TENNESSEE TO GET FUNDING FOR DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT

Tennessee will receive $17.8 million in federal funds to expand access to
drug abuse treatment, especially for those addicted to the illegal
stimulant methamphetamine, Gov. Phil Bredesen said yesterday.

''Our state is struggling with a serious substance abuse problem,''
Bredesen said. ''This federal funding will provide additional resources
that will be critical in combating meth and drug abuse in general.''

The money will come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
to expand the state's network of licensed alcohol and drug treatment providers.

Tennessee is one of 14 states to be awarded funds in the latest round of
the ''Access to Recovery'' grant funding.

During the next three years, the state Department of Health will receive
about $5.9 million annually for the project.

Methamphetamine, which affects the central nervous system, is produced in
clandestine laboratories across Tennessee using relatively inexpensive
over-the-counter ingredients. The drug has been on the rise in recent
years. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that Tennessee
accounts for 75% of meth lab seizures in the Southeast.

Clients will be screened through drug courts, local health departments and
authorized treatment providers. Participants must submit to random drug and
alcohol screens.

A portion of the funding will go to rural communities, some of which have
been hard hit by meth and other drugs and offer limited access to treatment.