Tennessee Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Programs And Rehab Centers

Tennessee Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Programs And Rehab Centers

Tennessee is unique of all states in the number of other states it borders: eight. This makes it a major transportation crossroads for goods of all types, including drugs smuggled in from other states. Interestingly, while Tennessee grows a good deal of marijuana and imports much more, it ranks among the lowest ten states in the Union for past-month marijuana consumption. However, it consistently ranks in the top ten of all states for the highest use of non-medical pain relievers. This is in keeping with the climbing rates of drug dependency shown below which put Tennessee well above the national average.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues At-A-Glance, Tennessee
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), December 2008

Trends noted by Tennessee drug and alcohol treatment centers show a good news/bad news situation. Rates of admission for alcohol-related problems are steadily dropping, but drug admissions are soaring. Note the bottom trend line, which indicates the steep climb in addictions to opiates other than heroin. Prescription pain killers fall into this category, and the admission rates correlate directly to Tennessee’s status as the fourth-largest seller of hydrocodone products in the nation. Oxycontin, morphine, methadone, and Xanax are the primary pharmaceuticals driving the prescription drug abuse witnessed by rehabilitation centers in Tennessee. Cocaine is also a major problem throughout the state, accounting for over 18% of admissions to Tennessee treatment centers.

To counter this troublesome state of affairs, 195 drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Tennessee provide a wide variety of programs and services. Most (147) are private nonprofit facilities; 13 are operated by public entities, and the remainder are private for-profit rehab centers. Although they are located across the state, people seeking substance abuse treatment in Tennessee should be aware that programs are not identical even among state agencies. Most provide services on an outpatient basis, although 54 do offer residential programs. Because treatment for opiate addiction generally involves substituting other controlled drugs, programs and physicians must be certified for certain types of treatment. Just seven facilities in the entire state offer opioid treatment programs, and 24 programs are certified for the use of buprenorphine. Tennessee treatment centers in your area may or may not offer on their own the full range of services required to treat any particular addiction.

For Tennessee parents, the widespread availability of drugs like marijuana, methamphetamine, and Ecstasy should be of special concern. An average of 42% of all Tennessee high school students have tried marijuana; 15% have tried cocaine. The very high number of 9^th graders sampling drugs of all sorts shows the determination of drug dealers to expand their markets by targeting younger and younger children. The fact that so many students 13 or younger have been approached and subsequently tried dangerous substances puts this age group at risk of developing serious dependencies over time. Families who never envisioned drug and alcohol treatment as part of their future may be forced to become experts on the merits of rehabilitation centers in Tennessee or elsewhere.

Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse
State of Tennessee Profile of Drug Indicators
July 2007

Approximately 58% of all Tennessee rehabilitation centers receive public funding from local, state, or federal agencies. This gives residents broad access to care, but does not guarantee that staffing, facilities, or experience will be the same from program to program. Prospective patients will need to evaluate local and regional options and decide for themselves whether a private or public program or treatment facility is best suited to their needs.