Another state senator introduced legislation creating a path for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (the Department or DBHDS) to get involved in oversight of recovery residences – a sharp pivot from the total outsourcing of oversight we’ve seen since 2020.
State Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Loudoun County, introduced SB190, which includes the following:
- Requires that “the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department) shall convene a work group to (i) analyze and make recommendations regarding the creation of a process through which the Department can provide oversight of all recovery residences in the Commonwealth and (ii) make recommendations to ensure transparency with the public and residents or potential residents of recovery residences regarding the certification of each recovery residence, including certification requirements, results, and inspections. Such work group shall include representatives of Oxford House, Inc., the Virginia Association of Addiction Professionals, and the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences and other relevant stakeholders. The Department shall report the work group’s findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2024.”
- Requires certified recovery residences to comply with “uniform health and safety requirements established by the Department…”
- Requires certified recovery residences to report death or serious injury to the Department (same as state Sen. Favola’s bill – SB19)
Subramanyam’s and Favola’s bills are on the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services’ docket for tomorrow.
Anyone who is interested in sharing their support for or opposition to these bills can provide comments to the Senate committee by emailing committeeoperations@senate.virgina.gov. Be sure to include the name of the committee (Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services) and the bill number (SB19 for Favola’s bill and SB190 for Subramanyam’s bill) with each comment.
If your senator is on the committee, you can also contact them directly. (Click here to find out who your state senator is, here for a list of committee members and here for state senators’ contact information.) If you email your state senator directly, it can also be helpful to include your address so they can confirm you are one of their constituents.
One local government leader, who asked to remain confidential, provided the following reaction to SB190 shortly after I published this post:
Certainly a step in the right direction if passed. The two things I’m leery of: (1) the composition of the work group – particularly the “relevant stakeholders” and (2) what DBHDS does with the findings– the findings could die on someone’s desk at DBHDS or even more likely, DBHDS could create paper guidelines that are completely ineffective because no one takes the time to enforce them.
I’ll be interested to see if the bill passes and then what happens next.
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[Redacted]. So much love, thank you so much.
Thanks for the info. It may have been your efforts to bring this to the forefront, hope it passes. Dan Schneider “The Pharmacist”
Thanks for the support!!!!
Thank you. I wish other states would look into sober living homes as you have.
Absolutely a chance for people to advocate for their recovery. Don’t let these (redacted) continue to line their pockets while screwing the people at the bottom just trying to make it.