Economic Costs of Addiction Confirm Importance of Faith-Based Initiatives
Posted January 30, 2009

We've all heard of "welfare to work" initiatives - programs designed to empower individuals on welfare to secure employment and break the destructive cycle of government dependence. But what happens when welfare recipients face the added challenge of a drug or alcohol addiction? A study released yesterday by Columbia University examines women welfare recipients in New Jersey who are also addicted to drugs or alcohol, and, not surprisingly, the report concludes that addiction treatment is a critical component of welfare reform.

According to the Star Ledger's article on the release,

Women on welfare who are addicted to drugs and alcohol may be better able to achieve both their sobriety and employment goals if they receive intensive treatment for their addictions while they are working, according to a Columbia University study released today.

In a two-year study involving 302 women in Essex and Atlantic Counties, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse [at Columbia University] found that addressing the women's addictions, treating their condition as a chronic disease, yielded better outcomes than the current approach, which focuses on employment.

This finding makes perfect sense, as drug and alcohol dependency unavoidably influence one's ability not simply to work but to work well.

Of added interest, however, are the economic benefits of treatment. According to Joseph Califano, Jr., Chairman and President of the Center and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, "Substance abuse and addiction constitute this nation's number one public health problem, contributing to more than 70 health conditions and to the five leading causes of death." He notes that implementing an intensive treatment program - such as that run by the Center - could "reduce the human and economic costs of addiction in our welfare system and . achieve the goals of welfare reform."

According to the Star Ledger, implementing treatment in New Jersey could also yield a significant positive economic impact. The Ledger reports:

Closer to home, an evaluation of the study's results showed statewide implementation of the program could save New Jersey as much as $35 million per year in welfare, health care and criminal justice costs, and through the women's contributions to the state's economy once they are employed, the report said.

As a result, the New Jersey Department of Human Services plans to expand the program to 17 counties.

We wholeheartedly support the goal of providing treatment to individuals with alcohol and drug addictions. At the same time, as the state seeks to expand this program while simultaneously facing a major budget shortfall, we encourage policymakers to renew efforts to partner with private, faith based programs that have demonstrated records of treatment success.

Three weeks ago, we highlighted the cost savings to the state of utilizing faith-based treatment and rehabilitation programs as opposed to incarceration for non-violent drug offenders. Similarly, instead of expanding government-run programs - which, noble in aim though they may be, invariably add layers of expensive bureaucracy - state officials should reaffirm their commitment to effective faith-based initiatives to address the root of this very serious problem that impacts not only the health of individuals and families but also the health of our economy.

New Jersey has an Office of Faith Based Initiatives which, sadly, has been sorely underused. It's time to revitalize this important office and reaffirm support for the many private faith-based enterprises that yield very public - and very tangible - social and economic results.

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