[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 21, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

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                           HON. TAMMY BALDWIN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 21, 2005

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 16th annual 
celebration of National Recovery Month, and to salute those who have 
shown us the promise and possibility of recovering from addiction. I am 
proud to be a member of the Congressional Caucus on Addiction, 
Treatment, and Recovery, and I join my colleagues in highlighting the 
need for increased access to treatment.
  Despite the fact that virtually everyone has a relative, coworker, 
friend, or neighbor who has had problems with alcohol, drugs, or other 
addictive behaviors, the difficulties in getting into and completing a 
treatment program are not often publicly discussed. Public stigma 
further compounds the problems of a system that is alarmingly 
overburdened. Health insurance policies often do not cover treatment of 
alcohol or drug dependency; and, when they do, coverage is not always 
adequate.
  In Wisconsin, more than 120,000 people are currently unable to gain 
access to treatment for alcohol or drug dependence. To family and 
friends trying to help a loved one, the many obstacles standing in 
their way can seem insurmountable. With appointment wait times often 
approaching three weeks or longer and costs of care becoming 
prohibitively expensive, only one in four people with alcohol or drug 
addiction is able to get treatment.
  In Congress, I'm working to address the problem in several ways. I 
have re-introduced the Health Security for All Americans Act. This 
legislation would provide health care for all Americans by encouraging 
the States to expand coverage through various methods of their own 
choosing and providing them with the funds to do so. Equally important, 
the legislation sets standards for the level of coverage and includes 
parity for mental health and substance abuse treatment benefits. This 
means that no limitations or financial requirements could be imposed on 
the treatment of mental illness or substance abuse that are not also 
imposed on other medical and surgical benefits.
  I'm pleased to report that exciting work is being done on this issue 
in my home State of Wisconsin. Last year, the University of Wisconsin--
Madison, along with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Federal 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, launched a 
national program to help treatment providers find innovative ways to 
meet their many challenges. The Network for the Improvement of 
Addiction Treatment, or NIATx, works with providers who are trying to 
treat more people with fewer resources. The 29 participating 
organizations are applying business and quality improvement principles 
to reduce wait times to get into treatment and the number of no-shows 
for treatment while increasing admissions to treatment and the number 
of those continuing in treatment.
  NIATx agencies experienced dramatic improvements in access to 
treatment and retention, proving that significant change may be a lot 
simpler, less time consuming, and less costly than is often presumed. 
They're also developing new ideas and tools to share with the rest of 
the treatment field.
  As we celebrate National Recovery Month throughout September, it's 
important to recognize and salute the dedicated and determined 
addiction treatment providers, as well as and the brave and committed 
individuals who are recovering. I look forward to continuing my work 
with my colleagues, especially.those who are members of the Addiction 
Treatment and Recovery Caucus, in ensuring that all Americans have 
access to timely and affordable addiction treatment.

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