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‘Ryan Brown’ addiction bill passed to House Finance

Legislation to assist recovering addicts named for West Virginia youth who succumbed to drugs

 

By Lexi Browning

For The West Virginia Press Association

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House Committee on Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse passed legislation Thursday afternoon that could allow citizens to lobby private organizations for additional funding for addiction awareness and prevention purposes that are not currently covered.

Delegate Andrew Robinson, D-36th

House Bill 2422, known as The Ryan Brown Addiction Prevention and Recovery Fund Act, is sponsored by Delegate Andrew Robinson, D-36th, who was a lifelong friend of Brown.

 

Co-sponsors are Delegates Erikka Storch, R-3rd; Kelli Sobonya, R-18; Mike Pushkin, D-37; Sean Hornbuckle, D-16th; Jill Upson, R-65th; Saira Blair, R-59th; Brent Boggs, D-34th; Chad Lovejoy, D-17th; Joe Ellington, R-27th; Phil Isner, D-43rd.

 

The pair attended elementary and middle school together and ran track, Robinson said. Both attended West Virginia University.

 

“Ryan was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met,” Robinson said. “We were from similar families with similar upbringings, and Ryan fell into addiction at some point during college.”

 

On April 25, 2014, Brown fatally overdosed.

 

For Robinson, Brown wasn’t the only friend to succumb to addiction.

 

“The problem with my generation is that addiction is not an uncommon story,” Robinson said. “We’ve had four or five from my graduating class that passed away. Jessica Grubb, Ryan Brown; I can tell you that three of my close friends have passed away from addiction. It’s an issue that this isn’t an uncommon occurrence.

 

If passed, H.B. 2422 will allow the Department of Health and Human Resources to allocate money from the fund for prevention education and treatment, “with at least 20 percent going to prevention.” Recipient eligibility would be determined by the DHHR.

 

Fund recipients would be monitored via implementation of accountability programs, the bill states. For-profit treatment facilities or recovery efforts covered through Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance will not be eligible for funding.

 

Funding would be distributed directly to the treatment provider on behalf of the patient. Priority funding will be granted to “intravenous drug users, individuals who are HIV positive or have AIDS, pregnant women with dependent children, veterans and persons with criminal justice involvement.”

 

Brown’s mother, CeCe, has taken on the role as an addiction awareness advocate in addition to her full-time job, Robinson said.

 

“This bill would allow CeCe and similar parents to go after addiction funding from private entities for the state fund in addition to federal grants and state grants,” Robinson said. “The bill would allow any entity to contribute, specifically pharmaceutical companies who have an interest in correcting the damage done.”

 

 

“CeCe will tell you the reason she does this is because she doesn’t want one more parent having to answer the door to a police officer explaining that their child has been found alone and deceased,” Robinson said. “I think that is a very noble cause.”

 

With its maximum amount of sponsors spanning across party lines, Robinson said he has high hopes for the bill’s passage.

 

“If this bill makes it to the floor, I think we’ll have 100 votes and 100 percent support,” Robinson said. “The biggest issue will be finding time for it on the finance agenda.”

 

H.B. 2422 has been communicated to the Finance Committee for further review.

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