OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-5396
AN ACT INCREASING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH
MEDICATION.
Primary Analyst: ES 3/30/22
Contributing Analyst(s): ME
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $
Mental Health & Addiction Serv., Dept. GF - Cost 3,000,000 See Below
Mental Health & Addiction Serv., Dept. GF - Cost at least
86,000
at least
86,000
State Comptroller - Fringe Benefits
1
GF - Cost at least
34,800
at least
34,800
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a cost to the Department of Mental Health and
Addiction Services (DMHAS) associated with establishing a
psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program to provide grants to
applicants to provide MDMA-assisted or psilocybin-assisted therapy to
qualified patients, as part of an expanded access program approved by
the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Such grants will be
funded through the Qualified Patients for Approved Treatment Sites
Fund, known as the PAT Fund, established by the bill and administered
by DMHAS. The bill appropriates $3 million to the PAT Fund in FY 23,
with at least $1.5 million to be distributed to approved treatment sites
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 40.53% of payroll in FY 23. 2022HB-05396-R000237-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
that year. DMHAS may deposit other funds into the PAT Fund.
DMHAS will incur additional costs of at least $86,000 (with
associated fringe benefits of $34,800) for a Behavioral Health Program
Manager to administer the grant program.
The bill makes technical, conforming, and other changes that have no
fiscal impact.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation. The pilot program will end
when MDMA and psilocybin have been approved to have a medical use
by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), or its successor.