Support substance abuse grants

To the editor,

This week Representative Mark Neuman added an amendment to the operating budget for $30 million to support a pilot program to develop additional substance abuse services. We applaud this bold move at a time when the state is having to carefully evaluate every dollar in the budget. Alcohol and drug abuse have a tremendous cost to Alaskans, both in terms of real dollars ($1.2 billion in 2010) and the heartbreak and anguish suffered by users and their loved ones.

When the Mat-Su Health Foundation and community partners conducted a Community Health Needs Assessment in 2013, the results clearly articulated five top goals involving specific behavioral health issues. We then commissioned a Behavioral Health Environmental Scan to learn what is working in Mat-Su’s behavioral health system and what can be improved. We found gaps in the behavioral health continuum of care, particularly in the areas of detox, crisis stabilization, mild to moderate treatment services, early intervention, and prevention. Many people do not have access to treatment and cannot access needed care until their situation becomes a crisis. In 2013, alcohol related disorders were the number one reason adults visited Mat-Su Regional Medical Center’s emergency department for behavioral healthcare. The cost of these visits was $23 million, not including doctor, EMS or police costs.

A comprehensive continuum of care for substance abuse services can makes a real difference in Mat-Su and statewide. The specific needs of the regions or communities selected for funding under the proposed pilot program may include any level in the continuum of care: early intervention, outpatient services, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential treatment for low to high intensive needs, and medically monitored and managed inpatient detoxification services.

Both Alaska and national experience demonstrate that alcohol and drug treatment works. Access to treatment can cut drug use in half, reduce criminal activity up to 80 percent, and reduce arrests up to 64 percent. Research also shows that the younger a person starts using drugs, the greater the likelihood of a future disorder, making prevention and early intervention key.

The investment in substance abuse treatment and recovery grants proposed by Rep. Neuman will result in reduced utilization of emergency departments, public safety resources, and correctional facilities, and will also lead to a lower incidence of child maltreatment. The Mat-Su Health Foundation supports, and we encourage other members of the community to show their support as well.

Elizabeth Ripley

Executive Director

Mat-Su Health Foundation