Steve Miranda is Treatment Solutions Network’s Director of Special Projects, Steve recently retired from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections where he spent 22 years of his life pioneering new programs and saving lives as the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). That program services 5,200 employees, family members and retirees. As a loyal member of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union (MCOFU), Steve understands the needs of people who are affected by addiction. Steve is also passionate about helping others. Feel free to contact him anytime if you have any questions or know someone who may need help with an addiction problem. You may contact him at stevem @ tsnemail.com or by phone at (508) 525-5974.

Let me start by saying that I love my line of work, but if I hadn’t lost my own brother to addiction, I’m not positive that I would have been this passionate about not only helping addicts, but also helping their families. I currently work for Treatment Solutions Network, who in my opinion has the absolute best approach to working with addiction in the workplace and addiction period. I feel confident saying this because I’ve worked in this field for many years and seen firsthand how to lead addicts along a better path and unfortunately, I’ve also seen companies lead addicts right out the door without even a chance. Treatment Solutions Network fights for every individual to get well, which is why I wanted to become part of their team.

Now, I wouldn’t talk the talk if I personally hadn’t walked the walk. For the past 22 years I was posted up at the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, where I was fortunate enough to be the Director of their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). While in that position, my team serviced over 5,200 employees, family members and retirees so I learned a thing or two about addiction along the way. In fact, I dealt head-on with virtually every setback scenario you could imagine like drugs, alcohol, financial, post trauma, marital, and so on.

I am proud to say that our team was very successful at what we did and the simple reason our EAP resources were so effective was because we made it as simple as possible for the employee and their families. We did our best to be a one-stop shop, which in essence meant that when you came to us with a situation, we weren’t going to send you out the door with a bunch of homework, we were going to assess your particular situation and find a solution for you and your family. This obviously made the situation a great deal more bearable for the individual and their family, but also, the employer saved time, stress and money. An EAP is generally a peer-elected post for just that reason, you need to be a conduit between the problem and the solution for both the employer and employee. It is a fine line but one that must be done with pride and respect.

It was during this time when I had the good fortune to work with Treatment Solutions Network and see that their organization had the same goal as my EAP team, just on a much grander scale. Treatment Solutions Network is the ultimate one stop shop and has saved countless lives as a result. One of the most difficult situations for an EAP to face is working with Public Safety Officers struggling with addiction. These officers have a career built on public perception and are far less likely to ask for help than your average employee. Treatment Solutions Network is comprised of former officials and Public Safety Officers who have been humbled by personal hurdles in the past and are now in a position to apply their unique wisdom and experience to people in need of help. When I saw how members of the Treatment Solutions team were able to take the one stop shop notion to a level I never imagined and apply multiple services beyond drug and alcohol treatment, but stress, counseling, family therapy, and mental health to name a few, I knew I wanted to be part of their team.

The Treatment Solutions team is built with the finest union and business leadership from the workforce and a network of the absolute best resources available in the addiction and recovery industry. It only takes one call and not only will you have a solution, but also you’ll have the best possible solution for your specific need and equally important, the needs of your family. This is the finest team I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of and while I personally lost a family member to the disease of addiction, along with Treatment Solutions, I have been able to keep countless families alive and together.

Recently, I had an opportunity to sit down with one of the most dynamic and groundbreaking individuals the recovery community has ever known. He is a Lieutenant on the Boston Fire Department and co-ordinates their Employee Assistance Program, his name is Willy Ostiguy and for those who don’t know, he is an E.A.P. pioneer with over 30 years of experience and most recently, Lt. Ostiguy has been the driving force behind a recovery high school movement that is profoundly changing lives as you read this.

While it would take an eternity to describe what makes Lt. Ostiguy such an impressive individual, hopefully the interview below will give you a glimpse into his profound life and his even more powerful life’s work.

JA: How did you find this path Willy – more specifically, you have spent a huge portion of your life helping others, what is your inspiration?

WO: Basically, it was when I first got into recovery forty years ago, then it trickled over to the Boston Fire Department, then it trickled over to the community, then the board of Gavin House, the recovery high school, etc.

