Choice for Patients Seeking Addiction Treatment Act, 2017

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act to require persons who operate a centre or program that provides residential substance abuse treatment services to provide certain information to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and requiring the Minister to publish that information.  

Bill 99 2017

An Act to amend the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act with respect to residential substance abuse treatment services

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1 The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act is amended by adding the following section:

Duty to provide report to Minister

6.1  (1)  Every person who operates a centre or program that provides residential substance abuse treatment services shall provide a report to the Minister that contains the following information:

    1.  The name of the centre or program.

    2.  The location, telephone number and website address of the centre or program.

    3.  A list of services offered by the centre or program.

    4.  Whether the centre or program has been reviewed by an independent organization on the basis of a set of standards developed by the organization, and, if so, the name of the organization, a description of the nature of the review and the results of the review.

    5.  Any other information prescribed in the regulations.

When report to be provided

(2)  The report shall be provided to the Minister,

  (a)  within 30 days after the coming into force of section 1 of the Choice for Patients Seeking Addiction Treatment Act, 2017 and annually after that; and

  (b)  within 30 days after any change to the operations of the centre or program such that the information contained in the last report submitted to the Minister is no longer up to date.

Register

(3)  The Minister shall establish and maintain a public register on a Government of Ontario website that,

  (a)  lists the name of each centre or program for which the Minister has received a report under this section together with the information described in paragraphs 2 to 5 of subsection (1) with respect to each centre or program; and

  (b)  allows for an individual to search the register on the basis of any information described in paragraphs 1 to 5 of subsection (1).

Same

(4)  The Minister shall promptly update the register on the basis of any subsequent report received under this section in respect of a centre or program.

Exception

(5)  Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who operates a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, a private hospital within the meaning of the Private Hospitals Act or a psychiatric facility within the meaning of the Mental Health Act that provides residential substance abuse treatment services.

2 Section 12 of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(0.a.1) prescribing additional information to be included in a report under subsection 6.1 (1).

Commencement

3 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

4 The short title of this Act is the Choice for Patients Seeking Addiction Treatment Act, 2017.