AUDIT: DRUG EFFORTS FAILING STATE'S KIDS

Mar. 7, 2001 - Drug and alcohol use is pervasive among Colorado
adolescents, and the state's treatment programs are inadequate to deal
with the problem, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

Colorado ranks higher than most states in a number of significant
substance abuse areas, the audit found. Among kids ages 10 to 17,
Colorado ranks seventh for the use of marijuana, 12th in binge
drinking, 13th for use of illegal drugs and 19th for drug addiction.

"The nature of the problem is not a surprise," said state Sen. Ron
Tupa, DBoulder, a member of the State Audit Committee. "What was
surprising was that we seem to have a lack of coordination on how
we're using state funds to address the problem."

As an indication of how big an impact alcohol and drug abuse has on
crime, the report said that among the male juveniles arrested in
Denver in 1999, 62 percent tested positive for the presence of at
least one drug. Sixtyfour percent of adults being treated for
substance abuse in Colorado say they began drinking or using drugs
between the ages of 10 and 17, the report says.

Yet, only a small portion of the state's money and programs is
dedicated to prevention programs for juveniles, and an even smaller
amount goes to treatment efforts for them, the report concludes.

In 2000, about 18 percent, or $1.2 million, of the Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Division's $6.7 million in prevention funding was used for
juveniles. And 1 percent, or $237,703 of the division's $22.1 million
treatment budget, went to alcohol and substance abuse treatment for
juveniles.

Most of the money and programs are dedicated to dealing with adult
drug users. Moreover, there is little coordination among programs, the
report says.

Auditors said that despite work by the state's Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Division, there is no information statewide about which programs work
and which don't, what services are available or needed, and the number
of juveniles who need help.

Auditors made several recommendations, including an internal
restructuring of the alcohol division, which oversees the programs, to
ensure that youths receive the appropriate emphasis.

Auditors also suggested that the alcohol division work with the newly
created Division of Prevention and Intervention Services and possibly
transfer juvenile programming to the new unit.

And the audit report recommends that the alcohol division coordinate a
statewide effort to collect and compile comprehensive information from
all state agencies working on substance abuse programs for youth and
come up with a plan for streamlining and making the programs more effective.

The state auditor will conduct follow-up audits to determine if the
recommendations are being carried out.