New York Patients To Be Forced Out of Treatment??
Are you a methadone patient in New York State?
Are you ready to:
- Be “detoxed” after 18 months in treatment?
- Be kicked off if you test “dirty” three times after six months?
- Be kept out of treatment for a full year if you voluntarily leave or “complete” your 18 months?
- Be kept out of treatment for seven years if you’ve been discharged or left more than twice?
Assemblyman Tocci thinks you are…
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9278
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 5, 1996
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TOCCI -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to methadone treat-
ment
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF New York, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY,
DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 3351 of the public health law, as
2 added by chapter 878 of the laws of 1972, is amended to read as follows:
3 3. Methadone, or such other controlled substance designated by the
4 commissioner as appropriate for such use, may be ordered for use of an
5 addict by a practitioner and dispensed or administered by a practitioner
6 or his designated agent as interim treatment for an addict on a waiting
7 list for admission to an authorized maintenance program. SUCH TREATMENT
8 SHALL NOT EXCEED A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.
9 S 2. Section 3351 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
10 subdivision 6 to read as follows:
11 6. THE ADMINISTRATION OF METHADONE UNDER SUBDIVISIONS FOUR AND FIVE
12 OF THIS SECTION SHALL MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
13 (A) A PATIENT SHALL NOT PARTICIPATE IN A METHADONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
14 FOR A PERIOD EXCEEDING EIGHTEEN MONTHS.
15 (B)< A PATIENT WHO TESTS POSITIVE FOR ANY CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, OTHER
16 THAN THOSE PRESCRIBED TO THE PATIENT, SHALL BE INFORMED OF SUCH RESULTS
17 AND NOTIFIED THAT FAILURE TO TEST NEGATIVE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OR A SECOND
18 POSITIVE TEST AFTER SUCH PERIOD WILL RESULT IN EITHER: (1) ENROLLMENT IN
19 AT LEAST A FOUR MONTH PERIOD OF TREATMENT IN A RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC
20 COMMUNITY, OR (2) TERMINATION OF METHADONE TREATMENT. A THIRD POSITIVE
21 TEST AFTER SUCH PERIOD WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION OF METHADONE TREAT-
22 MENT.
23 (C) PATIENTS SHALL BE TESTED FOR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AT LEAST ONCE
24 EVERY THIRTY DAYS.
25 (D) A PATIENT WHOSE TREATMENT HAS BEEN TERMINATED SHALL BE OFFERED
26 DETOXIFICATION FROM METHADONE BY DECREASING DOSAGE OVER A PERIOD NOT TO
27 EXCEED THIRTY DAYS.
28 (E) A PATIENT WHO HAS BEEN TERMINATED FROM OR WHO HAS SUCCESSFULLY
29 COMPLETED A METHADONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM SHALL NOT RETURN TO A METHA-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
{ } is old law to be omitted.
LBD12677-03-6
A. 9278 2
1 DONE PROGRAM NOR BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST FOR A METHADONE MAINTENANCE
2 PROGRAM FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
3 (F) A PATIENT WHO HAS BEEN TERMINATED FROM A METHADONE MAINTENANCE
4 PROGRAM MORE THAN TWICE, OTHER THAN SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE
5 PROGRAM, SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO RETURN TO A METHADONE MAINTENANCE
6 PROGRAM NOR BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS.
7 (G) A PATIENT WHO VOLUNTARILY WITHDRAWS FROM METHADONE TREATMENT OR IN
8 ANY WAY SUSPENDS METHADONE TREATMENT OR IS OTHERWISE REMOVED FROM METHA-
9 DONE TREATMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TERMINATED FROM TREATMENT.
10 S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
If you want to help educate your representative about methadone maintenance, write:
The Honorable {your assemblymember}
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Find out who represents you by calling the Assembly Public Information Office at (518) 455-4218.
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