JA: You are a legend in Boston in have been the recipient of many awards like the Shamrock/James Kelly Award, the Joe Walsh Community Service Award, the John Hennessey Labor Award, the Distinguished Service Award from the Boston Fire Department, the M.A.A.D.A.C. Service Award for helping create the Recovery High Schools in Massachusetts and now the Fred R. French Award for Excellence. How do you stay so humble?

WO: Well, I have a program that teaches me – I don’t want to get so caught up in all of this. It’s a gift and I should be helping others. I need to stay the right size – I don’t need anything to blow my head up any bigger than it is already. (An unmistakable smile fills Willy’s face)

JA: You always seem so confident – does anything make you nervous… like acceptance speeches?

WO: I get nervous, but usually it’s internal so it doesn’t appear like I am, but anybody in these positions would be nervous accepting an award.

JA: After working as a pioneer in the E.A.P. community for nearly 30 years, would you say that the role of E.A.Ps and their ability to be helpful is constantly improving? Or are there still a significant number of employers out there who don’t recognize their value?

WO: I think there is still a big part of employers out there who need to recognize the value of the Employee Assistance Program. I think there are still too many sick people in the workforce who need help. If they (the employer) doesn’t recognize it and get them (the employee) help, the employee is not going to be productive; you know they are not going to be happy or have a good life. It will just trickle over to their whole life.

JA: Too many places don’t provide an E.A.P. service…

WO: Too many places don’t, they don’t recognize it. You know a lot of people, as far as E.A.Ps, have come a long way, but some people still think it’s very much a moral issue, and that depends on where they are coming from. A lot of employers, they will have a paper E.A.P. program, they do it because the Federal Government tells them they have to do it. There is really no substance to it, you know. If you are not getting hands on with people that work for you, you’re not much of an employer. Hopefully all employers will base their E.A.P. on rehabilitation, not termination. Like any disease, the individual should be allowed to get help/rehabilitation.

JA: Does it frustrate you that even in this day and age some people do not accept alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease?

WO: It does frustrate me. I understand it to a degree, but by the same token, if they look at alcoholism, look at drug addiction and if they look what’s happened over the past 30 years with the drug testing and all of the treatment laws that have been implemented, because of substance abuse… to not recognize it? That’s ridiculous.

JA: You have been a pivotal figure on many boards and a true recovery pioneer – what are your top priorities for the recovery community in the near future?

WO: I am going to continue to try and make a difference in how substance abuse is viewed in the community, the workplace, and try to get people the treatment they need for their substance abuse problems. We have three established recovery high schools in Massachusetts; there are other communities now who want the recovery high schools in their area. My feelings are that we should be giving these kids the opportunity to stay straight and get an education. Without an education, and a substance abuse problem… you are doomed! You know these schools give them a setting where they feel safe, and give them an education. We found that 90% of kids, who relapsed, relapsed in their current high schools. That’s where they got whatever substances they were using, all their friends were using (peer pressure). It would be like putting you in treatment for alcoholism and then locking you in a bar and seeing how long you would last before you picked up a drink.

JA: How does it feel to have a school named after you?

WO: That’s a humbling experience too, because of Senator Steve Tolman and Rep. Brian Wallace the recovery high school in Boston is named the William J. Ostiguy Recovery High School, (Yahoo!) (There’s that smile again) you know the concept finally was adapted. I went with Senator Steve Tolman to Minnesota and we brought back the recovery high school concept. Minnesota has 10 sober high schools with over 600 students. It took us about two years for it to be accepted. Everyone thought it was a great idea, but no one wanted to fund it. This is the fifth year for recovery high school in Massachusetts. So we have kids who have graduated. We just had a young lady who got a full ride to Providence College, who was bouncing in and out of the court system because of her substance abuse problem. She is a bright young lady. 90% of the kids graduated from the recovery high school and 50% go on to higher education. So it is a simple concept, and it is working.

JA: Tell me more about the school with the greatest name ever?

