Addicts in NH Face Budget Cuts for Addiction Treatment; Many Leaving State for Care?
State budgets have been in crisis for decades but since the recession, more and more states have had to cut important community services. Drug addiction treatment services have almost inevitably been put on the chopping block, alongside state parks, school supplies, teacher’s salaries, and more. It’s an issue that New Hampshire has been struggling with of late and the new cuts to state-funded drug addiction treatment has left many addicts in the state wondering where to turn.
New Hampshire Drug Treatment in Crisis
The Nashua Telegraph says that the state has included cuts in the new budget that “reduced state contributions to treatment providers by 9 percent and completely eliminated state funding of direct-service prevention programs.”
Waiting lists to get into programs are twice as long as they were before – and they were long before the cuts. Patients now have to wait as long as a month just to get in. According the Telegraph, before the budget cuts, New Hampshire was only able to help about 10 percent of the 90,000 residents who abuse substances in the state. That number has dropped to 8.4 percent since the budget cuts.
New Hampshire Residents are Headed Out of State for Rehab
More and more, patients are headed out of state for drug rehab. Private facilities that offer both detox and therapeutic addiction treatment have always been better equipped in terms of staff members, quality of care, and treatment resources – and that gap has just increased in New Hampshire since state-funded programs are now even less able to care for patients efficiently.
Where should patients turn when they need recovery? There are a number of out-of-state programs that offer high end care, complete with highly educated specialists in substance abuse treatment, luxury amenities, and a wide range of therapeutic options. There are a number of benefits to choosing out of state treatment. These include:
- Distance. Putting physical space between you and the location of your addictive behavior can help you to find mental and emotional distance from the behaviors as well.
- More comprehensive care. Even at its best, most state addiction treatment agencies are unable to provide a wide range of treatments. Private rehabs out of state don’t have the same limitations.
- Financial aid. Private, out of state drug rehabs are often easier to finance through loans.
If you are interested in learning more about our California drug rehab programs and availability, contact us at Michael’s House today for more information.
