Pubdate: Sun, 24 Apr 2016
Source: Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN)
Copyright: 2016 The Tennessean
Contact: http://www.tennessean.com/SITES/OPINION/submit-editor.shtml
Website: http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Rusty Mauney
Note: Rusty Mauney is a 12-year Army combat veteran and currently 
works as an emergency medicine physician assistant in Clarksville.

BILL WOULD FOCUS ON DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT

H.R. 4378 Addresses the Need to Provide Treatment Facilities for 
Those Already Bound by Addiction.

Education and Prevention Are Imperative in Fighting the Epidemic, but 
Don't Work by Themselves. the Economic Advantage of Treating Addicts 
Is Huge, When Factoring in Health Care and Judicial Costs.

Since Nancy Reagan first spoke the familiar words "Just say no" in 
1982, this country has been engaged in a war on drugs that to some 
seems unwinnable. There is currently a piece of legislation in 
Congress that takes a different approach to the matter. Rather than 
solely focusing on prevention of substance abuse, the Access to 
Substance Abuse Treatment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4378) addresses the 
overwhelming need to provide treatment facilities for those already 
bound by the chains of addiction to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, 
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and phencyclidine (PCP).

The goal of the bill is to permit the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to increase the availability 
and the amount of government funding allocated to treat those 
suffering from substance abuse. The bill also proposes funding for 
child care and other authorized services to those in treatment. These 
include "wrap-around" services, such as medical services, job 
training services and housing assistance to those in treatment.

Obviously, education and prevention are imperative in fighting the 
epidemic, but time has shown that this approach simply does not work 
by itself. If it did, there would not have been 1,166 drug overdose 
deaths in Tennessee in 2014. This number surpassed deaths from 
homicide, suicide and motor vehicle accidents. If the traditional 
approach alone was effective, Tennessee wouldn't have approximately 
69,100 residents addicted to prescription painkillers (Tennessee 
Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, 2015). If education 
and prevention alone were more successful, the Tennessee Bureau of 
Investigation would not be investigating the estimated 800 active 
methamphetamine labs in the state (TBI, 2015).

Tennessee has 208 treatment facilities supporting 16,950 clients. Of 
these, 146 are private (not for profit) and 51 (for profit). Local, 
county and community governments funded three facilities, while the 
state owns two. There are also six federal facilities (five Veterans 
Affairs and one "other"), none of which include the Department of 
Defense or Indian Health Service (N-SSATS, 2011). H.R. 4378 would 
help this problem by providing grants to fund more treatment 
facilities. One may wonder, "How will this impact the taxpayers?" 
Current spending on substance abuse treatment reaches approximately 
$600 billion annually. The economic advantage of treatment versus no 
treatment is seen in a return rate of 12:1 on the dollar when 
comparing the associated health care and judicial costs (NIDA, 2012).

Many think of substance abuse as an issue existing only outside their 
comfy little corner of the world, but this couldn't be further from 
the truth. Time and time again stories are published in print or 
aired on television of people who "never thought it would happen to 
me." This heartbreaking issue has destroyed countless families, lives 
and futures. Undoubtedly, most reading this will have been affected 
in some capacity by substance abuse. As you think of that one person 
whose life would've been completely changed had they had access to 
appropriate treatment, please consider reaching out to Congressman 
Marsha Blackburn at http://blackburn.house.gov/contact and promoting 
H.R. 4378. Or contact:

Washington office:

2266 Rayburn Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

202-225-2811

202-225-3004 (fax)

Clarksville office:

128 North Second St.

Suite 202

Clarksville, TN 37040

931-503-0391

931-503-0393 (fax)

Franklin office:

305 Public Square

Suite 212

Franklin, TN 37064

615-591-5161

615-599-2916 (fax)
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom