SUPPORT TREATMENT ON DEMAND

I live near what I refer to as "crack alley" in San Francisco. The
specific neighborhood doesn't matter. There are, I'm sure, many such
alleys in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans,
Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. Name a city and I'm certain that it has
at least one. I am writing to ask the support of your readers for the
Treatment on Demand Assistance Act. In California, 60 percent of drug
treatment facilities that maintain a wait list (not all do) have an
average of 23 people waiting for treatment. As an average, this number
means that although some communities are meeting the demand for
treatment, many more are falling far short of their population's need
for comprehensive drug treatment programs that are available to
everyone, anyone, and anytime. This is evidenced by societal "ills" most
of us don't want to think about. The percentage of homeless people who
are addicts, HIV infections linked to drug use, children born with
developmental disabilities because of addicted moms, the huge numbers of
women in prison because of drugs, and other day-to-day realities of real
life survivors. Regardless of why they became addicted to their drug of
choice, it doesn't take a genius to see the connections behind many of
our urban woes and hard core drug addiction - the kind that quite
literally grips one's body and soul - just look around. We are all
affected by hard core drug abuse.

While some drug users are not seeking treatment, many others are. When
they take the courageous first step of asking for help, it should be
available immediately. For many, the fact that treatment isn't readily
available on demand means they may never get there. The logistics of
contacting someone when space becomes available is obviously complicated
by homelessness and transience. Furthermore - regardless of
socioeconomic status - by the time space becomes available, they might
have lost their nerve, job, home, or life. Nationwide, an estimated 2.8
million Americans are in need of treatment for drug addiction.

Treatment on demand provides people immediate access to treatment at the
time they decide to break the cycle of addiction. The Treatment on
Demand Assistance Act recently introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer would
double the federal government's funding for drug treatment over five
years to a total of $6 billion by 2006, twice as much as current
funding. Furthermore, states that pass legislation similar to
California's Proposition 36 which offers non-violent drug offenders a
treatment alternative to prison, would qualify for special matching
grants with which to pay for that treatment.

I'm sure that many will criticize this legislation. I can imagine some
of the oppositions, "I'm tired of my taxes supporting junkies." "I want
my tax cut." or "It's only a Band-Aid solution and doesn't address the
real problems." But it's a step. The Treatment on Demand Assistance Act
is also far less expensive than the long term cost to our society, of
drugs that are both physically and psychologically destructive to those
who abuse them long term. In this time of "compassionate conservatism"
perhaps even the most right-wing Republican will recognize that helping
those they might see as hopeless does in fact help us all.
Representative Cal Dooley has introduced a companion bill in the House.
Please phone supportive and/or constructive comments to your senators
and congressional representatives. Local and Washington, D.C. phone
numbers can be easily located in the United States Government section of
the blue pages of your local phone book. Look under "Congress."

Virg Parks, San Francisco