SB336: Community services boards; access to medication assisted treatment.

SENATE BILL NO. 336
Offered January 13, 2010
Prefiled January 12, 2010
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 37.2-500.1, relating to community services boards; access to medication assisted treatment.
Patron-- Hanger

Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 37.2-500.1 as follows:

§ 37.2-500.1. Availability of medication assisted treatment.

Every community services board shall provide access to a provider who is authorized to provide medication assisted treatment services for substance abuse for all clients of the community services board for whom medication assisted treatment is appropriate. A community services board may provide access to a provider who is authorized to provide medication assisted treatment for substance abuse by (i) employing a person authorized to provide medication assisted treatment, or (ii) entering into a written agreement for the provision of office-based medication assisted treatment to clients of the community services board with a health care practitioner authorized to provide medication assisted treatment. A community services board may pay part or all of the cost associated with medication assisted treatment for substance abuse for a client of the community services board, but shall not be required to do so.