Announcement for 02/15/06
House of Representatives Holds Hearing on the Second Chance Act and Drug Treatment
On February 9, 2006 the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security heard testimony in support of the substance abuse treatment provisions in the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1704). The panel witnesses included Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; Ken Batten, Director of the Office of Substance Abuse Services at the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services; Pamela Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities; and Lorna Hogan from the Rebecca Project for Human Rights.
Follow these links for witness testimony from the hearing: Dr. Nora Volkow; Ken Batten; Pamela Rodriguez; Lorna Hogan
Committee Chairman Howard Coble (R – NC) in his opening statement laid the groundwork for the expansion of drug treatment resources in the Second Chance Act, which was introduced last year in the House of Representatives. The bill enjoys broad, bipartisan support from 100 co-sponsors.
Click here to read Chairman Coble's opening statement
Dr. Volkow spoke to the importance of providing comprehensive options during and after prison-time to people who require substance abuse treatment. She emphasized that such treatment can significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat offense: "In one study, those who participated in prison-based treatment followed by aftercare were 7 times more likely to be drug free and 2 times more likely to be arrest-free after 3 years than those who received no treatment."
In his testimony before the subcommittee, Ken Batten noted the cost savings that could be associated with expanded substance abuse treatment for people involved in the criminal justice system: "for every $1 spent on treatment for offenders, there is up to a $7 crime-related cost savings." Pamela Rodriguez also highlighted the cost-effectiveness of substance abuse treatment as well as the importance of organizations outside the prison system to engage in treatment, especially during the reentry process: "As stakeholders with a vested interest in public safety and the health and well-being of all of its citizens, community providers are in a unique position to affect the successful reentry of its incarcerated population as individuals return from prison and jail. The Second Chance Act engages community non-profits, including faith-based providers, in serving and empowering their own populations in successful reentry."
The human face of addiction and reentry struggles was shown in Lorna Hogan's testimony. A mother of four and in recovery for 5 years, Lorna spoke of her initial experience being released from jail without sufficient treatment: "When I was released there were no referrals to aftercare treatment programs. I was released to the street at ten o'clock at night with four dollars in my pocket. I still didn't know where my children were. I went back to doing the only thing I knew, which was using drugs." Hogan went on to tell of a later experience with family-based treatment, which provided the recovery, parenting and child services needed to stabilize her family. The House Judiciary Committee is considering the inclusion of a family-based treatment component in the bill as well.
Companion legislation has also been introduced in the Senate (S. 1934) by a bipartisan coalition, including Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS).