DRUG TREATMENT DENIED: ANOTHER FALSE ECONOMY

We despair on hearing such reports:

The state estimates that about 1,700 women with at least one child under 5
years old are involved with Child Protective Services in any given year. Of
them, more than 1,500 need specialized substance-abuse treatment.

But such treatment is available for only about 350 mothers a year.

There's no money for more treatment. Gov. Ben Cayetano has told departments
not to request more general funds unless the money would cover critical
health and safety emergencies or court-ordered services.

We'd dispute what's passing for a definition of "emergency."

The 1,150 mothers who don't get treatment are a pretty good bet to lose
their children to foster homes. The state, of course, must support these
children at a cost many times the cost of drug treatment.

Many of the untreated mothers, of course, are headed for welfare, commitment
or prison. And so, unfortunately, are many of their children.

The cost of treatment, in other words, is a drop in the bucket compared to
the costs that might be avoided farther down the road.

Of course, treatment is not a magic bullet. Some alcoholics and drug addicts
can receive treatment several times and still go off the deep end. Others
need a few tries to "get it."

But treatment is still a lot more effective, a lot more humane and a lot
cheaper in the long run than what the state is doing now.