for financial gain, operate in unsafe environments, and do little to help clients in early addiction recovery; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs is currently drafting standards for a voluntary certification process for recovery houses, which includes building standards, an ethi...
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