HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06121990 - 1.61 i
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, !CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on June 12, 1990, by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson, Fanden
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT:, Grand Jury Report on Treatment Programs-
The Board received a report dated May 29, ','1990 from the
1989-1990 Grand Jury with respect to Treatment Programs for Drug
and Alcohol Abusers.
IT IS . BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the aforementioned
report is ACKNOWLEDGED and REFERRED to the County Administrator
and the Internal Operations Committee.
hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
CC' County Administrator Board of Supervisor on the date shown.
Grand Jur ATTESTED: ���
Jury PHIL BA 6HELOR,Clerk of the Board
Health Services of Su rvisors and County Administrator
Internal Operations Committee
(((.___: _r- Deputy
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A REPORT BY
THE 1989-90 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND 'JURY
1020 Ward Street
Martinez, CA 94553
(415)646-2345RE
CEIV D
MpY 3 0 1990
1
CLERK PHIL SATCHrtog
AR Of SUPFRYIS4E,
CW
N of
REPORT ON TREATMENT PROGRAMS .
FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSERS
i
APPROVED BY THE GRAND JURY:
DATE:
DONALD G. HA OCR
GRAND J Y FOREMAN
ACCEPTED GR FI
I'
DATE
NO SPELLBERG
PRESIDING JUDGE 0 THE SUPERIOR COURT
SECTION 933 (c) OF THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE
- Sec. 933 Findings and recommendations; ,com-
ment of governing bodies, elective officers,
Worn., agency heads
s ' k (c) No later than 90 days after the grand jury submits
a final report on the operations of any public agency
'j yh°=subject to its reviewing authority, the governing body of
'µ .•
the 'ublic agency shall comment to the presiding judge of
the superior court on the findings and recommendations
pertaining to matters under the control of the governing
body, and every elective county officer or agency head for
which the grand jury has responsibility pursuant' to
Section 914.1 shall comment within 60 days to. the
presiding judge of the superior court, with an information
copy sent to the board of supervisors, on the findings and
recommendations pertaining to matters under the control
of that county officer or agency head and any agency or
agencies which that officer or agency head supervises or
controls. In any city and county, the mayor shall also
comment on the findings and recommendations. All
such comments and reports shall forthwith be submitted
to the presiding judge of the superior court who impan-
eled the grand jury. A copy of all responses to grand
jury reports shall be placed on file with the clerk of the
public agency and the office of the county clerk, or the
mayor when applicable, and sha11 remain on file in those
offices. One copy shall be placed on file with the
applicable grand jury final report by, and in the control
of the currently impaneled grand jury, where it shall be
maintained for a minimum of five years. (Added by
Stat..1961, c 1284, § L Amended by Stats 1963, d 674,
§ 1, .Stars.1974, c 393, § 6,• Stats 1974, c 1396, § 3;
Stats 1977, c 107, § 6; Stars 1977, c 187, § 1; Stats
1980; c. 543, § 1; Stats 1981, c.. 203, § 1; Stara 1982, c-
.1408,
.1408, § 5, Stats:1985, c. 221,. § 1; Stats 1987, c 690,
§ 1; Stats 1988:. c 1297, § 5.)
Former § 933, added. by Stats.1982, c. 1408. § 6; amended by
stats.1985,C.2-11,§ 2,operative Jan. 1, 1989,was repealed by Stats.1987,
c. 690, § 2.
Former §. 933. added by Stau.1959, c. 501, § 2, was repealed by
Stats.1959, C. lai .§ 3.
REPORT ON TREATMENT PROGRAMS
FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL •ABUSERS
SUMMARY.
Contra Costa County, has a.. growing and serious problem with
the illegal use and abuse 'of 'alcohol and other drugs.
One aspect of coping with - the problem is the treatment: and
rehabilitation of abusers.
Treatment programs are offered in the County by, a variety of
private organizations and` the County itself, but there is a
growing waiting list for service.
Expansion, coordination and oversight of the whole range of
services are needed .if the need is to be met fully.
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INTRODUCTION
The Contra Costa County Community Drug and Alcohol Action
Plan, developed over the past two years by County officials.
and a wide variety of community groups, and submitted for
endorsement by voters at the June 5, 1990 election, begins
as follows:
"Contra Costa County has a serious and
growing problem with the illegal use and abuse of
alcohol and other drugs. The problem involves all
age groups, all ethnic and social groups, all
economic levels of the community and all geo-
graphic areas of the County. "
Later in the .plan, the following declaration ismade:
"If the community is serious about ° dealing
with the drug problem, there must be available
adequate, local, affordable treatment facilities
to help people, including young people, plagued by
drug abuse. "
This report focuses on the treatment facility 'situation. in
Contra Costa County.
FINDINGS
_1. Alcohol abuse and illegal drug abuse are both
significant parts of the overall "drug problem"
confronting the County and the nation.
2. The majority of , abusers are users of both alcohol and
illegal drugs
3 . Treatment for both alcoholism and drug addiction are
basically the same after the detoxification period.
4. There is no one accepted treatment formula, but most
programs involve detoxification, physical rebuilding,
psychological strengthening and aftercare. '.
5. The psychological strengthening phase usually includes
some philosophical component, such as the Twelve Step
approach developed by -Alcoholics Anonymous ,
6. Aftercare involves altering the environment of the
patient and continuing involvement in support groups.
Full involvement of the patient's family is vital.
7. Addicted adolescents, pregnant women and' new mothers
require programs geared to their interests', and
problems.
