The President's National Drug Control Strategy
February 2005
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)—Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT): +$5.8 million. This initiative supports one of the Strategy’s goals to intervene early with nondependent users and stop drug use before it leads to dependence. This initiative will improve treatment delivery to achieve a sustained recovery for those who are dependent on drugs. SBIRT is designed to expand the continuum of care available to include screening, brief interventions, brief treatments, and referrals to appropriate care. By placing the program in both community and medical settings such as emergency rooms, trauma centers, health clinics, and community health centers, the program can reach a broad segment of the community.
This new approach, known as Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT)— and more informally as screen and intervene—is being fielded in medical facilities from major city hospital emergency rooms to a system of rural health clinics.
This looks like a plan to drug test the entire population.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)—Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, and Treatment (SBIRT): +$5.8 million. This initiative supports one of the Strategy’s goals to intervene early with nondependent users and stop drug use before it leads to dependence. This initiative will improve treatment delivery to achieve a sustained recovery for those who are dependent on drugs. SBIRT is designed to expand the continuum of care available to include screening, brief interventions, brief treatments, and referrals to appropriate care. By placing the program in both community and medical settings such as emergency rooms, trauma centers, health clinics, and community health centers, the program can reach a broad segment of the community.
This new approach, known as Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT)— and more informally as screen and intervene—is being fielded in medical facilities from major city hospital emergency rooms to a system of rural health clinics.
This looks like a plan to drug test the entire population.
posted by Loretta Nall at
4:44 PM
3 Comments:
Ah yes, 2005 The National Drug Control Strategy: Our Federal drug policy seems to be moving away from the old "zero tolerance"-lock em up if they didn't "just say no" days, and that is an improvement, but there still was no suggestion in the report to repeal any drug laws.
There is more money for "student drug testing", and I do think it finally pulls the Federal money plug on the DARE program.
The report also proudly showcases the "hopeful" situation of poor Ms Kimberly Washington, whose life was ruined by drug related felony convictions. College educated and formerly employed, her felony convictions and prison time rendered her unable to find employment. The authors of the report do not seem to see the irony in the fact that Ms. Washington's most dire problems are in fact "legal problems". No horrible health problems associated with Ms. Washington's 19 year cocaine habit were mentioned.
As the first person to get an "Access to Recovery Voucher", hopefully Ms. Washington can now get "treatment" for her "disease" instead of having to "take her medicine" in prison.
If you read the whole report, It does finally mention that "addiction" is a disease (but it only says this once) and it ridiculously implies that this "disease" is contagious!! A-Choo!!
Aside from less emphasis on prison for users, there is not too much improvement in other aspects of the National Drug Control Strategy.
Report after report, year after year, it's still the old elitist London "Gin Prohibition War" in a 21st century cloak.
Zen
http://profiles.yahoo.com/zen4usa
zen4usa@yahoo.com
By
Anonymous, at 1:54 AM
I must have been updating this post at the same moment you were commenting on it, so I should point out to other viewers that my highlighting of the "screen and intervene" program was not available as you were composing.
Thanks for your valuable input.
By
Loretta Nall, at 5:38 AM
Yes Loretta, when I first saw the post about the National Drug Control Strategy all you had up at the time was a link to the report.
I agree with your take on the intent of the Federal "Screen and Intervene" program.
Doctors and other caregivers already "screen and intervene" if they feel that a person's "lifestyle choices" are causing them health or social problems (its their job!!).
We certainly do not need the Feds to spend our tax dollars to push this for people who are not having health or social problems as a result of their "lifestyle choices".
Zen
http://profiles.yahoo.com/zen4usa
zen4usa@yahoo.com
By
Anonymous, at 2:45 PM
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