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Pantagraph EditorialWednesday, September 3, 2008 1:13 AM CDT
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Drug treatment budget cuts will be costly in long run
By the Pantagraph Editorial Board
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Illinoisans might have trouble following Gov. Rod Blagojevich's proclamation to observe National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month by "encouraging those struggling with substance abuse to seek treatment."

That's because the governor is "celebrating" by cutting the legs out from under those who provide such treatment.

His statewide budget cuts chopped $55 million out of the substance abuse treatment system - that's $55 million out of $200 million devoted to non-Medicaid substance-abuse treatment programs.

Factor in the $55 million in federal matching funds that will be lost if this goes through and the impact is truly devastating.

The effects are already being felt locally and in other parts of the state.

Bloomington-based Chestnut Health System has cut 13 positions and eliminated early intervention programs in 28 of 35 schools in Central and Southern Illinois because of the cuts. If the budget cuts are not reversed, more layoffs could follow here and elsewhere.

"It's not just about jobs - it's also about people not served," said Alan Sender, Chestnut's chief operating officer.

When people with a drug or alcohol addiction recognize they have a problem, a golden opportunity may be lost if treatment is not available when they are ready for it.

The governor should go back and read the proclamation he signed designating September as Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

The eighth "whereas" noted that "treatment is cost effective" and, according to some measurement, for every dollar spent on treatment there is $7 in "monetary benefit to society."

People who receive treatment are more likely to retain their jobs and support their families and less likely to engage in crimes and wind up in jails or hospitals. Successful treatment also means fewer "crack babies" and children with fetal alcohol syndrome.

So, by "saving" a few dollars through cuts in substance abuse programs, the governor risks increasing costs for the state prison system and the Department of Children and Family Services.

He also is passing along higher costs to local governments in terms of law enforcement and county jails.

And he is passing along increased costs to individuals who become crime victims or whose family members miss an opportunity to break the cycle of addiction.

This is one more example of the governor making cuts in inappropriate areas or at inappropriate levels, with little or no consideration of the impact of those cuts.

The intent of the governor's actions might be to force the Legislature to act on revenue proposals to balance the budget. But vulnerable lives are being hurt in his political chess game.

These cuts should be reversed.

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Reader comments on this story - 4 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Jarhead71 wrote on Sep 4, 2008 4:31 PM:

" When I worked in another State as a police liaison with the local school district, there were several teens sent to drug treatment centers and a program in the schools run be addiction counselors. The success ratio was LESS THAN stellar. How much "bang for the bucks" do these treatment programs get? If they have a less than 50% "cure rate", the money can be better used elsewhere. Most of these programs benefit the administrators and treatment organizations more than they benefit the clients. "

Socrates wrote on Sep 3, 2008 11:34 AM:

" Well put Pantagraph, Reader, and lincolnlover. These cuts are not thought through and if simply part of a political chess game should be criminal. It is certainly ironic that the Governor offers these cuts as examples of fiscal responsibility when he has so blantantly wasted taxpayer money through his jetsetting, etc. A few of those plane rides or less is the equivilant to the some of those people's jobs saved and more people getting help who need it. "

lincolnlover wrote on Sep 3, 2008 10:16 AM:

" These cuts should be reversed, as well as the cuts to parks and historic sites. All of these and the threat to Pontiac Prison are about the same thing - Blago is playing games with people's lives. He is using the cuts to try to force Madigan to pass more money that he can steal for his cronies. We need to contact Madigan, Jones and the Governor and let them know what we think. Hey, Pantagraph - how about publishing some contact informatin? "

Reader715 wrote on Sep 3, 2008 7:24 AM:

" Well said. Amazingly, this will impact DCFS who has just laid off 100+ workers on an already taxed system. "
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