Health Affairs looks at the future of substance abuse treatment spending. The future looks pretty grim:Growth in SA spending is forecasted to average 5.0 percent between 2003 and 2014, slightly faster than the rate of 4.8 percent in the 1986-2003 historical period. Over the next decade, SA spending growth is expected to continue to increase … Continue reading The future of treatment spending

Saving lives is important.How many more lives would be saved adding recovery-oriented treatment on demand? How many more lives would be restored? Is Insite lobbying for the addition of these services?It doesn't have to be either/or. It can be both/and.

Provide poor/inadequate abstinence-oriented treatment ==>Poor prognosis: client fails ==>Conclusion: these people can't recover ==>Organize treatment system and research around belief that addicts won't recover ==>Public and helpers despair at the impotence of the system ==>They look to research for answers, but research is organized around the assumption that addicts can't recover ==>They reject the treatment … Continue reading Rhythms of despair

Email goggles.

The Washington Post runs a heartbreaking account of a parent trying to get help for Nicole, her heroin addicted daughter. Well worth the time to read.Parity will mean that families with insurance will be able to access treatment but the insurer will implement restrictive protocols for accessing more expensive forms of treatment, like inpatient and … Continue reading Some unknown circle of hell

Margret Kopala argues that the war on drugs is working. She points to a recent U.N. report, alcohol prohibition in the U.S., and Sweden's drug policy.No doubt prohibition reduces drug use. The important question is, at what cost? We decided that the costs of alcohol prohibition were greater than our commitment to it could sustain.The … Continue reading Win the drug war?

Addiction Inbox isn't buying SAMHSA's positive spin either.

Parity finally passed both branches of congress and was signed into law by the President.This is a good and important step. Health Affairs explains what this means, what will happen next and what still needs to happen:A thoughtful essay by Audrey Burnam and José Escarce in an earlier volume of Health Affairs contends that the … Continue reading Parity passes

SAMHSA did a survey of attitudes toward addiction and recovery. The press release paints a very optimistic picture, but the full report tells me that we have a long way to go.30% of respondents said they'd think less of a friend with a drug problem and 18% said they'd think less of a friend in … Continue reading Recovery and stigma