In answer to Governor Rod Blagojevich’s move to slash half of the budget of the Illinois Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, over a thousand protesters camped at the James R. Thompson Center to urge state senators to overrule the governor’s move.

Among other reasons, the protesters pointed out that such budget cut would greatly hurt state funded treatment shelters’ capacity to provide healthcare and recovery treatment to thousands of drug and alcohol dependents across the state.

Gov. Blagojevich’s veto of the said funds is part of his administration’s efforts to recover a $2billion deficit in the state approved budget. The governor has vetoed around $1.4 billion across different state agencies but the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse was the hurt the most as more $55 million in federal matching funds for addiction treatment would also be lost should the governor’s veto persist. Overall, more than 40 % of the budget of the state for addiction recovery stands to be lost should all the cuts be put in place.

Inevitably, this would affect state-assisted treatment providers and shelters to a great extent. According to Anthony Cole, the vice president of Haymarket Center, the largest rehabilitation facility in West Loop, more than 42,000 people will fail to receive proper treatment services if the said funding will not be restored.

For the funding to be restored, the Senate needs to reconvene and vote on whether to override the veto or not. The House has already convened on the issue and has overridden the government moves.

This veto has received much criticism from treatment providers across the country not only because of its effect to the health care system but on its apparent social injustice. According Jewel Oates of the Near West Side’s Women’s Treatment Center, “They are doing this on the back of poor people in need of support.”

Moreover, in answer to Gov. Blagojevich’s claim that the state stands to benefit from the move in the long run, the protesters point out that the cuts would only lead to higher crime rates, increased level of homelessness, and rising unemployment since recovery centers are also forced to lay-off hundreds of employees. According to Michael Darcy of the Gateway Foundation, “The state doesn’t save a nickel. As a matter of fact, it is going to cost the state more,” referring to the consequences of the budgets cuts to recovery programs.

According to the Canadian Medical Association sponsored online survey, only one out of five Canadians is willing to socialize with people having problems with substance dependency and abuse.

This study, which was published in the Canwest News Service, also found that less than one-half of the 2,024 survey respondents view both alcoholism and drug dependency as a mental illness. Moreover, a similar percentage of the population reported that they have no real belief in the possibility of mental illness and regard the condition simply as an excuse for other’s inappropriate behavior.

These opinions revealed by the survey clearly suggest a strong negative stigma against substance abuse or dependency and a disbelief towards the probability of mental illness. According toe Dr. David S. Goldloom of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health based in Toronto, these views in fact reflect “an almost religious judgment of people involved with alcohol or drugs as sinners.”

Aside from snide opinions regarding socialization with substance abusers and skepticism towards mental illnesses, the population surveyed also showed attitudes of indifference towards people clinically diagnosed with mental illness.

According to Canadian Medical Association’s vice president Brian Day, M.D, the survey “shines a harsh, and frankly unflattering light on the attitudes we Canadians have concerning mental health.” Ironically, however, 15% of adults in the population reported clinical depression while 23% admitted to have had feelings of worthlessness or helplessness. Prescription for anti-depressants has also dramatically increased in the country.

This indifference towards substance abuse and the disregard of mental illness, however, poses a threat on efforts towards giving proper treatment to people who need it. While the increased number of antidepressant prescription maybe an indication that more and more people are seeking help, it could not be easily regarded as a positive indication.

According to Alan Scoboria, a clinical psychologist at the University of Windsor, many people who seek clinical help are medicated only for sadness and distress in life and a lot of “people with diagnosable problems aren’t accessing treatment.”

Acceptance of a dependent’s condition and willingness to help him or her come out of it are two very important factors towards helping him or her recover. This is especially true with people close to the person, such as his friends and families. Pacific Hills Treatment Centers recognizes and adheres to this by helping patients and families cope through our family support program.