ASAP: Why Cut Programs When Cuts Will Cost New Yorkers More Money?

• by Eric Mower & Associates

ALBANY, NY (12/16/2008)(readMedia)-- Cuts to addiction treatment and prevention services proposed today by Governor David Paterson will have the opposite of their desired effect: They will increase New York's deficit instead of reducing it, the New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) argued today.

"Cutting New York's investment in addiction services makes no more sense than quitting a job to save money," said Chris Wilkins, President of ASAP's Board. "There is clear evidence that saving pennies here costs dollars immediately in increased health care, criminal justice and social services costs - all because people stop getting the cost-effective treatment they need."

"In juvenile justice alone, community-based treatment can save more than $100 million compared to incarceration. New Yorkers want and deserve this kind of common-sense budgeting: steps that cut costs and improve services."

ASAP Executive Director John Coppola praised the Paterson administration's proposal to increase the beer tax but said the increase should be higher and revenue should be earmarked for addiction services. Coppola also noted that some proposed funding to strengthen community detox services is a good start but falls short of what is needed.

ASAP said it is pleased that some funding for criminal justice programs and Stop DWI would be shifted from other state agencies to the State Office of Addiction and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). Addiction advocates support this shifting of resources because commissioners of other state agencies have routinely cut addiction services because they are not considered "core services" in other state agency budgets.

"Addiction is a core issue in almost all social problems. It is a shame to see state agencies cutting their support of addiction services because it is not one of their core services" said Richard Pruss, Public Policy Chair for ASAP. He noted that addiction is a "core" cause of domestic violence, child abuse, crime and so many health and social problems and said: "Treatment and prevention services are core to solving many of these problems. They are core to solving our current fiscal crisis. Now is the time to increase support for addiction services, not to cut them".

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