$$ SOUGHT TO HELP MOTHERS ON METH

The Division of Substance Abuse is asking lawmakers for thousands of
dollars to treat the state's growing population of mothers addicted to meth.

Division officials say the money, which could be as high as $500,000, would
help curb a systemic problem among women and keep their children from
becoming drug addicts as well.

Despite a slew of statistics showing a lack of treatment for meth moms,
lawmakers made it clear Wednesday they wanted more proof the proposed
treatment would actually work before pouring tax dollars into another drug
program.

"We really don't have a track record to know if this program is successful
or not," said Sen. John Hickman, R-St. George, the most outspoken
legislator during the debate before the Law Enforcement and Criminal
Justice Interim Committee.

Division of Substance Abuse officials said the appropriation would be money
well spent.

Last year 1/3 of the women booked into the Salt Lake County Jail tested
positive for meth, compared to just 17 percent of men.

Nearly half of patients treated for meth addiction are women. In 2000, 937
women with dependent children were admitted to treatment centers for meth
addiction.

But the government's ability to help such women is also quickly dissolving.

A recent study by the Division of Substance Abuse showed 4,591 women are in
need of drug treatment. Last year drug treatment programs could only admit
2,111 women. Of the women who were admitted for drug treatment, 8 percent
were pregnant.

"Treatment for the mothers is prevention for the children," said Brent
Kelsey, criminal justice programs coordinator for the Division of Substance
Abuse.

Kelsey said the money to treat meth-addicted moms would save other state
agencies -- such as the Division of Child and Family Services and the
Department of Corrections -- money in the long run.

It costs more than $35,000 a year to house one child in foster care and
$20,000 to $40,000 to house his or her drug-convicted parent in prison,
according to Kelsey.

At least one lawmaker urged the committee to act now and avoid costs to the
state.

"We can't even serve 50 percent (of addicted women)," Rep. Ty McCartney
said. "There's a need and a problem and we need to address it now."

E-MAIL: djensen@desnews.com