A new, federallyfunded state program to expand treatment options, particularly faith-basedtreatment, for women and children with addictive disorders should be up andrunning by March 1, according to a health official.
Michael Duffy,assistant secretary of the state Office for Addictive Disorders, said Wednesdaythat interested providers can register online to offer critical treatment orrecovery services.
He said morethan 300 providers already have expressed interest in offering services throughthe Access to Recovery Program.
Louisiana isreceiving $22.8 million over three years from the federal grant.
With the money,Louisiana will set up an electronic voucher system to let pregnant women, womenwith dependent children and adolescents choose where they receive theirtreatment from providers licensed with the state health department, includingsecular and religious organizations.
The program willbegin in New Orleans, Alexandria, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, but Duffy said heexpects to expand the services to the entire state by July 1.
Eligibility willbe based on income level and will include a sliding fee scale.
The healthdepartment has set aside $1.3 million of this year’s $7.6 million from thegrant for a contract with Unisys Corp. to develop the voucher system, and Duffysaid the creation of that system is nearly complete.
Nearly 33,000people received addiction treatment from the state last year, but Duffy saidthat’s only about 8 percent of the adults who need treatment and only 4.5percent of the adolescents.
The waitinglists to receive 24-hour care for addiction in Louisiana are long, with about900 to 1,000 people on the list each day.
The voucherswill cover a range of treatment needs, from inpatient detoxification care tosupport services like child care and housing.
Duffy said heexpects the grant money will provide services to about 8,700 people over thenext three years.
