AL SB115

Authorizes the State Board of Health to license and regulate neonatal abstinence care centers that treat infants under one year of age suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Requires neonatal abstinence care centers to provide services including medication administration, pain management, symptom monitoring, nursing care, physician visits, nutrition management, therapeutic handling, plan of care development, and parental training.

Mandates the State Board of Health adopt rules establishing minimum standards for staffing (administrators, medical directors, nurses, aides), personnel qualifications, safety, sanitation, medical records, pharmacy and nursing services, physical facilities, visitation privileges, and admission/discharge policies.

Directs the State Health Planning and Development Agency to treat neonatal abstinence care centers as a unique and distinct medical service for certificate of need review purposes.

Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.