Thursday, August 14, 2003

By Christopher Snowbeck, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Advocates for people battling addictions are sounding the alarm about state budget cuts for drug and alcohol treatment programs.

With more than $100 million in cuts statewide, Allegheny County is bracing for a $7.2 million reduction in its budget for substance abuse treatment programs.

"It reduces our ability to buy treatment services by about half," said Patricia Valentine, deputy director for behavioral health services in Allegheny County. "When we had $14 million to spend on treatment, we didn't have enough and that's because so few commercial plans cover drug and alcohol services."

The Allegheny County Drug & Alcohol Planning Council -- an advocacy group of educators, health officials and law enforcement agencies -- sent letters yesterday to Gov. Ed Rendell and legislators urging quick action to restore the funding.

As part of the federal tax cut legislation passed earlier this summer, Pennsylvania received $900 million in additional funding and Rendell has committed to using $300 million of that money in each of the next three years to restore all of the state budget cuts for drug and alcohol programs, along with mass transit, libraries and other social services. But the proposal is in limbo along with all other budget negotiations in Harrisburg.

Allegheny County has been able to stave off the impact of the cuts during July and August, Valentine said, but can't do so indefinitely.

Ken Ramsey, president and chief executive officer of Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Beaver, said he expected the state will restore the funds eventually. The question is when the money will come. Some service providers have already laid off some workers, he noted.

"I'm certain that the legislators are fully aware of the impact of addiction," he said. "Without services, a lot of these folks will end up in the criminal justice system, there will likely be more traffic accidents -- the cost to society of untreated drug and alcohol addiction is extremely high."

The affected programs provide addiction counseling for outpatients for people in residential facilities. The programs have an impressive record, the planning council argues in its letter to state leaders. Studies show that after six months, treatment for alcoholism is successful for 40 percent to 70 percent of patients, the advocates say, while cocaine and opiate treatments help at least half of patients.

Christopher Snowbeck can be reached at< ahref=mailto:csnowbeck@post-gazette.com> csnowbeck@post-gazette.com or 412-263-2625.

E-mail this story   Print this story