DRO Legislative Update: May 11, 2009

Senate Passes Bill to Expand Oregon Prescription Drug Program

On Monday, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 735.  The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Morrisette and Representatives Jim Thompson and Mitch Greenlick, makes technical changes to the Oregon Prescription Drug Program (OPDP) to allow more Oregonians the reduce the price of their medications.

SB 735 will allow the Program to use a pharmacy benefit manager to help rural pharmacies get better prices for drugs and allow participation by non-profit hospitals and organizations to increase bulk purchasing power.  The Program was originally created by the 2003 legislature to bring down the cost of prescriptions for low-income seniors.  It was expanded by ballot measure in 2006 and now has more than 168,000 individual members and 223,000 who belong through groups.  Any state resident can obtain an OPDP card and use it to get a prescription discount at participating pharmacies.

SB 735 now moves to the House Health Care Committee for further consideration.

Secure Group Home Siting Consultation Bill Moves

On Tuesday, the Senate Health Care and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to send Senate Bill 2052A to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation.  The bill has already passed the House unanimously. Sponsored by Representative Andy Olson, SB 2052A will require the Department of Human Services to inform the Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC) when it proposes to site a secure group home for clients of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) in its community. The LPSCC is to establish a Facility Advisory Subcommittee to advise DHS and, if appropriate, suggest changes in the proposal.

The Subcommittee is to be composed of a law enforcement officer, a district attorney, a mental health director, a local elected official, a representative of an organization that advocates for persons with mental illness and a mental health consumer.  It is to provide feedback within 60 days of notification and is not empowered to reject any proposal.

The concept contained in SB 2052A  originated in the Governor’s Siting Work Group that brought representatives of interested groups together to discuss concerns about the placement of higher security group homes that serve clients of the PSRB.  These facilities house some of those who return to community living after having received mental health treatment in the state hospital as the result of being found “guilty except for insanity” of a crime.