Pubdate: Fri, 31 Jan 2003
Source: Christian Science Monitor (US)
Copyright: 2003 The Christian Science Publishing Society
Contact:  http://www.csmonitor.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/83
Author: Alexandra Marks, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

BUSH'S DRUG PLAN: A VIOLATION OF CHURCH-STATE DIVIDE?

His Proposal To Provide Vouchers For Treatment May Fund Programs That Don't 
Meet Federal Standards.

NEW YORK - Wanda Haskins believes she's fully qualified to head up a 
successful drug-treatment program. The reason is simple: "Been there, done 
that," says the former crack addict.

Although the Virginia native has no formal training, she's now the director 
of New Life for Girls, a nondenominational Christian drug-treatment center 
in the Bronx.

Such situations are at the crux of the controversy over President Bush's 
pledge this week to create a $600 million program to help an additional 
300,000 people receive drug treatment over the next three years.

While the substance-abuse treatment community welcomed the overall program 
as a significant step, many are also wary of its details. It would create a 
voucher program that would allow individuals a choice of where to receive 
treatment - and included is a provision that could allow federal dollars to 
be used to support faith-based programs. A number of these programs, like 
New Life for Girls, rely on the word of God rather than on formal training 
to help addicts. As a result, many don't meet federal standards on 
credentialing and training.

But still, the fact that drug treatment was even mentioned in Mr. Bush's 
State of the Union address was seen as victory. "Drug treatment has been 
woefully underfunded for many years," says Dr. Peter Provet, president of 
Odyssey House, a substance-abuse agency based in New York. "Proposing to 
allocate a significant amount of money toward treatment is very, very 
important."

It's estimated there are 5 million people addicted to illicit drugs in the 
United States, according to the National Household Survey done by the 
Department of Human Services. In 2000, only 800,000 had access to treatment 
services.

The president's proposed voucher program would make it possible for another 
100,000 people a year to receive drug treatment. It would also create the 
first structural change in the way the federal government delivers drug 
treatment in a generation. Instead of most treatment funds going to states 
in block grants, this new money will go to individuals.

"This structural change ties the help and the ability to get services 
directly to the assessment that people need services, whether that's 
residential or outpatient," says John Walters, director of National Drug 
Control Policy.

Advocates of drug treatment support the notion of giving consumers genuine 
choice, but many are alarmed by the faith-based details of this particular 
plan. Currently, programs that are not certified by state or federal 
governments, and in which the staff has no formal training, are not 
eligible for federal funds.

"To set up a system which is not accountable for standards and quality is 
not a constructive step," says David Rosenbloom of Join Together, a 
substance-abuse research program in Boston. "Whether that's a religious 
organization, community-based treatment, or fancy hospitals, they all need 
to be accountable to the same set of quality standards."

Civil libertarians are even more concerned that it would violate the 
separation of church and state by allowing federal dollars to be used to 
fund religious conversions, which is at the heart of programs such as New 
Life for Girls. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a 
nonprofit advocacy group, announced this week that it plans to challenge 
the program in court.

"It's inconsistent with the traditions of American society," says the Rev. 
Barry Lynn of Americans United. "We don't fund religious activities, even 
good ones."

Mr. Walters believes such concerns are a red herring and points out that 
many treatment programs are based on Alcoholic Anonymous's 12-step program, 
which has spiritual foundation. He says he wants to be sure the program 
isn't "bigoted," and that facilities aren't excluded simply "because they 
have people of faith working there, or that they bring the power of their 
faith to recovery."

In Wanda Haskins's experience, finding God was the only thing that she says 
could keep her clean. She went through four secular treatment programs and 
failed to stay sober before finding New Life for Girls.

"The counseling we do is the word of God, and I know it works because it 
worked for me," she says.

Most treatment experts agree a spiritual component is important in 
recovery, but many are wary of that being tied to any particular faith. 
They also note studies have shown that the programs with the most success 
are those that follow the National Institute of Drug Abuse's protocols, 
which programs such as New Life reject.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom