Our state has ongoing problems concerning substance abuse: In addition to the pervasive problem of addiction, there are not enough treatment beds for people seeking help for their addiction to alcohol or drugs and we lack a dependable community of licensed alcohol and drug counselors, or LADCs (pronounced lay'dacs) who choose to remain employed in treatment centers. Financial compensation is typically inadequate for these counselors and many of them decide to practice independently.
Suzanne was appointed to a legislative study committee to address the latter problem: how to encourage LADCs to remain employed by treatment centers. She co-sponsored the legislation that lays out a career track for LADCs by revising and recodifying the regulations for LADCs to be licensed and to practice in the state.
This legislation is a first but important step in ensuring access to qualified treatment counselors. Among the issues to be addressed in the next session: The vast majority of people with substance abuse problems have co-occurring illnesses, mostly under the mental illness umbrella. Currently neither the addiction counselor community nor the mental health provider community is professionally equipped to treat both problems, forcing the patient to seek treatment in different places. The Executive Departments & Administration Committee in the legislature hears bills relating to professional licensing and will likely take this up in the 2009-10 session.