By Ashley Hoholik
ESCANABA - In 2009, the Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft (LMAS) County District Health Department closed the doors to its Community Health Division, which offered substance abuse programs. Public Health, Delta and Menominee (PDHM) Counties shut down a similar treatment program last month. As nonprofit organizations struggle to accommodate the ousted patients, those in need of local substance abuse services are left with uncertainty.
According to an April 2009 report compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the cost benefits of community substance abuse programs far outweigh any cost savings generated by their elimination. In fact, the study said that for every $100,000 spent on substance abuse treatment, $487,000 of health care and $700,000 of criminal costs are avoided.
Despite these statistics, state cuts to funding, in conjunction with reduced insurance reimbursement rates and rising costs, the number of closed programs continues to increase. Similarly, officials from both LMAS and PDHM felt sustaining treatment programs would no longer be feasible with declining revenue.
Both programs offered addiction services, including substance abuse assessments, driver's license evaluations, individual and group counseling/educational sessions and efforts to increase public awareness on the issues surrounding substance abuse.
While some services, such as initial education classes, are still being provided by PDHM, anyone looking for substance abuse counseling is now forced to go elsewhere. Currently, the only other organization offering this type of counseling and education in the area are various Catholic charities.
Previous LMAS clients were referred to similar charities, as well as various Great Lakes Recovery Centers (GLRC) outpatient services.
GLRC is a nonprofit service based in Marquette and has 14 programs throughout the U.P. and Wisconsin, including Manistique and Newberry. The organization specializes in substance abuse and behavioral health treatment for youth, pregnant women and other adults, offering treatment services by certified counselors and licensed professionals
As with the state-run programs, organizations like the GLRC are also experiencing dwindling financial stability. Supported by federal and state block grants, Michigan Department of Corrections contracts, and private pay dollars, GLRC is no stranger to state budget cuts.
"We have always had a diverse funding stream from both the federal and state level," explained GLRC Executive Director Greg Toutant.
"Over the past 12 years, though, there has been a decline in how much block grant is available at the state level. These grants, historically, have funded the majority of treatment we provide."
Recently, the GLRC outpatient office in Manistique became nearly $6,000 behind in rental payments to Schoolcraft County. While the debt has since been paid, the organization continues to pursue a reduction in rent from the county.
"When the state gets behind in their payments to us, we are extended out over that time period," he said. "We know it would be better to have lower overhead expenses. The folks that we provide services to are folks that can't afford services on their own. If we have higher overhead costs, it makes it difficult to keep services alive and available."
While GLRC is not flourishing financially, Toutant notes the organization will continue to explore options to assist communities in need, like Delta County.
"It is getting really tight out there for programs to operate independently," he said. "With the health department (PHDM) closing their program, the two communities are losing an excellent provider. It is difficult for one provider to see another provider closing its doors."
"Next year, we are looking at even more significant cuts to program funding from the state," he added. "It is going to be difficult for anyone to continue programming."
The irony that programs become even more vital as the general economic condition of the state disintegrates does not escape Toutant, who expressed concern over the cycle.
"As the state budget gets hammered year after year, the less there is in terms of resources, not just for substance abuse service, but also on mental health side. This is disturbing to see," he said. "The situation is a bit of a conundrum. When times are bad, the rates of substance abuse rise - that is when people need help the most. It is also during these times that the dollars for programs helping people become scarce."
