Honorable Governor Edmund Brown, Jr.
Office of the Governor
Attn: Donna Campbell, Deputy Legislative Secretary
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 445‐4633
SUBJECT: AB 848 (Stone) Alcoholism and drug abuse treatment facilities- SUPPORT AB 848
Dear Governor Brown:
New Directions for Women is a residential and outpatient social model substance use disorder treatment facility located in Costa Mesa, CA. We are honored to have provided care to women, pregnant women, and women with children in tow up to thirteen years of age for almost four decades. We completely support AB 848 (Stone) Bill.
As a social model recovery program that has an emphasis on community and environment, which is a hallmark for most social model programs, we still welcome and appreciate the help of medical professionals in treating the early stages of this brain disease, known as the detoxification period. Medically monitored programs at their core are excellent in providing for the medical needs of their patients while social model programs are wonderful at assisting patients in being oriented to their community and the ongoing supports, such as self-help meetings, housing, education, and employment, that will support their lifelong journeys of recovery. Combining the best of both worlds while they are physically withdrawing provides patients the absolute best way to begin their early recovery process. For patients suffering from primary alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal, both of which can have serious medical complications such as seizures and fatal outcomes, it is critical that these patients be monitored more closely by medical personnel and not be put in danger by needing to be transported offsite for these services. Withdrawal from a variety of opiate dependencies is extremely uncomfortable and often their physical cravings cause them to abort treatment prematurely. Having the best medical care during their highest points of discomfort and craving is critical to them remaining in care long enough for the miracle of recovery to occur for them.
Very simply, without medical care being provided within the social model structure, these patients are not safe, and many who need treatment will either abort it too early or not enter care at all because of a lack of medical services being available.
AB 848 will solve this concern and provide guidance in the needed regulations that will allow the necessary medical care to those suffering from substance use disorders in the state of California. In addition, AB 848 requires licensed residential treatment facilities that opt to provide medical services to their patients to pay the full cost of the new regulations and enforcement required to administer and oversee this service. I therefore urge you to sign AB 848.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Flood, MHS, LCADA, NCAC II, CADC, BRI II
CEO
