Drug-related deaths in Arizona have increased every year since 2001, and stood in 2007 at two and a half times the national average. Arizona’s 370-mile border with Mexico means that a flood of illicit drugs of every type is widely available to its citizens. Nor is alcoholism a minor problem. In 2007 over 60,000 people were treated in Arizona hospitals for alcohol-related symptoms, which does not count the number of people who sought help through private facilities. Deaths related to alcohol abuse in Arizona are also above the national average. For citizens of Arizona, drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation centers and programs are at the front line of combating a growing and deadly problem.

A search of the State of Arizona’s Public Health Services A-Z index yields only one addiction link, which lists web sites people can search for help in finding drug and treatment programs in Arizona. It does, not, however, list a single public Arizona drug rehabilitation facility or alcohol treatment center, despite the fact that Arizona was the first state in the nation to mandate treatment for low-level drug offenders over incarceration. In 2007, the state spent $108M treating over 65,000 adults and children for substance abuse and dependency. That was administered through six regional programs which depend on grants and public funding. The chart below shows the explosive rise in the number of people seeking help through public substance abuse programs in Arizona (307% between 2001 and 2007). Families seeking more personalized treatment for drug and alcohol abuse in Arizona would do well to explore options beyond local or publicly-administered programs in which they must compete for limited staff attention and funding dollars.

In addition, the chart below shows the clear danger drugs and alcohol present to young people in Arizona. Club drugs like Ecstasy and ketamine are a growing threat statewide, as is methamphetamine, and crack cocaine is widely available along with marijuana, which is often smuggled across the border in 100-pound blocks. No community or region of Arizona, no matter how small or how rural, is immune to drug trafficking and drug abuse. Therefore, for any family in Arizona, drug and alcohol treatment could unexpectedly become an unwanted part of their future.

Families confronted with a drug or alcohol abuse problem should carefully evaluate all local and regional options for treatment. Rehabilitation centers in Arizona range from public outpatient programs to private residential programs. Cost and location are factors; however, the odds of achieving a positive outcome through any drug and alcohol treatment program are greatly enhanced if the program is comprehensive, addressing all physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of the dependency, and when the center is specifically experienced in treating the type of abuse. Public drug treatment facilities in Arizona strive to provide the best possible care, but bear in mind the sheer number of people seeking treatment and the available resources.