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Changing Lives |
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Compassion Spotlight
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The Need
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2006, 21.1 million of the 23.6 million people needing treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem did not receive specialty treatment.
Of the 21.1 million, only 939,000 reported that they felt they needed treatment for their drug or alcohol use problem, including 314,000 people who knew they needed treatment, but were unable to access care.
The Response
Recovering from substance abuse and addiction is a process that involves the deepest and most complex parts of a person. Depending on the unique needs of each individual, a range of interventions and supports can enable recovery. In addition to clinical and other forms of treatment, various supportive services—such as housing, transportation or childcare—can add critical help through the recovery process. Countless faith-based and other community organizations across the country are well-equipped to meet these needs. Alongside treatment and/or supportive services, these groups often offer a level of caring that can make the difference for a person seeking to break cycles of addiction.
To enlist America’s faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) in an effort to expand treatment opportunities and supportive service for individuals seeking to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, President Bush launched the Access to Recovery (ATR) Program in his 2003 State of the Union Address. The President’s Administration has also engaged FBCOs in a range of other programs to support addiction and substance abuse recovery.
Access to Recovery (ATR)
Access to Recovery competitively awards approximately $100 million each year in competitive grants to States, as well as some tribal authorities. These grantees use the funds to create and operate voucher systems that enable individuals to choose among a wide range of providers for both clinical treatment and supportive services, such as transportation, childcare, and mentoring.
This innovative approach to delivering addiction recovery services carries many benefits, including:
Increasing the array of FBCO providers for clinical treatment and recovery support available to clients in ATR-served regions.
Allowing clients to choose service providers that can best address their unique challenges, and enabling them to take greater ownership in their recovery process.
Expanding the capacity of grassroots addiction recovery organizations through the voucher funding, training, and technical assistance provided to ATR partners.
Testing and learning from research findings in the largest-scale choice-based approach to recovery services ever implemented.
ATR completed its first 3-year grant cycle in 2007. A total of 5,494 organizations in 14 States and one Tribal area have participated in the ATR program by providing clinical or recovery support services. This includes approximately 1,500 community-based nonprofits and 1,233 faith-based nonprofits. As of December 31, 2007:
ATR has served more than 200,000 clients, exceeding its goal of serving an additional 125,000 clients by nearly 65%.
Nearly 74% of clients who were using or abusing alcohol or drugs when entering the ATR program were abstinent at discharge. This exceeds the success rate of most programs nationally, indicating a high degree of effectiveness.
Data from States with ATR programs indicate participation by a significant number of new partners. For example, 40% of organizations redeeming vouchers in Connecticut, and 70% in Louisiana, were partnering with the State to deliver services for the first time.
Faith-based organizations (FBOs) were welcomed as vital partners in ATR, and clients made robust use of FBO providers. Nearly one-third (32%) of all vouchers redeemed for ATR services were at FBOs.
In addition to addiction-related outcomes, ATR programs helped clients produce a 31.4% decrease in unemployment and a 24.2% decrease in the number of individuals with no permanent place to live.
Upon discharge, roughly 75% of ATR clients felt they had a supportive network or community, which represents a 60% decrease in the number who felt they had none upon first entering the program.
Numerous studies have been conducted in ATR-funded States—including California, Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Connecticut. Research findings indicate that ATR’s distinctive approach achieves outcomes surpassing more traditional models.
Other Initiatives
Federal efforts to expand the availability and impact of substance abuse services through FBCO partners have also taken on other forms. These range from grants and contracts funding specific work to non-financial partnerships between Federal agencies and FBCO’s willing to support recovery efforts.
The Faith-Based and Community Initiative has also led regulatory changes that enable FBCO recovery service providers to more easily access Federal resources. For example, in 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture set clear policy to guarantee that residents of grassroots faith-based and other community addiction recovery programs could retain their food stamp benefits.
Teen Challenge, a faith-based organization that provides residential addiction recovery centers all over the country, is one of the organizations that benefited from this policy. Teen Challenge reports that within one year of the regulatory change, its local recovery centers were able to increase their Food Stamp funding 75% to $3.5 million—allowing the organization to expand its services to those most in need. Learn more about the services and work of Teen Challenge 
