Corrections Exemplary Service Medals award recepients

Image by BC Gov Photos
BC Corrections officers do a lot to keep our communities safe, but some of them really go above and beyond to help rehabilitate inmates by helping them with substance addictions, counseling with mental health issues, or teaching them employable skills. These officers have made a big difference for the inmates they’ve worked with, and in turn, our communities. They are recognized with the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, or Bar.

Seated row (from left): Debbie Hawboldt, Provincial Director
Tedd Howard, Provincial Director Pete Coulson, Assistant
Deputy Minister Brent Merchant, The Honourable Judith
Guichon, Deputy Solicitor General Lori Wanamaker,
Provincial Director Bill Small, Provincial Director Elenore
Clark, Dave Vallance
Middle row: Melody Shepherd, Ken Fox, Eileen
Johnston, Patrick Monkman, Teri DuTemple, Randy Nelson,
Phil Chafe, Patrick Doherty, Dana Cosgrove, Don Tarling,
Shauna Morgan, Nancy Lewis, Rob Allison, Denean Jones,
Ryan Doern
Back row: Darren Allison, Dave Tuyttens, Gerald
Lapointe, John McKenzie, Greg Fensome, Al Chapple, Scott
Vallance, Mike Albert Page, Al Gillespie, Nedj Macesic,
Miles McGuire, Alfred Chu

Learn More: www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2012/12/minister-of-justice-congra…

The financial toll of living with a drug addict
There's not much worse for parents than the terror of witnessing a child slip away into a life of drug abuse. San Francisco writer David Sheff felt helpless as his son Nic became addicted to substances like methamphetamine and heroin over the course of …
Read more on NBCNews.com

Stimulant-addicted patients can quit smoking without hindering treatment
Smokers who are addicted to cocaine or methamphetamine can quit smoking while being treated for their stimulant addiction, without interfering with stimulant addiction treatment. This is according to new research funded by the National Institute on …
Read more on National Institutes of Health (press release)

Demi Lovato Talks Past Drug Use: "I Couldn't Go 30 Minutes to an Hour Without …
Demi Lovato recently admitted that her fans would be "shocked" to hear her drug and alcohol abuse stories, and now the 21-year-old singer is opening up about her some of her darkest days. "Something I've never talked about before, but with my drug use …
Read more on E! Online

Rampant Prescription Drug Abuse Demands New Controls (Op-Ed)
Rates of prescription drug abuse are quite alarming, and such abuse may now lead the country in causes of accidental death. In addition, patients suffering with pain may be more likely to use opioid agents, which can be highly addictive and can lead to …
Read more on LiveScience.com

Demi Lovato Reveals How She Would "Smuggle" Cocaine On Planes To Feed …
We knew she was overwhelmingly consumed with her horrible addictions… But had no idea Demi Lovato's trouble with illegal drugs and alcohol ran so deep! In a new candid interview, the 21-year-old singer is speaking out about her past substance abuse …
Read more on PerezHilton.com

by Eric Fischer

Detoxification and rehabilitation are the two treatment categories of substance abuse. Detoxification is short term medical treatment to manage withdrawal symptoms and rehabilitation is longer term counseling and classes to help the individual to remain sober. There are five basic questions to ask in determining substance abuse benefits through your health insurance.

-Do I have substance abuse health insurance benefits? Under current law companies providing group health insurance are only required to cover treatment for alcoholism not for drug abuse. However, most large group plans have substance abuse treatment benefits. A basic policy will cover outpatient treatment but will not cover residential rehabilitation care. Some plans offer “riders”, or supplemental options- for an additional premium amount- to augment a basic policy. Check with your health insurance company.

-What is my deductible and has it been met? Most health insurance plans have a yearly deductible that must be met before benefits are paid out. These can range anywhere from $ 100 to $ 5000. Under the new healthcare reform, there can no longer be separate deductibles for substance abuse and medical/surgical services.  Check your plans schedule of benefits to determine the amount of your deductible and contact your insurance company to see how much of your deductible has been met.

-What is the coverage amount per visit? Each health insurance plan will have different coinsurance or co-pay amounts for outpatient rehabilitation. You will either pay coinsurance- usually 80/20 – or you will have a co-pay per visit. Many plans limited the number of outpatient rehab visits to 20 per year but healthcare reform eliminated those benefit limits. The elimination of these benefit limits allows greater access to needed treatment.

-Is approval required from my primary care physician? Many health insurance companies require you to see your primary care physician to get a referral for substance abuse rehab unless it is court ordered. Authorization is usually required before rehab can begin. Many healthcare plans required members to complete a rehab program before payment would be made on the charges. If you did not complete the program then you did not receive the benefits and were personally responsible for the charges. Healthcare reform does not allow this anymore. Charges are paid by the health insurance companies during treatment.

