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HARRISBURG â State officials charged with instituting oversight for addiction recovery homes say a regulatory system with financial, safety, and training requirements will save lives.
But recovery advocates and elected commissioners in the Philadelphia suburbs argue the costs could backfire by overburdening house operators and making high-quality and affordable living options inaccessible.
At the center of the debate is a voluntary licensing system, first mandated by Pennsylvania lawmakers in 2017, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has struggled to implement in a timely fashion.
In March, the agency released regulations that would require recovery house operators who want a state license to pay a $250 fee each year as well as an estimated $10,000 annually for a financial audit. Some operators would have to pay for physical upgrades, such as acceptable fire exits. Operators would also have to provide proof of zoning approval and criminal background checks for all staff and volunteers.