Youth Substance Abuse Treatment

In the State of California very few resources exist for youth drug treatment, specifically residential or inpatient care.  Even the State's Drug Medi-Cal program neglects many of the drug treatment needs of young people. In 2004 the LAO found that although youth compose 23% of the caseload for Drug Medi-Cal, they only receive 6-8% of the total budget. In addition, youth suffering from substance abuse disorders are restricted access to Proposition 36 funds. Our culture often views substance abuse disorders as adult disorders, but this is simply not the case. In 2002, approximately 468,000 persons between the ages of 12 and 18 in California had a substance abuse problem that warranted treatment, and only 18,965 of those received treatment. In California there is clearly a hugh youth treatment gap that needs to be addressed.

The Drug Medi-Cal program for which the state of California receives federal matching funds, does not cover residential drug treatment services unless a youth is pregnant and parenting, nor does it cover outpatient one-on-one care among other necessary drug and alcohol treatment services. The limited benefits under the Drug Medi-Cal program for youth under 21 does not allow providers to offer the level of care required by the state's own youth treatment standards.

The increasing trend of both youth substance abuse disorders and juvenile drug arrests is compounded by the lack of drug treatment in the juvenile institutional settings.

New Freedom Commission for Mental Health

Businesses and governments and the community have gained a better understanding and appreciation of the economic and personal and societal benefits from treating people suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse. According to the Washington Post ("Mental Health Systems Needs a Lifeline," May 29, 2004), "research shows that untreated depression costs firms $31 billion a year in lost productivity." The cost to business from all untreated psychiatric and substance abuse disorders is even higher. Treating these disorders may also reduce government spending on health, social security and prisons which make the community safer and improve family life.

President George W. Bush established the New Freedom Commission for Mental Health "NFCMH" in April 2002 to identify policies that could be implemented by federal, state and local governments to maximize the utility of existing resources, improve resources, improve the coordination of treatments and services, and promote the successful community integration of adults with a serious mental illness and children with a serious mental disturbance.