A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services, to support a proven model for substance abuse recovery.
Whereas, North Carolina has an interest in supporting programs that demonstrate long‑term effectiveness in helping individuals recover from substance abuse; and
Whereas, Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc., (TROSA) a licensed supervised therapeutic community, has proven to be a long‑term substance abuse recovery program that works and saves North Carolina taxpayers millions of dollars by providing community‑based, 24/7, residential substance abuse services and job training to individuals who might otherwise be involved in this State's prisons, courts, mental health system, or jails; and
Whereas, TROSA has provided cost‑effective, community‑based, 24/7 substance abuse services free of charge for individuals from all North Carolina counties since 1994; and
Whereas, 100% of those who complete TROSA's program secure employment and 90% of TROSA graduates report maintaining their sobriety one year after graduating; and
Whereas, 80% of TROSA's annual budget is derived from businesses it owns and through which its residents receive job training; and
Whereas, approximately 3% of TROSA's budget for its residential program is comprised of State funds; and
Whereas, TROSA's census has grown over 50%, from 336 residents to more than 500 residents since 1998, with an additional 150 beds; and
Whereas, despite this growth, the annual State appropriation for TROSA has remained $350,000 since 2008; and
Whereas, without additional State funding, TROSA may have to begin turning residents away or reducing the number of individuals it serves; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, the sum of one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,150,000) for the 2015‑2016 fiscal year and the sum of one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,150,000) for the 2016‑2017 fiscal year. These funds shall be allocated to Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc., (TROSA) to support the expansion of TROSA's substance abuse recovery services.
SECTION 2.  By June 30, 2016, and by June 30, 2017, TROSA shall submit a report to the General Assembly with a breakdown of how the funds allocated to TROSA pursuant to Section 1 of this act were used to expand TROSA's capacity for providing substance abuse recovery services. Each report shall include the total number of individuals served by TROSA during the fiscal year in which the report is submitted.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2015.