§ 2205 — Duties of Office

The Office of Substance Abuse Services, as a component of the Department of Health and Social Services, shall:

(1) Cooperate with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Department of Correction to assist in developing and establishing programs to provide services for persons in need of treatment within the criminal justice system;

(2) Cooperate with the Department of Education, law-enforcement officials, and other public and private agencies to assist with the development and dissemination of substance abuse prevention materials for use at all levels of school education;

(3) Work in partnership with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families in establishing, licensing and evaluating programs for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse among children and youth;

(4) Organize and foster training programs for all persons engaged in providing services to persons in need of treatment;

(5) In coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, specify uniform methods for keeping statistical information by public and private agencies, organizations and individuals; and collect and annually provide relevant statistical information, including at a minimum the number of persons treated, the most commonly used substances, age of the treatment population, nature of treatment, frequency of admission and readmission, and frequency and duration of treatment;

(6) Advise the Governor in the preparation of a comprehensive plan for providing services to persons in need of treatment and its inclusion into a state comprehensive health plan; the plan should consider diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education in the areas of substance abuse and dependence and should be revised over time as deemed necessary. In matter related to minors, advisement will be done in coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families;

(7) Encourage hospitals and other health facilities to admit persons in need of treatment if the required treatment is within their scope of practice;

(8) Encourage all health and disability insurance programs to include substance abuse as a covered illness;

(9) Promote, develop, establish, coordinate and conduct through the Department or any approved agency, public or private, unified programs for education, prevention, diagnosis, research, treatment, aftercare, community referral and rehabilitation in the field of substance abuse and dependency, and to implement and administer such programs;

(10) Promulgate rules and regulations with the approval of the Secretary for the implementation of the authority and responsibilities within this chapter and employ persons responsible for implementing the purposes of this chapter, except insofar as such authority is granted to the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families in Chapter 90 of Title 29;

(11) In coordination with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, establish guidelines and provide for the systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of various programs licensed by the Office;

(12) Establish a substance evaluation team to assist all other agencies in determination of the appropriate treatment modalities for patients referred.

Legislative History

73 Del. Laws, c. 358, § 2 ; 74 Del. Laws, c. 110, § 138