-What is the reimbursement policy for out-of-network providers? A majority of health insurance companies require you to see in-network providers and do not provide any benefits if you go out-of-network. This is the same for any type of medical treatment, as well. Health insurance companies try to keep costs down by having its members utilize their network.

Healthcare reform has changed many aspects of substance abuse rehabilitation by bringing it into the realm of medical care. Insurers who cover substance abuse treatment must do so at the same level of benefit they provide for other medical conditions. This should increase the number of people seeking the help they need.

Question by Evan: I NEED TO KNOW THE MONEY SPENT ON ALCOHOL REHABS YEARLY. RECENT AND RELIABLE PLZ.?
RECENT AND RELIABLE PLZ.

Best answer:

Answer by raysny
The most recent I could find for the US has the figures for 1997:

“A study shows that the U.S. spent a combined $ 11.9 billion on alcohol and drug abuse treatment, while the total social costs were more than $ 294 billion. The results were part of the National Estimates of Expenditures for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1997, which was released at the end of April by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

The report, prepared by the MEDSTAT Group for SAMHSA, examines how much is spent in the U.S. to treat alcohol and drug abuse, how that spending has changed between 1987 and 1997, how much of the spending is done by the private and public sectors, and how substance abuse expenditures compare to spending for mental health and other health conditions in the U.S.”
http://www.usmedicine.com/newsDetails.cfm?dailyID=54

In NY:
“States report spending $ 2.5 billion a year on treatment. States did not distinguish whether the treatment was for alcohol, illicit drug abuse or nicotine addiction. Of the $ 2.5 billion total, $ 695 million is spent through the departments of health and $ 633 million through the state substance abuse agencies. We believe that virtually all of these funds are spent on alcohol and illegal drug treatment.”
Source: National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse on State Budgets (New York, NY: CASA, Jan. 2001), p. 24.

States Waste Billions Dealing with Consequences of Addiction, CASA Study Says
May 28, 2009

The vast majority of the estimated $ 467.7 billion in substance-abuse related spending by governments on substance-abuse problems went to deal with the consequences of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, not treatment and prevention, according to a new report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

The report, titled, “Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Budgets,” found that 95 percent of the $ 373.9 billion spent by the federal government and states went to paying for the societal and personal damage caused by alcohol and other drug use; the calculation included crime, health care costs, child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness and other consequences of tobacco, alcohol and illegal and prescription drug abuse and addiction.

Just 1.9 percent went to treatment and prevention, while 0.4 percent was spent on research, 1.4 percent went towards taxation and regulation, and 0.7 percent went to interdiction.

“Such upside-down-cake public policy is unconscionable,” said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA’s founder and chairman. “It’s past time for this fiscal and human waste to end.”

CASA estimated that the federal government spent $ 238.2 billion on substance-abuse related issues in 2005, while states spent $ 135.8 billion and local governments spent $ 93.8 billion. The report said that 58 percent of spending was for health care and 13.1 percent on justice systems.

Researchers estimated that 11.2 percent of all federal and state government spending went towards alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and addictions and its consequences. The report said that Connecticut spent the most proportionately on prevention, treatment and research — $ 10.39 of every $ 100 spent on addiction issues — while New Hampshire spent the least — 22 cents.
http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/states-waste-billions-dealing.html

Key Findings

Of the $ 3.3 trillion total federal and state government spending, $ 373.9 billion –11.2 percent, more than one of every ten dollars– was spent on tobacco, alcohol and illegal and prescription drug abuse and addiction and its consequences.

The federal government spent $ 238.2 billion (9.6 percent of its budget) on substance abuse and addiction. If substance abuse and addiction were its own budget category at the federal level, it would rank sixth, behind social security, national defense, income security, Medicare and other health programs including the federal share of Medicaid.

State governments spent $ 135.8 billion (15.7 percent of their budgets) to deal with substance abuse and addiction, up from 13.3 percent in 1998. If substance abuse and addiction were its own state budget category, it would rank second behind spending on elementary and secondary education.

Local governments spent $ 93.8 billion on substance abuse and addiction (9 percent of their budgets), outstripping local spending for transportation and public welfare.¹

For every $ 100 spent by state governments on substance abuse and addiction, the average spent on prevention, treatment and research was $ 2.38; Connecticut spent the most, $ 10.39; New Hampshire spent the least, $ 0.22.

For every dollar the federal and state governments spent on prevention and treatment, they spent $ 59.83 shoveling up the consequences, despite a growing

Add your own answer in the comments!

Inpatient drug treatment programs are extremely effective for treating all kinds of addictions. With great advances in neuroscience and psychology, addiction specialists have devised therapies that assist thousands of abusers in achieving complete sobriety every year. Even though most people view addiction problems as a matter of resolve, handling this condition as a medical disease has helped recovery rates to shoot up over the past few decades.

