People with drug or alcohol addiction problems often face severe discrimination (both publicly and privately) that restricts their access to necessary health care, employment, benefits, and discourages them from seeking treatment (which is both detrimental to the addict as well as costing society millions of dollars). Because of this, Join Together, a project of Boston University’s School of Public Health, formed a national panel to address this situation. As a result the panel outlined two guiding principals and ten recommendations if an effort to end this discrimination.
The first principle included the notion that addiction to drugs or alcohol is a treatable, chronic disease that needs to be seen and addressed as a public health issue. This means that those suffering from addiction need to be allowed to receive necessary treatment and recovery support to the extent of other chronic illnesses. The second principle established is that people seeking treatment or recovery from the disease of addiction should not be at risk of legally imposed bands or other barriers based solely on their addiction. Such as someone being repeatedly punished for the same offense.
In light of these two principles, the following recommendations were made.
- Insurance coverage for addiction treatment needs to be available at the extent it is for other illnesses.
- Insurance companies should not be able to deny claims to injury that occurs while someone suffering from addiction is under the influence.
- Treatment for addiction needs to be personalized to each patient and based on the best scientific protocols and standards of care and including services that significantly enhance the likelihood of success. This may include a variety of treatment options including Neurotransmitter Restoration, behavioral therapies, and more. There are many different type of treatments for addiction, and no single treatment is right for every individual. The “one size fits all” treatment model is outdated and ineffective.
- Employees who voluntarily seek treatment for substance abuse should not be at risk for discriminatory actions or dismissal from employment. It was estimated in 2000 that 70 percent of people who needed treatment were employed.
- It’s estimated that 75 percent of people who admit to a prospective employer that he or she is in recovery, will not get the job. This admission should not be a consideration unless relevant to the job.
- People in recovery with prior drug convictions should not face obstacles in getting student loans, grants, scholarships, or access to government training programs.
- People in recovery with non-violent drug convictions should not be subject to bans on food stamps and cash assistance.
- Public Housing agencies should use the discretion afforded them by law to help people find treatment instead of barring them and their families from housing.
- People who are disabled as a result of their addiction disease should be eligible for Social Security Disability Income and Supplemental Security Income.
- Decision regarding custodial cases should be made in the best interest of the child based on what is happening at home, and not solely on the presumption that a positive drug test automatically means neglect or abuse.
This report sheds some interesting light on a difficult matter at hand and offers hope for change in the future.
