Following an example
If you come to Washington D.C. from California for a visit to talk about policy, most people here will have a precon- ceived notion. They‘ll think you‘re from the bright lights of LA, or the glamorous Orange County, or maybe the cosmopoli- tan San Francisco. Maybe they‘ll think you‘re from tech-driven Silicon Valley, or breathtaking San Diego. The last word that comes to mind for many of us out east when someone mentions California is ―rural.‖
But as I‘ve learned over the last few years working with CAADAC, California is, for all intents and purposes, a minia- ture United States. It has big cities, it has suburbs, it has a massive economy (complete with massive economic prob- lems!), and it has its rural and agricultural areas as well.
In February, I was once again paid a visit by CAADAC‘s own Warren Daniels, complete with his cadre of followers from CoRR in Nevada County. The issues we discussed on Capitol Hill- and in the Ex- ecutive Office of the President- reflected the concerns of an often overlooked por- tion of California‘s population: those in rural areas, far from the big cities and beaches those of us back east picture when we think of the Golden State.
In our meeting with Peter Gaumond, the new Recovery branch chief at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, we discussed the need for innova- tive substance abuse treatment in rural areas. Included in the conversation was dialogue about the role of new technolo- gies, and how peer recovery support systems should work in rural settings. We also discussed triage for new pa- tients, the definition of wellness as op- posed to treatment, access to service, and the continuum of care. Of interest to ONDCP is how care for substance abuse treatment can link to primary care, espe- cially in the new age of health care re- form.
(Take in that last paragraph for a min- ute. CAADAC was represented in a meeting with staff from the Executive Office of the President. Pretty cool, huh?)
Our visits to Capitol Hill were also pro- ductive, as we focused on prescription drug abuse in rural counties, and the role of federally qualified health centers in the provision of substance abuse treat- ment. The office of Doris Matsui- which represents CAADAC‘s home district in Sacramento- discussed their plans to introduce legislation which would estab- lish Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers. This legislation was in- troduced last Congress, but ―died in Committee,‖ as the saying goes (it never reached the House of Representatives floor for a vote.) CAADAC pledged its help to Ms. Matsui‘s staff and will be strong advocates for this legislation.
A meeting with Rep. McClintock‘s staff was productive as well, as we discussed prescription drug abuse in rural Califor- nia. This was also the topic of conversa- tion with the office of Rep. Mary Bono- Mack, who is one of the founding mem- bers of the newly created Congressional Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus. She will be re-introducing the Safe Disposal Act later this Congress, which will have the full support of CAADAC. Bono-Mack wants to see the federal government do more to educate prescribers on the dangers of abuse, as well as have hearings around the country on the issue of online pharma- cies.
Our meeting with the office of Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard focused on underage drink- ing, and her efforts to re-introduce the STOP act this Congress. The bill would provide for grants to communities, funds for screening and brief intervention, and cross-agency coordination. However, the fiscal environment being what it is, any bill requesting funds for social services and health care will be facing an uphill climb. Rep. Roybal-Allard‘s staff was also inter- ested in learning more about the profes- sional standards of the counseling profes- sion, both in California and across the country. CAADAC has already been in touch with her staff to educate them on this issue.
So for those of you in CAADAC who work in rural areas, we‘ve got you covered! Your voice is being heard in the nation‘s capital, by policymakers at the highest levels. For those of you in the big cities, don‘t fret: we‘ve got you covered too!
Regards, Andrew
