New Poll Finds Most Americans Support Including Treatment for Drug and Alcohol Addiction...

New Poll Finds Most Americans Support Including Treatment for Drug and Alcohol
Addiction in National Health Care Reform; All Demographics Report Personal
Experience With the Disease

Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) Poll Shows Widespread Concern
about Cost of and Access to Treatment

BALTIMORE, June 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll conducted for the
Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative found that, regardless
of race, age, where people live or income, most Americans know someone
personally who has been addicted to alcohol or drugs, are worried about access
to affordable treatment and support including treatment in national health
care reform. The CATG initiative seeks to ensure that all people who need
alcohol or drug addiction treatment have access to quality treatment services.

Among the key findings of the national poll, conducted by Lake Research
Partners:

-- Three-quarters of Americans (76%) know someone personally who has been
addicted to alcohol or drugs. Personal experience with addiction
spans
all demographic groups.
-- Half of Americans (49%) do not think they would be able to afford the
costs of treatment if they or a family member needed it. This concern
about affordability is highest among Americans with incomes under
$50,000 (67% say they would not be able to afford treatment).
-- Three-quarters (75%) of Americans are concerned that people who are
addicted to alcohol or drugs many not be able to get treatment because
they lack insurance coverage or cannot afford it.
-- Nearly three-quarters (73%) support including alcohol and drug
addition
treatment as part of national health care reform to make it more
accessible and affordable. This support cuts across all demographic
groups.

-- Two-thirds of Americans (68%) also support increasing federal and
state
funding for alcohol and drug prevention, treatment, and recovery
services.

"Americans are concerned that people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs may
not be able to get the treatment they need because they lack insurance
coverage or can't afford treatment and the facts support this concern," said
Victor Capoccia, director of the CATG initiative. "We are treating just 10
percent of the 23 million people in the United States who need addiction
treatment."

Capoccia added, "Addiction is an equal opportunity disease, as demonstrated by
these research findings. It is blind to our differences and it unites us
behind a common purpose - closing the addiction treatment gap."

The research findings were released in conjunction with the passage on June
15, 2009 of a resolution from the U.S. Conference of Mayors urging "Congress
to pass legislation expanding funding for alcohol and drug prevention,
treatment, and recovery services for all who need them."

"Mayors are acutely aware of the toll addictions take on our cities," said
Providence, RI Mayor David N. Cicilline, a partner in the CATG initiative.
"Especially in a time of economic hardships and reduced budgets, we cannot
abandon addiction treatment. As the resolution makes clear, mayors believe
that treatment works, and that government has a critical role to play in
closing the addiction treatment gap."

The American Medical Association has determined addiction is a disease. Just
like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, addiction can be treated
successfully over time, with patient dedication and community support. No
other chronic disease affects so many Americans and yet receives such little
funding support.

"Addiction is a serious health condition and Americans of all walks of life
recognize that there are real cost barriers to effective addiction treatment,"
said Diana Morris, Director of OSI Baltimore. "There is tremendous momentum
now to reform the nation's health care system. It is clear that Americans -
across all demographic groups - strongly support the inclusion of addiction
treatment."

The telephone survey was conducted May 29 - June 1, 2009 among a
nationally-representative sample of 1,001 adults 18 and older. The margin of
sampling error is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The complete results are
available at www.treatmentgap.org.

CATG Enhances Web Site with Resources for Media, Policymakers and Others

In addition to announcing polling, CATG also launched several expanded
sections of its Web site, www.treatmentgap.org. Designed as an information
resource for media, policy- and decision-makers, the drug and alcohol
addiction treatment community, and others, CATG's new resource sections are
now populated with impact briefs on key issues, along with links to various
studies relevant to the addiction treatment community, the health care debate,
and related issues.

The new resources can be found on CATG's web site under the "Research"
(www.soros.org/initiatives/treatmentgap/research) and "Publications &
Articles" (www.soros.org/initiatives/treatmentgap/articles_publications)
sections.

Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) is a national program of the Open
Society Institute. This initiative is designed to create an awareness of --
and increase resources to close -- an alarming treatment gap: currently, four
out of five Americans who need drug and alcohol addiction treatment are unable
to get it. The initiative aims to mobilize public support for expanded
treatment by increasing public funding, broadening insurance coverage, and
achieving greater program efficiency.

The Open Society Institute, a private operating and grantmaking foundation,
works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are
accountable to their citizens. To achieve its mission, OSI seeks to shape
public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic
systems and safeguard fundamental rights. OSI works in over 60 countries in
Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as in the
United States.

CONTACT: Amanda Deaver
202-207-3631
Debra Rubino
410-234-1091

SOURCE Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap

Amanda Deaver, +1-202-207-3631, for Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap; or
Debra Rubino of OSI Baltimore, +1-410-234-1091