|
Dear Readers,
A little over a year after the landmark passage of the addiction and mental health parity bill, there is still much work to be done, but there is also much for the addiction treatment field to celebrate. For the past several years, the federal government has attempted to control drugs by focusing on reducing drug supply, through international drug interdiction and law enforcement activities, with very little resources or time being given to treatment and prevention. Well folks, it appears the tide may be turning.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director R. Gil Kerlikowske recently referred to the nation’s drug crisis as “a public health issue,” and called on law enforcement and public officials to take a more proactive stance on drug prevention and treatment. Below, are remarks quoted from Kerlikowske’s Oct. 6 speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Denver, Colorado.
It’s time to rethink our strategy. We must be smarter about our nation’s drug problem.It’s time to recognize drug abuse and addiction for what it is—not just a law enforcement and criminal justice issue, but also a very complex and dynamic public health challenge, one that demands a systematic, comprehensive and evidence-based approach if we are going to be equal to the task. Law enforcement has a vital role in combating the illegal production, transport, sale and abuse of drugs, but our efforts will come to nothing if we don’t match them with a robust public health response.
The Obama Administration has requested $58.9 million to expand the capacity of existing drug courts to provide treatment, and another $59 million to expand the number of drug, mental health and problem-solving courts in its Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs is another important tool for interrupting drug abuse. By tracking the sale and distribution of addictive prescription drugs with high potential for abuse; these programs can prevent legal pharmaceutical drugs from being diverted out of legitimate channels and then sold on the illicit market.
Less than 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of addiction receive treatment. Just as we know that a small percentage of criminals are responsible for a much larger percentage of crime, a small group, but one extremely active in their drug consumption, lies at the heart of our country’s drug problem, but receives almost no treatment for their addictions. If we’re going to effectively deal with the drug problem, we must find effective ways to reach these people and change their behavior. We know there are many effective treatments for addiction, and we know that treatment offers the best hope of changing the behavior of people with addiction. We know that jail is not a solution . . . What’s needed is a true treatment system, one that makes use of evidence-based clinical practices and is well-integrated with the larger healthcare system.
The more than 9 million people who are either behind bars in U.S. prisons and jails or in community corrections (including parole, probation, pre-trial release or pre-sentencing release) are another underserved population when it comes to addiction treatment. At least half of this group has significant substance abuse problems which contributed to their original crimes and could lead to their rapid re-offense and re-incarceration. Given the lack of treatment available behind bars, it’s not surprising that more than 50 percent of the estimated 700,000 people who re-enter society each year from state and Federal prisons meet the criteria for addiction.
We have to be smarter about addressing drug use and addiction within the criminal justice system by making treatment available to the incarcerated. Smarter does not mean softer or weaker; people who break the law should be punished. Being smart about drugs means working to treat people who go to jail with a drug problem so when they get out and return to the communities you protect, you will be less likely to re-arrest them.
As always, I welcome your feedback. Please contact me at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. On behalf of everyone here at Counselor and Health Communications, Inc., I would like to extend our wishes to you and yours for a peaceful and happy holiday season, and health and happiness in 2010.
Sincerely,
Stephanie L. Muller
Editor Counselor,
The Magazine for Addiction Professionals
A Health Communications, Inc. Publication
This article is published in Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, December 2009, v.10, n.6, pg.7.
|