WO: The recovery high schools in Massachusetts are all run a little different., the recovery high schools are run differently state by state, what we did in Massachusetts, again because of Senator Steve Tolman and then Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey is that the state government gave each school 2.5 million as startup for the project and now that the five years are up, they will fund it again. We used Boston Teacher’s Union teachers. The kids that come in are usually referred by the courts, the families, P.Y.S. and a lot of different systems. They are starting in the justice system; they cost the system a lot of money you know. They come to the school and they are evaluated. They have to have a substance abuse problem/diagnosis.  They come with their families to be interviewed for the recovery high school. We want family input, we don’t want just the child and we don’t want to be counterproductive. Some kids unfortunately are in settings where the parents have just as many problems as them. We need to see what the family dynamics are.

JA: Any chance of expanding, franchising the schools?

WO: Actually, its funny you should say that. Senator Tolman and I just went down to talk to Senator Steve Tassoni in RI, he took the time out of his busy day and we laid the ground work for a RHS in RI. They want to have a couple of RHS in Rhode Island. We have been working with, believe it or not, New York. New York is one of the few states that do not have a recovery high school. You would think that with just the volume of people they would have it but they do not. You know I would like to see it in every State.

JA: The track record alone of the success speaks for itself.

WO: The people I know in recovery, myself included; I went to school with 2400 boys and you could have taken 400 at any given time who were completely out of control. That doesn’t mean we could not function; it just means we were out of control and I could have used a school like that. Whether I recognized it at that time is a different story, but there are a lot of kids that, I mean most of the people in jail, have substance abuse issues. What we saw was a lot of the young boys were starting out in the penal system and the young girls were becoming single moms – it was the beginning of the end for them. Their lives were over before they could even start… bright, young people. It’s a tragedy. If you look at the bigger picture of the system, someone told me and I can’t remember the stat right now, but untreated alcoholism over a lifetime costs society 1.2 million dollars each.  This concept from an economic standpoint is great, it’s simple and that’s why it’s catching on.

JA: Where can people find out more about your organization and the projects you are involved with?

WO: Sure, well you can check out a web page about the high school, as well as get the brochure online.

http://www.bostonabcd.org/programs/youth-development/wjo-hs/

http://www.bostonabcd.org/pdfs/ostiguy_high_brochure.pdf

WO: When we were doing research there were 76,000 kids (age 14-18) in Massachusetts, who had substance abuse issues. Out of them only 16,000 got treatment. That leaves 60,000 who were left untreated and of the ones who did get treatment, 90% relapsed. It’s a very difficult population to treat, but the more options they have, the better their chances of early recovery.

JA: Do you feel that the younger generation, adolescents, teens from a personal and professional perspective, do you believe that it’s a lot harder for them to find the right level of care?

WO: I do. I think we have made progress with adolescent programs, but we need a tremendous amount more. I’m involved with the Gavin Foundation, which has an adolescent program (Cushing House) for girls and boys. We have a six week waiting list. There are probably a half dozen adolescent treatment programs in Massachusetts. With the numbers I gave you before, that is ridiculous. You know so there is a need to make progress.

JA: One would think with such a demand, more people’s eyes would be open to this kind of solution. The numbers don’t lie…

WO: As a parent, if you’re not involved, your child is not involved; if your child is abusing substances now it’s an emergency. You need to have healthy conversations so your interaction does not come between jail cells… It’s a population that a lot of people don’t want to address due to the low success.

JA: Thanks Willy, any final mentions?

WO: Thanks to Treatment Solutions Network – every time one of our people gets services from them, whether it’s a wife, husband, child or adolescent, there is progress. Every time I pick up the phone I get someone who I have a great relationship with, particularly Mike Blackburn, Jim Bevell and Juan Lesende.

Thank you very much Willy, congratulations, and good luck!

Treatment Works! was the theme of the first Recovery Month, held 21 years ago. Since 1989, events, programs, and tool kits have effectively educated the public about recovery.

The first year of organized celebrations was 1989, when the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) began a campaign that was the first of its kind. Their focus of Treatment Works! was truly new, and it created some much needed awareness that drug and alcohol abuse can be effectively treated. This was a huge milestone in the treatment world, because it was the first time many people came to the realization that they could overcome an addiction.

The Awareness of the 1990′s

The stigma of substance abuse has gradually changed over the last 21 years, and more and more people today have a greater appreciation for the process of recovery from addiction.

