Tuesday, 09 March 2010 18:14 Written by Terry Newton

Loss of Services from Budget Cuts in Michigan

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University just wrote a report called; "Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population." It states that 65 percent of all U.S. inmates meet medical criteria for substance abuse addiction and that only 11 percent receive any treatment. Drugs and alcohol are implicated in 78 percent of violent crimes, 83 percent of property crimes, 77 percent of weapon, public order, other crimes.
In Michigan we rank near the bottom in how we prevent and treat substance use disorders. Among all states, Michigan ranks 40th lowest of all 50 states in state spending per capita for substance abuse prevention and treatment. Among all states, Michigan ranks 32nd lowest of all 50 states in total spending (including federal and local) per capita. The inflation adjusted value of the federal Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Grant funds (SAPT) decreased by $12.6 million between fiscal years 1999 and 2010.
* 744,000 Michigan residents are estimated to meet clinical criteria for substance use disorder treatment services, but have not received those services in the last year.
* Of those Michigan residents, 47,000 (6.3%) are estimated to feel that they are in need of substance use disorder treatment services.
* Of those, 30,000 (67%) are estimated to be eligible for, and would access services from, state funded programs.
In spite of favorable research which shows that treatment works, the state of Michigan continues to cut substance use disorder treatment services from their budget. Since FY09 General Fund support for substance abuse programs including the SDA (State Disability Assistance) room and board allotment have been reduced from $19.9 million to $12.1 million a loss of $7.8 million dollars.
Our highest paid counselors in residential treatment make $34,500 with 20 years of experience and a Master's Degree. This is what an entry level teacher would make with a Bachelor's Degree and is barely a living wage.
The problem with this strategy is that untreated substance use disorders leads to many social consequences including lost wages and productivity, child abuse and neglect, judicial involvement, an increase in property crimes and violent crime, local increases in emergency room visits which amounts to uncompensated care, local arrests leading to local incarceration and a drain on local resources, increase on state incarceration rates when the costs are unsustainable, etc.
Isn't it time that the stigma of substance use disorders is recognized for what it is; a drain on financial resources in our state when we can least afford it?