CLOSE GAPS IN DRUG TREATMENT, PREVENTION SERVICES

It is good to see a concerted, community-wide effort to solve the murders
and mysterious deaths of the six African-American women and to try to
locate the other four who are missing. However, much about how this problem
is being reported in the electronic and print media is disappointing and
disheartening.

Although there are regular references to their drug addiction, there has
not been mention of chemical dependency being a disease that is very
treatable but one that, like other diseases, can have a relapse feature to
it. Drug addiction is not a self-inflicted illness. Chemical dependency is
an equal-opportunity illness found in all segments of our society.

There has been no reporting of the fact that chemically dependent persons
do things in their illness that they would not otherwise do, do things that
are a violation of their own value system, do things that go against what
they really believe. There is a need for the community to address this
problem with more comprehensive prevention, treatment and rehabilitation
measures. There has been no discussion about addressing the prevention and
treatment program gaps that exist in our community.

So far, Robin P. Berry's Forum letter of Nov. 15, "Understand problems
facing prostitutes; get them help" is the only statement that has been made
from an informed position.

Frank W. Hubbell

Mapleton