The 1990′s were important years for recovery, as the medical field expanded to include addiction treatment. SAMHSA was founded in 1992 and NIDA was made a part of the National Institute of Health. Addiction Training Centers were first established in the 90′s, and the first anti-drug campaign for teens was launched. Treatment Works! was celebrated for the first few years of the 90′s, and then SAMHSA took over and expanded it gradually each year since.

The Advances of the 2000′s

Beginning in 2000, major advances were made in the addiction treatment field. Research turned up new medications for treatment, such as Suboxone, and allowed for the safe use of other medications, such as methadone. Treatment since 2000 has become more individualized, giving patients more effective treatment to suit their needs. Increased confidentiality and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) have made it easier for those addicted to drugs or alcohol to gain access to treatment.

For the last decade, Recovery Month activities have spread across the country. Beginning in 2002, all 50 states have held events annually to support recovery education. With the increase of forms of media, Recovery Month activities are now accessible to billions of people each year. Public Service Announcements now can be heard or seen on tv, on podcasts, on the radio and in the written media. Recovery Month announcements can be found on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, and new activities are being planned every year.

We no longer live in a world where addiction is a hidden disease that no one talks about. Thanks to the advances in the last 21 years, there is greater awareness for recovery and the possibilities for someone who is caught in an addiction. Sobriety is still a hard thing to achieve, and making the decision to get help can be a difficult one to make, but the celebration of Recovery Month can help make the journey easier.

Sources

20 Years of Recovery

2010 Recovery Month Web Site Launched on January 2, 2010 

Local Non-Profits Form “Voices for Recovery Coalition”

Recovery Month

In a world where drug addiction affects so many different people, it is important that we each do all we can to fight the good fight against drug abuse. This may not always be at the top of people’s minds, but employers could (or should) play a huge role in stopping drug abuse among employees. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the annual cost for drug use in the workplace is $100 billion due to lost time, accidents, health care and workers compensation costs. Besides the obvious reasons, like that employees on drugs are less productive, less responsible, and less reliable; it should be the moral duty of employers to help those under them that abuse drugs.

Cheating on Tests

Sadly, too many employers are willing to let their workers that are abusing drugs slip by. Drug tests are often easy to cheat on and some employers will use the easiest test to pass or look the other way when they know someone is cheating, just to prevent a big hassle. Most managers either need to or would like to show they’ve tested their employees and that they’ve turned up clean, but the sad thing is that to many of them, this is simply a formality that they can easily tamper with. After all, in many people’s minds, a positive drug test would mean they have to either fire the person, or help them get into detox or treatment, and that would use up money or resources. Besides, a lot of drug addicts have become pretty adept at balancing drug abuse and a job.

Help for Employees

So what needs to be done? There’s plenty that can be done to help employees with their drug habit. To start, employers can bite the bullet and do what’s really best for their employees. They could have an Employee Assistance Program in place that will provide a counselor to help determine the type of help an employee needs. Employers can also provide insurance plans for their workers that cover substance abuse treatment and mental health care. Employers should never shirk their duties to provide a fair drug test, and then, based on the results, should give time off for the person to recover, or let them go if that’s the policy.

Drug-Free Workplace

There is even more that managers can do. They can encourage preventative care or early intervention for employees by providing incentives for regular doctor’s visits. They can host educational events to help employees learn the benefits to staying clean. And employers can create an attitude around the workplace that focuses more on healthy living.

Employers should not assume that recreational drug use is ok. It is harmful and illegal, and it can lead to addiction. Look for outside help, like from the Department of Labor, for ways to get started in providing a drug-free workplace.

Sources

U.S. Department of Labor  

EAP

Intro to Drug Screening

The Canyon

As we all sit back and watch the various layers of the U.S. war effort unfold, it is hard enough for us to conceptually grasp the level of loss and violent despair unfolding each minute for our troops in the middle east. Even for family members of soldiers, who risk their lives daily, they may have a different perspective on the madness, but nothing can or will ever compare to the horror each individual soldier experiences.