8. Treatment will not be successful unless the individual
wants to undergo it. Motivating an addict to undertake
treatment requires a special skill; several attempts at
treatment may often be undertaken by a patient before
successful completion of the program.
9 . Successful completion of a treatment program does . not
mean a complete return to pre-addiction normality.
Constant awareness of the possibility of a relapse is
critical.
10. Treatment programs in the County are offered by private
for-profit organizations, private non-profit organiza-
tions and by the County.
11. The Contra Costa County Health Services Department
1989-90 Resource Guide for drug and alcohol services
lists more than 50 public and private organizations.
providing services for abusers. Most specialize in the
abuse area, but some are general counseling services
equipped to treat abusers.
12. Some County programs are operated by the County and
some are operated by .other organizations under contract
with the County.
13. Most private for-profit programs are hospital-based,
requiring approximately four-week residency and costing
around $10,000. Many, are followed by an extended .
period of weekly outpatient meetings_. r
14. Most private non-profit programs are outpatient, with
patients involved from one to five days a week. A
sliding fee scale is typical for these_ programs.
15. County programs consist of both residential "social
model" and outpatient programs. Social model programs
are group living and counseling programs.
16. A County residential program ' is .based on "a nine-month
residency and costs the County about $45 per patient
per day. In some cases, part of the cost is covered by
direct payment to the County of welfare payments a
patient is entitled to receive. .
17. County out-patient programs include both . methadone
treatment centers for heroin addicts and counseling-
support programs for other alcohol and drug abusers.
18. The County does not operate or contract 'for-..,_ an
adolescent residential treatment facility in the
County.: It does place a limited number of youth in
private facilities outside the County, such as the
Thunder Road facility in Oakland.
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19. All County drug programs are monitored and evaluated
through a process involving the State Department of
Alcohol and Drug Programs, the County Drug Program
Administration and the local Drug Abuse Advisory Board.
20. In fiscal year 1989, the County expended $7. 6 million
on drug and alcchol treatment activities. Of this
amount, $1.5 milion came from County funds, with
federal and state allocations and user fees making up
the remainder.-
21. There is no cent_-al registry of clients, of all the
service providers, so there is no actual total of
individuals receiving treatment at any one time or
during the course of a year.
22. County-funded facilities treated nearly 8,700 people in
1989, which represents just over one percent of the
County' s population. The total includes 3 ,000 detox
patients, 707 res=dential recovery patients and about
5,000 outpatients.
23 . County officials report that the population being
treated is getting younger and that waiting lists are
getting longer, now extending to six months. in some
instances.
24. The County pay scale for drug treatment facility
counselors and. directors is quite low, resulting in
frequent turnovers and vacancies.
25. Finding a site for new drug treatment facilities is
most difficult because of people' s strong opposition to
drug centers in their neighborhoods.
CONCLUSIONS
1. Continuing evaluation of drug and alcohol treatment
programs is essential if effectiveness is to be
maintained.
2. Placement of a patient in a program promptly on request
for treatment is advisable to prevent dissipation of
motivation.
3 . Early placement of a patient into the appropriate type
and style of treatment program is a critical element in
successful treatment.
4. Contra Costa County does not have sufficient treatment
slots to provide prompt placement of all applicants.
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5. The physical condition and staffing levels of County
residential treatment facilities fall far below desired
standards and detract from the effectiveness of the
programs.
6 . Private for-profit treatment programs are priced beyond
the reach of most people unless some insurance coverage
is present. This leads to heavy reliance on County
programs.
7. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation require services beyond
those related directly to addiction. The provision of
emplo=;anent and educational counseling, temporary
financial support, housing assistance and health
services is essential.
8. There is a critical need in the County for a youth
residential facility, expanded facilities for pregnant
women and additional treatment facilities for cocaine
abusers.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The 1989-90 Contra Costa Grand Jury recommends that the
Director o= the Health Services Department:
1. Take the lead in establishing a. coordinated reception
process .that will accurately assess a potential
patient' s needs and see that the patient is entered in
the appropriate program, whether it is operated by the
County, contracted for by the County or operated by a
private non-profit organization.
2. Provide measures to maintain the motivation of people
who request treatment but for whom no program openings
are immediately available.
3 . Improve the physical conditions and staff compensation
in County-operated facilities.
4. Establ-ish as the first priority for the use of any
addit_onal funding the operation within the County of
an. adolescent residential treatment facility, such as .
the Thunder Road facility in Alameda County.
5. Establish as the second priority the opening of
additional, conveniently located treatment facilities
for pregnant abusers.
6. Develop and formulate an evaluation and monitoring plan
for private treatmentfacilities comparable to the one
in use for County facilities. This plan should also
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provide for the maintenance of accurate statistics on
the number and type of patients undergoing treatment _n
the County.
COMMENTS
1 . Count-v .personnel who staff the drug and alcohol abuse
programs whom we encountered are skilled, experienced
and deeply committed.
2. The Contra Costa County Community Drug and Alcohol
Action Plan is a -great accomplishment and deserves the
support and participation of every citizen. . Those Jn
the community who are not directly affected by the
abuse of alcohol and other drugs can and must serve as
posit_ve role models.
3 . As the Action Plan points out, treatment is just one of
several actions required to control the drug problem.
The rehabilitation of ' one group of abusers while a new
group is created results in no net gain for the
community. Prevention of abuse through education,
intervention and law enforcement goes hand-in-hand with
. treatment in a comprehensive campaign.
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