HOUSE BILL 224

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

FOR THE COURTS, CORRECTIONS AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS; CREATING THE OPIATE ADDICTION TREATMENT FOR INMATES PILOT PROJECT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. OPIATE ADDICTION TREATMENT FOR INMATES PILOT PROJECT.--

          A. The "opiate addiction treatment for inmates pilot project" is created as a two-year pilot project that provides opiate addiction treatment, utilizing buprenorphine/naloxone, to fifty women with a history of heroin or other opiate addiction who are incarcerated and soon to be released on parole from the New Mexico women's correctional facility in Grants and the Camino Nuevo correctional center. The project shall include standard therapeutic community and addiction counseling.

          B. Opiate addiction treatment shall be administered to fifty women with a history of heroin or other opiate addiction who:

                (1) are within two months of release;

                (2) will be monitored on parole or probation for at least one year following release;

                (3) are not pregnant; and

                (4) after being fully informed of buprenorphine/naloxone and its effects and of the requirements and procedures for participation in the project, agree to participate in the pilot project for two years.

          C. Priority shall be given to those women who are closest to being released from incarceration and to those planning to parole to a community within sixty miles of a physician certified to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone therapy.

          D. Opiate addiction treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone shall be made available to each participant in the pilot project for two years. The impact of the project on all participants shall be evaluated for two years.

          E. The department of health shall collaborate with the corrections department to administer and evaluate the pilot project and to contract for the services of buprenorphine/ naloxone-certified physicians and case managers to evaluate and treat the women participants.

          F. The department of health in collaboration with the corrections department shall evaluate the success of women who participate in the pilot project as compared to women with a history of opiate addiction who are not treated with buprenorphine/naloxone. The evaluation shall include findings about:

                (1) recidivism, relapse and cost savings; and

                (2) the changes in physical and mental health status, employment status, parenting and other quality of life indicators during the project period.

          G. The department of health and corrections department shall each report independently to the appropriate interim legislative committee on the evaluations, treatments and outcomes of the pilot project participants by December 1, 2009 and again by December 1, 2010.

          H. The pilot project shall run from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2010.

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 for the opiate addiction treatment for inmates pilot project. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2010 shall revert to the general fund.

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