The reason I bring this up is to shed a little light on a situation we are all facing that is certain to explode like a hidden IED, tripped by an unsuspecting soldier. Four letters we’ve all heard before but you better be ready for since they are about to change the world we live in…PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a bomb being constructed in the middle east as you read this and will be triggered to explode gradually over the next 20 years. Believe me, if you think I’m being dramatic, watch the approaching explosion and think back to this post if you survive it.

Visit http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/fslist-ptsd-overview.asp for a peek at what we will all be faced with but when you’re reading this, remember that only recently has the the U.S. Military’s powers-that-be begun to recognize the the fact that PTSD exists…that is pathetic and unacceptable. While it is wonderful that it is finally being given credibility, the resources set aside for treatment is a pittance compared to what will be needed. Ironically, each returning veteran will have a ticking PTSD IED inside each one of them that can ‘go off’ at any second. Whether an acute PTSD reaction occurs on the street, at work, at school, at church or at home, you can bet your ass that if WE ALL aren’t equipped with a basic understanding of how to deal with it, we will be suffering as a society for generations to come.

Sadly, PTSD cannot be treated like other behavioral disorders and daily we hear reports of treatment facilities failing patients and their families on a daily basis by attempting to treat PTSD along with other behaviorally impaired patients…THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!!!! These individuals and their families need specialized treatments with professionals specifically trained to deal with PTSD. Do the math, with the numbers of returning veterans, we are in for a shit-storm if we don’t get a handle on this thing and the government has its hands full.

That is why I’ve assembled a team at TSN, who has created a program called HEROES WELCOME. I will share more about the specifics in the next few weeks but in essence, we are assembling the best PTSD experts and centers on the planet and offering treatment for both the victim and their family. As a society and a field, we have a unique opportunity to learn from the past (Viet Nam) and truly help diffuse a generational bomb. This is not a bullshit sticker on a bumper, this is a way for us all to actually support our troops and save our own society.

This is the seed and you are all aware that TSN is growing a solution so don’t pretend you haven’t been informed. If you are interested in learning more or have something to offer, contact Jed Wallace for details since he will be coordinating the effort on my behalf. I encourage you to do some serious research and soul searching – be a part of HEROES WELCOME and do your part to support the veterans that have given their lives, limbs and personalities to protect our freedom…now it is our turn!

Here at Treatment Solutions Network we have very strong ties to those who serve our communities, protecting and serving day in and day out. We are proud of these men and women and have a particular affinity for the Boston Fire Department. We were very happy when one of our friends forwarded us this video detailing the service of Boston Fire. Enjoy!

To learn more about our involvement and commitment to help those who serve us please check out our testimonials page by clicking here.

There are too many alcoholics in the world today, and too many of us are enabling them to continue in their addiction.  It’s time for all of us to evaluate our lives and do something to help those suffering from alcoholism.

Alcoholics today are more discreet than ever, and many of them are able to hold down even high-profile jobs, while being dependent upon alcohol.  Alcoholics today aren’t always the homeless, jobless, drunks on the street corner.  They can be successful businessmen, mothers, doctors, or teachers.  The reason people are able to hide alcoholism so well is that many have family, friends, and coworkers that are willing to look the other way and not confront or report the problem.

Alcoholism at Work

Alcoholism in the workplace is a growing problem.  Sometimes it is the boss that has the drinking problem and everyone is too afraid to say anything.  Or it may be an employee that sneaks a drink at work, or over lunch, and the other workers feel that it is none of their business to say something.  This is wrong for a number of reasons:  People can fall into alcohol abuse and alcoholism for a variety of reasons and coworkers should care enough about others to not allow this to continue.  Employees should also care enough about their business to speak up about alcoholism.  There are ways to go about reporting an alcohol problem at work, while allowing the alcoholic to get help for their disease.

Many times it takes a humiliating experience or an accident to finally make someone face their alcoholism.  But it shouldn’t have to come to that point.  Why should we have to wait until the person messes up and comes to work all tipsy and finds themselves on the floor in front of clients before we offer that alcoholic help?  And do any of us really want to be out on the same road as someone that has had too many drinks, or be operated on by a surgeon that has had a drink prior to surgery or is battling a hangover?

Help for alcoholics from loved ones

It is true that confronting an alcoholic, whether at home or at work, can be very difficult.  But it usually takes the help of a loved one to get that person into treatment, and there are some ways to go about it to make it more successful.

