The State House Health Committee yesterday approved two pieces of legislation authored by Representative Jim Struzzi.
House Bill 1214 adds pain management clinics to the list of health care facilities regulated by the Department of Health, which Struzzi says would help prevent the diversion, misuse, and abuse of controlled substances.
House Resolution 268 would direct the Joint State Government Commission to study the impact of behavioral health treatment needs and behavioral health care system capacity on hospital emergency departments and patient health. That’s become an issue within the healthcare industry, as hospitals are forced to take on behavioral health cases because there are not enough specialized treatment centers available to handle the increasing number of behavioral health cases in the midst of the drug crisis.
Struzzi says there is a need to find out how to improve the shortcomings of the system and equip treatment providers with the resources they need.
The bill and the resolution have been moved to the full House for consideration.
