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June 11, 2010

Senator John Pippy E-News

Pennsylvania Senate News in Review

Senators Unveil Bipartisan Methadone Accountability Package

A group of lawmakers and advocates unveiled a bipartisan package of legislation overhauling Pennsylvania's methadone treatment laws to increase fiscal accountability and safety, and reduce the unlawful use of methadone and methadone poisoning deaths.   

Discussing the issue at a Capitol news conference were Sen. Kim Ward (Westmoreland), Sen. John Eichelberger (Blair) and Sen. Don White (Indiana). Also on hand was Sen. Elder Vogel (Beaver) and Marti Hottenstein, who helped found Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths (HARMD) after the death of her son.  

The measures making up the Methadone Accountability Package address the illegal diversion of methadone from treatment uses; methadone use and highway safety; and accountability in government-sponsored treatment, including cost to taxpayers, open-ended treatment, overdoses and deaths.   

For more on the Methadone Accountability Package, please see In the Spotlight and Fast Facts, below.

Bill Creating a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth Approved 

The Senate unanimously passed legislation to allow a parent to request a "Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth" from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 

Senate Bill 620, sponsored by Sen. Jake Corman (Centre), would provide parents with documentation when a child is stillborn.  At least 20 other states have adopted similar legislation. 

At the option of the parent, the name of the child, the names of the parents and birthplace can be included on the certificate.  The cost of a certificate would be covered by the parent and would be the same as a death certificate.

Senate Bill 620 was sent to the state House of Representatives for consideration. 

Senator Corman said: "This issue was brought to me by a resident of my senatorial district and I am proud that we were able to pass it out of the Senate. Stillbirths are a tragedy for parents, and often times they feel no sense of healing or closure because there is no documentation of their child's birth." 

Senator Calls for Update to 50-Year-Old Library Code 

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (Delaware) has introduced a resolution calling for a study designed to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive update of the 50-year-old law governing library services in Pennsylvania.   

Senate Resolution 343 will require the Joint State Government Commission to review the Library Code and the current library structure, including the funding formula. The final report, with recommendations, will be due by November 30.   

According to the Pennsylvania Library Association, visits to the state's 474 public libraries were up 11 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, circulation of books and videos was up 9 percent, and in-library computer use was up 19 percent.   

The Pennsylvania Library Association supports a review of the Library Code.  

Senator Pileggi said: "Libraries in Pennsylvania are busier than ever. But the state Library Code was enacted in 1961, and it is now antiquated in many ways. As we face another difficult budget, this study is a cost-effective way to help ensure that every dollar invested in library services is put to the best possible use." 

In the Spotlight 

The National Drug Intelligence Center reported a 109 percent increase in the unlawful diversion of methadone from 2003 to 2007. The National Center for Health Statistics found that, from 1999-2005, the number of poisoning deaths involving methadone increased 468 percent, and the rate of methadone deaths in younger individuals (age 15 to 24) increased eleven-fold.   

The increase in methadone use and abuse has also affected highway safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that a single dose can cause reductions in reaction time, visual acuity and information processing.              

Senator Eichelberger said: "Pennsylvania's law has not kept pace with the changes in the prescription of methadone---and too frequently with deadly consequences. Methadone is a drug with its own unique properties. One pill or one dose can kill a non- or low-opiate-tolerant person."   

Senator Ward said: "The state methadone program is spending tax dollars for open-ended treatment with no accountability or oversight. It's incredible that with so many lives – and tax dollars – at stake, no state agency has bothered to do an audit. I want to know what the state is spending and what it can do better."    

Fast Facts

METHADONE ACCOUNTABILITY PACKAGE

Senate Bill 1293 -- Requires reviews for all methadone-related deaths, and development of best practices to prevent future deaths.

Senate Bill 1294 -- Creates the Methadone Addiction Prevention and Treatment Act, to provide for the safe use of methadone to treat heroin and other opiate addictions.

Senate Bill 1376 -- Implements diversion control and dosing standards.

Senate Bill 1377 -- Establishes clinic standards to prevent methadone-related highway accidents.

Senate Bill 1378 -- Makes it a crime to drive under the influence of more than the prescribed dose of methadone.

Senate Bill 1382 -- Requires a narcotic treatment plan with a one-year limit with an additional six months if progressing toward a full recovery.

Senate Bill 1383 -- Requires individuals to receive methadone treatment at a clinic closest to their residence.

Senate Resolution 348 -- Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to complete a performance audit of the state's methadone treatment and transportation program.

Homeowners and Contractors Encouraged To Contact One Call System before Excavation 

Homeowners and contractors should contact the Pennsylvania One Call System before undertaking any excavation work to prevent fires, explosions and utility service outages.  

Homeowners and contractors must call 811 prior to any excavation work such as planting shrubs and trees, tunneling, grading, boring, blasting, demolishing, or any similar work. The call triggers an alert to all the necessary underground facility owners to identify any underground lines or facilities at the intended dig site. Area utility companies will visit the site to mark the location of their respective underground facilities.  

The Pennsylvania One Call System prevents homeowners and contractors from creating potentially dangerous situations. Anyone who is planning any sort of excavation should call to ensure that their projects are safe.  

Calls to 811 must be placed no less than three business days prior to beginning a digging or excavation project to allow sufficient time to identify any possible impediments. 

Customer Alerts and Tips: Choosing a Nursing Home 

The difficult and emotional task of finding a proper nursing home for a loved one can be made easier through the use of available research and perseverance.

A pleasant environment with a caring staff and solid medical practices should be tops in a checklist to ensure the loved one gets the care needed and is safe and healthy during their stay. 

The research is available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through its annual collection of data on over 15,000 nursing homes across the country. Health inspection data, staffing and quality information is used to rank the facilities on a one to five scale. For information on local areas, go to www.medicare.gov and click on the "nursing home compare" tool.  

The site also offers a "Nursing Home Checklist" asking such basic questions as Medicare and Medicaid certification, level of care, special services available and if the home is close enough for friends and family to visit.  

But, the list also asks if residents are clean and appropriately dressed for the season and time of day; if the facility appears clean and well-kept and has good lighting and comfortable temperature for residents.  

The four-page questionnaire poses questions about the staff, rooms, hallways, stairs and bathrooms and encompasses a total of 50 items to check before considering a home.  

Larry Minnix of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging told The New York Times that onsite inspection is vital. In an article entitled "Stressful but Vital: Picking a Nursing Home", Minnix said repeated visits are recommended and should be carried out at different times of the day and different days of the week.  

"Trust your five senses," Minnix told Times reporter Walecia Konrad. "Does it smell like cleaning fluid and urine when you walk in or fried chicken and apple pie? Are the staff friendly and interacting with the residents?"  

He recommended speaking with the executive director, physician and head nurse at the facility. If they are not available, ask for an appointment. Getting the runaround could serve as a red flag in consideration of the facility.  

Picking the proper nursing home is important. Using the Medicare 50 question checklist for personal visits to those being considered can make the choice much easier for all concerned.  

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Provided as a public service by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers.

This information is provided with the understanding that the association is not engaged in rendering specific legal, accounting, or other professional services. If specific expert assistance is required, the services of a competent, professional person should be sought.  

To learn more about the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers, visit http://www.pacb.org/