As I thumbed through old articles that I have read and found meaningful, if not profound, I found one printed in the National Council Addictions News Now printed in January 2011. The article written by Pat Bridgman, MA, LICDC, Associate Director of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers could have been written by any treatment provider in any state. The words in the article that caught my eye were “the illusion of treatment.” Bridgman sited an observation by one of his colleagues, Ed Hughes who is expected to treat clients with addictions for as little as $450 per client after the assessment. I guess the assessment was supposed to be provided at no charge.

It is Mr. Hughes belief that this amount of reimbursement only gives the illusion of treatment but does not, in any meaningful way, begin to address the legitimate treatment needs of those suffering from alcoholism and/or other drug addiction. Compare this reimbursement rate with the cost of other physical health conditions. I use the word “other” because research has confirmed that addiction is a brain based condition and should be treated as such – a chronic medical condition.

The outcome for such short sighted policy is multi dimensioned. The illusion of treatment is NOT treatment leaving many drug dependent people to reenter the system multiple times. While relapse is a condition of addiction, less people would need multiple treatment episodes if they received REAL treatment and not the illusion of treatment the first time around. When the illusion of treatment fails as it is bound to do, legislatures, family members and the community-at-large become disillusioned. They believe treatment does not work. What they do not know is that those entering treatment are not getting ADEQUATE treatment but rather a quick, get ‘em in, get ‘em out version. This also frustrates treatment providers who know that there are successful treatment modalities based on evidence based practices. Instead, they are forced to “shrink” addiction treatment and function in a threadbare infrastructure.

It will be interesting to see how healthcare reform and parity for addiction treatment and physical health address the treatment needs of those addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. While we wait, treatment providers are leaving the field for more satisfying endeavors. It stops being fun when they know what drug dependent people need in the way of adequate treatment but can not deliver it.

Dr. Bridgeman, in his article, also asks that policy makers require physicians and other healthcare providers to educate on the relationship between addiction and prescription drug. But that is for another article.

Kathy Rager
President/CEO
CARE of Southeastern Michigan