• The Dianova Network
• Site Map
• Contact
• Email
• Links

in italy, cbo's on government lobbying

May 2007 - Editorial, by Bruno Ferrari, Executive Director

Dear friends and readers,

In Italy , a conglomeration of community based organizations offering services to drug addicted individuals have undertaken measures that will lead the government into allocating 1.4%, contrasting the current 0.8%, of their health budget to the issue of financing drug treatment programs.

Various complaints associated with an appeal made to the aforementioned organizations will receive vast media coverage due to a national assembly scheduled for the 26 of June 2007. These organizations intend on reminding the government that the expenses generated by the execution of treatment plans are in fact, if not should be, of equal importance on the economic ladder. Also, that it is time public institutions cease looking down upon this dynamic and efficient network of service providers that offer programs of the highest quality for extremely reasonable prices.

The group sends notices which could easily be applied to our local situation; the number of places in public and publicly funded centers has minimally developed in the last decade; non- publicly funded centers are subject to multiple references from the public sector even without the establishment of a financial agreement. In fact, counsellors continuously work in a practical continuum of common sense. Annually, several thousand individuals are directed towards these community-based organizations despite their continuous struggle to obtain financial backing. That said, Dianova Montreal processes over 1200 calls annually!! The alternatives are to wait months for a place in a publicly funded residential program or to be redirected towards a private organization.

Dependency is an omnipresent, aggravating factor of the majority of social issues!

It has been stated, by several American and European studies, that the inclusion of community based organizations specializing in drug addiction treatment will save $6 in costs associated with criminal justice and healthcare, for every $2 spent on drug rehabilitation . These results were based on several factors: people are welcomed into treatment ceasing their illegal activities and thus requiring less attention from public security and judiciary services, their general health is improved and thus needs less attention from emergency and social services resources. Apart from such symptomatic factors, in several cases, individuals discover a sense of autonomy which results in them finding employment and eliminating their dependence on social assistance (which may have spanned for months, if not years). It must finally be noted that the daily cost of incarcerating a man or women in a provincial prison in Canada , ranges from $200 to $417 per day, compared with $60 per day in the Dianova program, as one example.

Should we be moved to action?

This idea must take its course across the nation. If we were to add the body of community groups - who strive towards the reduction of negative consequences, who offer community support and development, whom exert themselves continuously despite their meagre budgets - to the existing private rehabilitation centers, what impact would such additions have on the population at large? Should we communicate such information in order to lead the government to make financial decisions that would have social, in addition to financial benefits?

I hope the ultimate result will be an end to dealing with a lack of funding on a daily basis, allowing us to invest this energy into the quality of our programs.

Bruno Ferrari, ED.

NTORS (The National Treatment Outcome Research Study, Angleterre) : for every extra £1 spent on drug misuse treatment, there is return of more than £3 in terms of costs savings associated with lower levels of victim costs of crime, and reduced demands upon the criminal justice system. The total cost savings to society will be even greater than this. OEDT  (observatoire de la com. européenne sur la drogue et les toxicomanies) ; TOPS ; DARP

The average cost of incarcerating a man or woman in provincial prisons ranges from $72 000 to 150 000 annually.

 

 

---