First of all, we need to stop rescuing the alcoholic in our life.  We shouldn’t make any more excuses for their actions or rescue them in other ways from alcohol-related consequences.  Secondly, talk to the person.  Be honest and fair.  Tell them what you’ve seen or know about the problem, and express your concern for their well-being.  Then, be ready to help.  You can call a hotline to get them help, or call an alcohol rehab center for them.

With all the dangers from violence and alcohol-related accidents we aren’t doing anyone any favors by keeping quiet about alcoholism.  The sooner an alcoholic gets help for the problem, the better for all of us.

Sources

How Can I Get an Alcoholic Into Treatment? November 27, 2007

Johnson, Juliet How to Help an Alcoholic Brother

Brody, Jane High Functioning, but Still Alcoholics May 4, 2009

When an alcoholic is looking for treatment for their addiction, there are many different ways people would suggest that they go about getting help.  Some recommend residential treatment and detox, others say go to AA for support meetings, still others say quit cold turkey.  One of the newer approaches to treating alcoholism is to use a drug like Vivitrol to end the addiction.  The best solution, however, may be a combination of methods.

Eight million people in America are estimated to be alcoholics, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholics.  Many of these people continue to live with their alcoholism without getting help, often because getting sober may seem overwhelming to them.

Using drugs to treat alcoholism

Makers of Vivitrol have hopes that their drug will make the recovery process easier for the alcoholic.  This drug follows other drugs since the 1940s that were created to treat alcoholism.  The first one was Antabuse, which creates bad side effects like nausea when combined with alcohol.  But the thing about these drugs is that a person has to keep taking them in order for them to work.  If an individual has a weak moment and decides they don’t want to struggle with recovery anymore, they can stop taking the medication, which will start the alcohol cycle all over again.

Another drug, Campral, reduces the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, helping the patient ease out of their addiction.  But this drug has to be taken 3 times a day and does not work for everyone.

Naltrexone was the next drug and was the precursor to Vivitrol.  It blocks neural receptors in order to reduce cravings for alcohol.  Again, Naltrexone has to be taken everyday which makes it really impractical for alcoholics.

Pros and Cons of Vivitrol

Along came Vivitrol, a slow release version of Naltrexone.  Vivitrol is given as an injection once a month and it really seems to reduce cravings in some people and decreases their drinking.

But the drug alone is not likely to cure alcoholism, and the lack of sales by the company has shown that not everyone thinks it is a good idea.  Some doctors do prescribe Vivitrol along with counseling for their patients that seem to continue to crave alcohol even after treatment.  But other people feel strongly against using a drug to treat alcoholism, calling it a crutch.  Other doctors stay away from Vivitrol because of the cost and difficulty in getting reimbursed by insurance companies.  Still more people don’t like the effects it has on other areas of a person’s life that usually associate with a “high” feeling, such as sex and exercise, which seem to be dulled by the drug also.

So it seems that the magic pill has not yet been discovered, but we will keep looking.  Breaking the addiction to alcohol still takes a lot of hard work and determination.  A good treatment facility can help a patient coordinate the resources they need, from counseling, to therapy, to medication, in order to stay sober.

Sources

Wallack, Todd Alcoholism drug not an easy sell March 23, 2009

Naltrexone – Treatment for Alcoholism and Addiction March 23, 2009

http://www.drugs.com/vivitrol.html

April is Alcohol Awareness Month.  Every year at this time we take a few weeks to consider the affects of alcohol and alcoholism in our country.  Alcohol is one substance that can affect every age group and every demographic of people in some way.  There are countless organizations and facilities that work to help people overcome alcoholism, and many support groups that help people deal with their loved ones’ alcoholism.

Risks for Alcohol Abusers

Alcohol abuse is serious anytime it occurs, but there are some individuals that often put themselves or others at risk because of their drinking.

· College students often binge drink when they go out partying, often risking alcohol poisoning or alcohol related crimes on those nights.

· Those that choose to drink and drive put not only themselves at risk, but all the other motorists they get near.

