Synopsis
Substance use disorder constitutes a severe threat to the health and welfare of the citizens of Delaware. Recovery houses address the needs of individuals in recovery from substance use disorder by providing a safe and healthy living environment and a community of supportive recovering peers to which residents are accountable. Recovery houses support the recovery of individuals with substance use disorder and help prevent relapse, criminal justice system involvement, and overdose. Ensuring the certification of recovery houses according to nationally recognized evidence-based standards protects residents and communities from the harm caused by poorly managed or fraudulent recovery houses. This Act institutes a voluntary certification process for recovery houses under standards and procedures that uphold evidence-based best practices and support a safe, healthy, and effective recovery environment. This Act establishes residents' rights in a recovery house and protects residents against unreasonable and unfair practices in setting and collecting fees and other house payments. This Act provides training and technical assistance for recovery house operators and staff. This Act enables the data collection needed to study the effectiveness of Delaware’s recovery houses. Furthermore, this Act establishes penalties for recovery houses engaged in kickbacks, inducements, patient brokering, and other unethical practices. Finally, the Act appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to support establishing a certifying organization to implement this Act.