Drug and Alcohol Treatment Caucus formed
HARRISBURG – In the Pennsylvania House of Representatives there are, among other organizations, a black caucus, a bicycling caucus, a coal caucus, an Irish caucus, and a group for like-minded conservatives called the Commonwealth Caucus. And as of Tuesday morning, there is a new special-interest group called the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have banded together to get more money directed to their cause.
The new group’s architect is state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), who in his five terms in Harrisburg has become the loudest cheerleader for addiction programs.
“There are two things we’ve learned. One is that addiction is a disease that if left untreated is always fatal,” he said. “Two is that treatment works; it is highly successful.”
DiGirolamo stressed that besides humanitarian reasons, there are sound fiscal reasons for advocating for more drug and alcohol treatment programs. For every dollar spent treating an addict, he said, taxpayers do not have to spend between $7 and $10 on hospitalizing or imprisoning that addict.
State Rep. George Kenney (R-Montgomery) added that one in 10 Pennsylvanians is addicted to either drugs or alcohol. One in four of the state’s families has a member who is an addict, he said.
“Addictions devastate families and imperil society,” said Kenney. “We must put a premium on treatment.”
Another caucus member, state Rep. Linda Bebko-Jones (D-Erie), said she hopes the group gives a bigger voice in the Legislature to treatment programs. One of the chief jobs of the caucus will be to educate the Rendell administration and House colleagues about the wisdom of spending money on drug and alcohol treatment.
“This issue is no different then dealing with someone with cancer or diabetes,” she said. “They are diseases.”
Bebko-Jones said she knows the devastation caused by drug and alcohol abuse better than most. She got treatment 27 years ago and has been a recovering alcoholic ever since, she said.
Rick Martinez can be reached at 717-705-6330 or rmartinez@calkins-media.com.