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Drug Addiction: The Challenges and Solutions for Maryland

Date:
January 2011
Source:
Open Society Foundations

Maryland’s investment in treatment services for individuals with substance use disorders is a wise choice: it makes sense from both a health and financial perspective. Maryland and Baltimore’s leaders should continue current commitments to comprehensive drug and alcohol treatment programs, even as the state looks to implement healthcare reform, and balance budgets.

  • Effective treatment plans are cost-efficient: Every $1 invested in addiction treatment saves $7 in reduced crime and criminal justice costs, and when savings related to health care are factored in, that savings jumps to $12.
  • Studies show that addiction treatment significantly reduces emergency room, inpatient and total health care costs.
  • Studies show that employers save when employees receive drug and alcohol treatment, because of reduced absenteeism and tardiness, increased productivity and fewer on-the-job-conflicts. And employees earn more money when their addictions are treated, at a rate of seven times the cost of their treatment.

Download the PDF below to read more about what high-quality, effective addiction treatment should look like.

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