Government Alcohol Abuse Treatment

About 3 million Americans seek assistance for drugs and alcohol abuse each year. Unfortunately, that is only 10% of the 22.7 million Americans who require treatment, a number that rises every year.

Alcoholism remains a major issue in the United States, and all levels of government (federal, state, and local) include systems devoted to overcoming this disease. As early as 2005, government agencies invested a cumulative of 468 billion dollars each year on alcohol and drug abuse associated expenditures, which is more than 10 percent of all government expenditure. Although several services are focused on helping individuals recover from alcohol, many concentrates on helping families of AUD patients and communities affected by substance abuse. Some such services are structured to reduce the misuse of drugs better with programs that offer a wide range of subsidized treatment to school education.

One of the main government agencies delivering alcohol treatment resources is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, best known as SAMHSA. SAMHSA works to decrease substance misuse rates through a range of campaigns and projects, including providing one of the most detailed and commonly used lists of treatment programs.

Substance abuse has been one of the most critical issues affecting every administration ever since the early 20th century. The federal government spends billions of dollars per year in the war against drugs and alcohol abuse. Although most of this is expended on law enforcement, much more is expended on providing healthcare services and treatment. While there are many different programs, the vast majority of this funding stems from Medicare, Veterans Administration (VA) Benefits, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Although many rehab centers accept government funding, there are some that do not, so it is important to verify before initiating therapy.

In addition to what is offered by the federal government, many states develop their own alcoholism treatment programs. Every state is different, and the degree and nature of facilities vary significantly from one location to the next. State care facilities often have a lengthy waiting list as they are often highly sought out due to their accessibility and low cost. However, some states provide interim care services that help individuals with alcohol use disorder enhance their lives and wellbeing while preparing for more intensive treatment.

Many local governments, including cities, counties, parishes, and townships, provide recovery facilities and alcoholism resources. This is particularly true in large metropolitan areas. Generally, local government recovery options for alcoholism are less robust than state and federal services. Most programs are operated under the local health department in each region.

Patients must obtain as much information as possible regarding the program or the services before making any decision. First-hand knowledge of the process, experience, and personal opinions by previous patients can be vita in determining the right treatment program for you.

Here are some questions to help guide your decision:

Just as individuals with alcoholism require treatment for their addiction, members of their family and friends will also require guidance and support when dealing with such situations. Caring for a person with alcohol issues may be difficult and sometimes traumatizing. Many such members may find it difficult to support their loved one’s suffering from addiction due to neglect, abuse, or even repeated disappointments experienced by the hands of the addict. For that reason, it is vital that friends and family of addicts seek counseling and support to maintain a healthy relationship with the addict and to improve their own mental health and wellbeing.

Family and friends of an addict can also suffer from depression, anxiety, and trauma that require psychological support. Just as an addict is responsible for his/her recovery, you, too, are responsible for your own health and wellbeing.

Although support from family and friends remain crucial during addiction recovery, it is also vital that their actions do not feed the addiction. Hence adequate knowledge and guidance acquired by friends and family on how best to deal with an addict and the situations that may arise can make things less complicated for everyone involved. Remember, reforming deep habits is challenging, time-consuming, and requires repeated efforts.