Despite the popularity and success of drug treatment programs, most people do not understand what really happens during rehabilitation. It is therefore important to gain a better understanding of the treatments used by drug treatment centers in case a person ever requires help. Here are few of the most effective treatments used in an inpatient drug rehab center.

Reality Therapies

Reality therapy assists in several ways. Firstly, it helps addicts connect to the real-world environments with their clinical treatments. Most facilities require the enrolled patients to clean, cook, shop, perform daily activities and make schedules while they are offer treatment. By executing everyday tasks in a clinical environment the addict can easily transition back to the outside world.

Counseling Sessions

One of the most successful treatments for addiction is personal counseling with qualified medical experts. Drug abusers work with the staff to discover the main reasons for the addiction. These causes could be emotional, physical or mental. By comprehending the reason why the problem began the addicts can articulate strategies for managing future drug cravings.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapies are intended to help patients feel more in control of their emotions and thoughts. People who choose this form of recovery process are taught that their feelings and emotions are essentially a consequence of their thoughts and that they have the ability to avoid negative feelings by sensibly thinking through their difficulties.

Control is extremely essential for recovering addicts, since problem with control often leads to addictions in the first place. Rather than yielding to the bad feelings brought on by demanding work environments, financial troubles, or aggravating people, addicts should think of ways to effectively address the problems and preserve positive attitudes.

Family Program

Families have to play a big role in a patient’s recovery. In a family program loved ones of the addict are requested to take part in particular groups to support and learn the recuperating drug abuser.

Biofeedback Therapy

Addicts that have had severe dependency in drugs often lose the link between their bodies and minds. By shunning their physical degradation during drug usage they lose all ability to associate drug cravings and negative emotions with physical stress. Biofeedback therapists in a drug treatment alcohol rehab bring up this issue by making use of state-of-the-art equipment to assist addicts in recognizing the drug cravings and physical signs.

If you or your loved one is struggling with addiction its best to find a good drug rehab center near you. Addiction is a severe neurological disease, but proper drug rehab programs can assist you to get your life back and socialize normally with others.

Find More Addiction Inpatient Treatment Articles

Drug addiction is one of the most severe social crimes that can ruin the society. It can be defined as a terrible situation when the people, especially the boys and girls of the young generation, get habituated of taking harmful and intoxicating alcoholic products and narcotic items like cocaine, heroin, and brown sugar. All these products are extremely harmful and they may even cause death if taken in excess quantity. The situation is nearly going out of control and there is an immediate need of doing something worthwhile to improve the situation for the betterment of the people as well as for the entire earth. The present scenario shows that the situation is improving as lots of efforts are put behind this with a serious note.

As complex as a disorder is, the drug abuse is described as an intensive drug usage.  The People who are dependable over drugs are overwhelmed by drug and alcohol usage contributing to negative consequences which is quite unreasonable to acknowledge. Ironically, people continue to indulge in drugs and alcohol despite harmful effects. As discussed by the scientists, the prospective disorder affects the metabolism and the functionality of the brain which is responsible for such an incessant overindulgence in drugs and alcohol which is referred to psychic disorder.

The repeated drug usage affects the brain which causes long-lasting changes on traditional brain functions. These changes interfere with the patient’s ability to think clearly, exercise good judgment, control behavior, and feel normal without drugs. These changes are also responsible in large part for the drug cravings and compulsion to use that make addiction so unprecedented.

The establishments of drug rehabilitation are positive meant for improving the situation as these organizations are working relentlessly in the service of the drug addicts. The objective of these drug rehab centers, especially like the Christian drug rehab centers and the Christian drug and alcohol rehab center is to make the people get free from the claws of the drugs and narcotics. The Christian alcohol treatment rehabilitation facility is highly efficient as it is specially derived to make the drug addicts get freedom from the bondage of drug and alcoholic drinks. The Christian drug treatment comes along with a religious sentiment that really works as appositive factor to help the people to think about their weaknesses towards drugs and they start thinking seriously about leaving alcoholism and drugs.

This objective is seriously supported by the ideas of providing rehabilitation to the drug addicts as they need some help after leaving drugs. This situation, when they are free from the drug abuses, they feel a certain type of weakness and at that particular time, the drug addicts look for some support from around themselves. The Christian drug treatment programs help these people to stand on their feet and face the world according to their understandings. The Christian drug recovery programs are very successful in handling these rehabilitation issues as they maintain a high success rate in this job. The Christian alcohol rehab centers design personalized treatment procedures for the drug addicts and the way of treatment continues to a stipulated period.

This period is also determined by the attending doctors. The determination of the medication, treatment and period is done and administered strictly by the authorities. Generally, the drug addicts are given admission to the treatment centers or are released from the Out Patients Departments (OPDs). This is also determined by the attending doctors in the OPDs. Certainly, the objective is to provide more attention to those patients who need more care and attention in the treatment centers.

Article Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Objectives-of-Drug-Rehab-Centers/5262997/