Montana Governor Schweitzer Helps Kick Off Addiction Recovery Month

August 27, 2007 -- A kick-off event for National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month is slated for Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the Montana Capitol Rotunda.

The focus of the event will be the historic $4 million Legislative funding measure spearheaded by Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer to expand the state’s ability to offer drug and alcohol addiction treatment for low-income citizens.

The event is sponsored in part by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). September is national addiction recovery month.

Roger Curtiss of Gateway Community Services in Great Falls will be the featured keynote speaker at the event and will tell his personal story of alcohol addiction. Curtis has over 20 years of substance abuse counseling experience and is the former president of the NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals.

Funds appropriated from the general fund at the request of Gov. Schweitzer will pay for seven long-term residential treatment facilities for people with addictions, especially those addicted to meth.

According to DPHHS administrator Joyce DeCunzo of the Addictive and Mental Disorders Division, the funding is groundbreaking on many levels.

First of all, never before has the state been able to offer treatment in such a setting and this is the also the first time money from the general fund has been used for community-based drug and alcohol treatment programs, DeCunzo said. “We’re thrilled to finally be able to offer this type of residential treatment and we’re grateful for Gov. Schweitzer’s support,” she said.

Historically, state drug and alcohol treatment programs have received funding primarily from federal SAPT (Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment) Block Grant, Montana’s earmarked alcohol tax and Medicaid.

The community-based programs will provide residential treatment and supportive living services to eight adults per facility with an average stay of 6-9 months. Annually, each facility will serve 10-12 individuals. The homes are scheduled to open early next year across the state, including two located on or near reservations.

The Schweitzer Administration believes putting money into treatment programs just makes sense based on recent studies that show treatment is cost effective, with some measurements showing a benefit-to-cost ratio of up to 7:1.

“This administration believes strongly that recovery is possible,” Gov. Schweitzer said. “It’s so important to make treatment accessible to those who need help.”

Currently, the state is going through the bid process to hire a contractor to run the new treatment facilities. However, some general guidelines have been set that will benefit the clients in the following ways, including:

* Those in residential treatment will live on site.
* Staff will be available on a 24-hour 7-day-a-week basis
* The treatment offered will be under the direction of licensed addiction counselors and state-approved programs.
* After treatment the clients will be placed in a follow-up program in their community.
* The facilities will be located in several cities across the state and not in just one or two cities.

State Chemical Dependency Bureau program officer Ken Taylor considers the opportunity to live on site to be one of the most important components. “A key feature in recovery is the ability to offer a safe, secure and stable living environment,” he said. “Getting people away from the environment that most likely fosters the addiction is so crucial.”

Taylor says every resident will be screened before they’re admitted into one of the homes. A typical resident will be characterized as non-violent with minimal criminal history. “For the most part they will be people who want to get well and are not an inherent risk to the community,” he said.

The treatment doesn’t end after leaving one of the residential facilities. Clients will be placed with a state-approved follow-up program in their community because the road to recovery can last for several years.

Addiction is a brain disease, but one that can be corrected over time. Taylor said it’s difficult to cure the clients of their addiction completely, but it is possible to educate them on how to manage the problem.

The Recovery Month theme for 2007 is "Join the Voices for Recovery: Saving Lives, Saving Dollars." This year marks the 18th annual observance of the event that celebrates people and their families in recovery from substance use disorders and promotes the need for better awareness and financial access to treatment services.
The Chemical Dependency Bureau of DPHHS provides a full range of in- and out-patient treatment and prevention services. The Bureau organizes and funds prevention activities and assesses Montana's need for chemical dependency treatment and prevention services. The Bureau also oversees chemical dependency treatment services, which are available through contracts with 23 state-approved programs.

Source: Montana Governor

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