· Pregnant women endanger their own child if they drink, increasing the risk of mental, behavioral, and physical disabilities of the fetus that is exposed to alcohol.

· Senior citizens that are lonely may soothe themselves with alcohol, risking heart problems and complications with medications.

· Middle age men and women may be long-time alcoholics that struggle to keep a job, and may put their kids and spouses at risk because of abuse at home.

Help for Alcoholics

There is help out there, even for the most serious alcoholics.  It might not be easy for an alcoholic to admit they have a problem that they can’t handle, and sometimes it takes a loving family member to arrange for an intervention or help.  Once the individual struggling with alcoholism is ready to get help, it will take time to rid their body of the dependence on alcohol.  Then, counseling is important to help them get ready to return to every day life.  It may also take weekly support group meetings to keep some people free from alcohol for life.  But it can be done, and many people have done it.  It just takes a good treatment facility and a good attitude to overcoming the addiction.

Help for Families

Those that live with alcoholics and alcohol abusers have daily struggles also.  It is terrifying to be the child of an alcoholic because these kids never know if they are going to get beat up or screamed at because their parent is drunk.  Parents of college students may watch their kids throw their schooling and future away by abusing alcohol.  Spouses see their relationship die out as their loved one constantly turns to alcohol.  Groups like Al-anon or al-ateen are great resources for these kinds of families of alcoholics.

These loved ones are the people that most often seek help for alcoholism.  Many times it takes the love and knowledge of family to encourage their loved one to enter treatment.  It is important to get help as soon as a problem has been identified.  Asking for help is the first step to recovery.

http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/seasonal/aprilalcohol/

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/

http://workplace.samhsa.gov/WPWorkit/index.html

http://www.fascenter.samhsa.gov/

The addiction to drugs is a difficult thing for any individual to deal with.  Often, addiction leads to the decline of a person’s well-being, financial security, and health.  Drug addicts have a hard time keeping a job, their families suffer the consequences, and sometimes the addicts find themselves either in trouble with the law, or homeless on the street.

The issue of treating drug abusers has been discussed in great detail in our country for decades.  There are those that say we should buckle down on drug users and increase our illegal drug enforcement in order to put all those drug-using criminals behind bars.  However, those that just want to lock up every drug addict are ignoring the fact that drug addiction is a sickness, and without proper treatment, the user will find themselves back on the streets using drugs once they are out of jail.

New help for drug addicts

The idea of treatment vs. jail is one that has come up numerous times in the last few months, as our country struggles with the best way to get drug addicts back on their feet again.  New York has recently relaxed laws that date back to the 1970s in order to allow judges to send addict law-breakers to treatment programs, rather than to jail.

Other states and countries are looking into different options also.  In Australia, where 70-80% of prisoners are incarcerated because of drug problems, community-based treatment centers are now being offered to those that have served time because of drug related crimes.

Texas is taking a hard look at what they can do to help those with drug addiction that have found themselves chronically homeless, or caught in the cycle of going to jail for drug possession, then back to being homeless and doing drugs, and so on.  One of their answers is to solve the housing problem, and then get these people into drug treatment, rather than send them straight to jail.

Cost effective treatment

Overall, it would save states money to focus on fixing the underlying problem of drug addiction, rather than try to manage drug addicts with jail time.  If we look at the cost for the court system, law enforcement, jail time, and emergency health care and shelter for those that go right back to drug abuse once they are out of jail; the cost of simply putting a drug addict in jail really adds up.

On the other hand, if a drug addict is sent to a treatment facility where they can get the help they need to overcome drug addiction, the individual stands a chance to get back out into the world and contribute in a positive way to society.  In New York’s estimation, sending those convicted of nonviolent drug crimes to treatment rather than jail will save the state a quarter of a billion dollars a year.  Financially in the long run, and for the benefit of the addict, it seems addiction treatment rather than jail is the way to go.

Sources

NY eases drug laws, sees annual savings of $250 mln Mar 27, 2009

Popple, Garth Rehab, not jail, best for drug abuse March 28, 2009

Pulkkinen, Levi Change in D.C. stirs state drug policy debate March 26, 2009

Horner, Kim Battling homelessness in Dallas requires more housing, mental health services, advocates say March 29, 2009