FACTS ABOUT ADDICTION AND TREATMENT

What have years of research discovered about alcoholism, substance
abuse and addiction? Here are some findings compiled by the Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts.

Outpatient substance abuse treatment services reduced clients' arrest
rate by 46 percent.

Of the 10,000 clients who participated in Driver Alcohol Education
due to a drunk driving charge, 90 percent had no subsequent
re-arrests for drunk-driving.

Residential rehabilitation services increased clients' rate of
employment by 36 percent, reduced the use of alcohol or illegal
substances by 42 percent, reduced additional arrests by 24 percent,
and reduced the utilization of emergency rooms by 12 percent.

Clients in treatment for opiate addition experience a 78 percent
decrease in arrests, 48 percent decrease in utilization of
detoxification services, and a 24 percent decrease in utilization of
emergency services.

Treatment of addiction is as successful as treatment of other chronic
diseases.

Drug treatment reduces drug use by 40 to 60 percent. Every $1 spent
on treatment yields a return of up to $7 in a reduction of
drug-related crime and criminal justice costs. When adding savings
related to health care, the savings exceed costs by a ratio of 12:1.

Drug-related deaths have almost doubled since 1990; one in four
deaths each year is attributable to addictions.

More than half of all adults have a family history of alcoholism or
problem drinking. More than nine million children live with a parent
dependent on alcohol and/or illicit drugs.

Children of alcoholics are four times more likely than children of
non-alcoholics to develop alcoholism.

The rate of health care costs for children of alcoholics is 32
percent greater than children from non-alcoholic families.

Substance abuse is one of the top two problems exhibited by families
in 81 percent of reported cases to state protective services.