HB16-1068: Regulation of Methadone Treatment Facilities

• Requires methadone treatment facilities approved on or after January 1, 2016, to maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from public or private elementary, middle, junior high, or high school; the principal campus of a college, university, or seminary; a residential child care facility; or a public park.

• Mandates facilities disclose all infractions by the owner, holding company, or related entities occurring within the previous three years for initial applications and renewals, including excessive counselor caseloads, inadequate treatment plans, or failure to account for controlled substances.

• Requires the Department of Human Services behavioral health unit to deny facility applications or renewals unless it determines approval is in the public interest due to lack of alternative facility capacity in the area.

• Requires the unit to conduct a public hearing and solicit public input before investigating or making determinations about whether disclosed infractions require suspension, revocation, limitation, or restriction of facility approval.

• Declares methadone treatment facilities are not medical clinics for zoning purposes, establishing this as a matter of statewide concern unless approved by municipal governing bodies.