The good news for Michigan is that its aggressive program for prevention and drug treatment is producing results. Rates of alcohol and drug abuse among young people have declined sharply in the past two years, and the majority of people who have been helped through Michigan drug and alcohol treatment centers are reporting good outcomes. There are (as of 2006) 539 drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities in Michigan. In 2007, over 74,000 people were admitted for treatment to the various programs offered, either as outpatients or into residential care. The chart below shows general admission trends. Note the steep and continuing rise in prescription drug use (opiates other than heroin) since 1999. The extreme addictive qualities of opiate painkillers can lead to addiction even at prescription levels, making the average medicine cabinet a source of worry even for families who never envisioned themselves needing the services of a drug and alcohol rehab center.

Despite the encouraging drop in youthful drug dependencies, study after study shows that many drug and alcohol habits begin in adolescence, and even in Michigan, the rate of binge drinking and drug abuse is highest in young people. Over 35% of all Michigan high school students have tried marijuana at least once. To stop this experimentation from becoming a full-blown addiction, parents should educate themselves on the symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse and seek treatment from one of the many rehab centers in Michigan that offers the type of help required.

Individuals seeking treatment should be aware that not all programs or all drug and alcohol treatment centers in Michigan offer identical services. The majority offer outpatient programs. Only 37 of the 539 rehab facilities in Michigan offer opioid treatment programs, and only 87 offer residential care. Families looking to remove their addict entirely from the temptations and enablers that helped to feed the habit may have to look outside their local area for a qualified drug and alcohol treatment center with the facilities required for full inpatient care.

The majority of Michigan drug and alcohol treatment facilities are private nonprofit. Just over half of all treatment facilities in Michigan accept some form of public funding, and many contract their services to hospitals and other organizations. The sheer number of people treated in any given year and Michigan’s focus on drug treatment rather than incarceration means that individuals seeking treatment should ensure that any individual program is adequately funded and staffed to treat their problem, and, just as important, is experienced with the newer drug threats.