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California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for a severefunding cut to Proposition 36, the state's landmark, voter-approved,treatment-instead-of-jail program. The recommendation, part of thegovernor's budget proposal released last week, would cut $23 millionfrom the money- and life-saving program.
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Data consistenly show that Prop. 36 is a success--over 12,000 peoplehave successfully completed substance treatment during each year of theprogram's existence, putting the program on track to graduate 72,000Californians in its first six years. In just its first five years,Prop. 36 saved taxpayers $1.3 billion, according to figures from theJustice Policy Institute.
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Despite its proven track record, the governor is starving the program.A recent survey by the Coalition of Alcohol and Drug Associations foundthat Prop. 36 needs at least $209.3 million to "adequately address thetreatment needs." Yet the governor has proposed allocating just $120million to Prop. 36 in 2007-08.
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If the governor's budget is approved, it would be the second fundingcut in as many years. Counties spent $143 million on Prop. 36 lastyear. Delays in funding distribution at the state level this year meanthat counties will have just $132 million available to them.
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Margaret Dooley, DPA's Prop. 36 outreach coordinator, said, "We are,frankly, shocked by the deep cuts the governor wants to make to thispopular and successful program. Prop 36 has saved taxpayers huge sums,and kept more people out of prison than anything the governor has everproposed. But the governor appears to be wasting no time starving thisprogram to death."
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This year's proposal also contains new constraints on the funding,which are likely to further limit some counties' ability to fund theprogram. $60 million would be channeled through a one-year-old fundcalled the Substance Abuse Offender Treatment Program (OTP), whichrequires counties to match funds in order to receive state money. Incounties that are unable or unwilling to put up matching funds, localProp. 36 spending would drop to less than half of current levels. Thecounty match stipulation is particularly unfair, counties have pointedout, since Prop. 36 is a state-mandated program and, according to arecent UCLA analysis, states collect some 93% of associated costsavings.
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DPA will work with the state legislature this year to bring the fundingtotals for Prop 36 much closer in line with the actual need.
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"A huge majority of Californians support Prop. 36 because it makessense and because it works," Dooley said. "We will work hard in thenext six monts, together with program graduates and other treatmentadvocates, to keep legislators aware of the program's success andpopularity, of their duty to uphold the will of the voters and of theirresponsibility to protect and expand this model public health program."http://www.nooked.com/news/itemtrack...102cff76482ba5

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