Illinois To Expand Drug Treatment, Recovery Options

Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Carol L. Adams Ph.D announced a $13.9 million Access to Recovery grant that will allow DHSto expand options for over 6000 people seeking drug and alcoholtreatment. The grant is part of a federal initiative to providevouchers for substance abuse treatment and recovery services.

ATR is a three-year competitive discretionary grant programfunded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. The new ATRgrant will provide Illinoisans seeking drug and alcohol treatment withvouchers to pay for a range of individualized treatment and recoveryservices, including faith-based and community-based services.

"There is more than one way to treat addiction and peopleshould be able to choose what is best for them," said Secretary Adams."With this grant, we can continue to promote client choice whileexpanding access to a greater array of treatment options and recoveryservices."

With the ATR program, people in need of treatment or recoverysupport services can inquire about vouchers at one of three differentenrolling agencies: Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC),Family Guidance Centers, Inc., and IOTA Inc. (Information, OrganizationTraining and Applications). After an enrollment assessment andscreening interview, participants will be allowed to select servicesfrom a list of alternative local providers enrolled in the ATR program.There are now more than 110 providers who can receive the electronicvouchers to provide treatment services to individuals in the state.

"By increasing the number of providers that can offertreatment and recovery support services through vouchers, we areexpanding recovery options for thousands of people while improving ourservice delivery system throughout the state," said TheodoraBinion-Taylor, Director of the IDHS Division of Alcoholism andSubstance Abuse.

The recovery grant will allow Illinois to expand its Pathwaysto Recovery initiative implemented in 2004. As a result, ATR-supportedservices will be continued in Cook County and the 5th and 6th IllinoisJudicial Districts in east central Illinois, and will be expanded tothe five counties that comprise the 10th Judicial District in westcentral Illinois. The program will include a focus on individualsinvolved with the criminal justice system, a methamphetamine treatmentcomponent, and Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment(SBIRT) among its voucher services.