Washington—Calling for drug addiction to be treated "like any other disease," a new government report outlines broad plans to redress deficiencies in the ability of the United States to cope with drug abuse.
Of the 13 million to 16 million Americans who need drug and alcohol treatment each year, only 3 million receive it, according to Changing the Conversation: The National Treatment Plan Initiative, released in late November by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Drafted by a panel of researchers, treatment providers, and recovering addicts, the plan offers a panoply of goals but little mention of funding. It asks for better insurance coverage, more treatment facilities, and development of standard treatment methods based on scientific research.
H. Westley Clark, MD, JD, MPH, director of the CSAT, said that the plan, which stretches far beyond . . . [Full Text of this Article]
