County Is Told Drug Treatment Funds Lag

As Los Angeles County supervisors begin hearings today on a proposed $9.2-billion budget, they are being urged to back up their tough talk about fighting drug-related crime with more money for drug-treatment programs.

That suggestion was made by Supervisor Ed Edelman, who found a paradox in his colleagues’ approving the building of new jails to house the growing number of people arrested for drug-related crimes, but failing to provide any more money to help addicts kick the habit.

The budget for drug-treatment programs has remained the same--about $25 million a year--since 1981, despite an AIDS epidemic fueled by intravenous drug use. And county officials say the number of drug addicts treated has actually declined due to increased costs brought on by inflation.

“We are spending too much money at the rear end of the system rather than prevention to keep people out of the system,” Edelman said.

High-Spirited Hearings

Edelman’s comments, made at a board meeting this week, set the tone for the supervisors’ usually high-spirited budget hearings.

By Thursday, more than 150 people, representing diverse interests, had signed up to appear before the board during the next several days. Chief Administrative Officer Richard B. Dixon has said he is “quite optimistic” that the county will receive a share of the $2.5-billion state surplus to avert threatened cuts in health and other services.

But community activists, health and social workers and union leaders are expected to turn out in force to send a message to the state to provide funds to the county. They also are expected to urge supervisors to spare their programs if the state fails to provide enough money.

In addition, speakers are expected to ask for money for programs that have not been expanded for years, despite a growing demand for services. Typical are the drug-treatment programs.

Edelman raised concerns about the lack of money for drug treatment this week when Sheriff Sherman Block reported that drug use is the leading cause of jail overcrowding. Block said that 75% of the 22,000 people in County Jail are there on drug-related crimes.

Edelman said: “If drugs are the cause of the increasing crime rate, then we’re failing in our responsibility to do something about that when we have someone who wants to get off drugs and we don’t provide the treatment.”

“In 1981, we had 900 residential beds. There was no wait,” said Rene Topalian, assistant director of the county’s drug abuse program office. “At that time, the county was largely treating heroin and PCP users.

“Today, we have less than 600 beds.” The number of people seeking treatment for cocaine addiction has skyrocketed.”

“Those people who want to kick their habit have to wait something like 5 1/2 months to get into a treatment bed,” Edelman said. The county treats drug addicts who cannot afford to pay for treatment at private clinics.

Edelman blamed the lack of funding for drug treatment programs on budget cuts under former President Ronald Reagan. But he acknowledged that supervisors could use county funds to make up for lost federal dollars.

“That’s their dilemma,” said Gerald Roos, senior assistant administrative officer for the county, describing the supervisors’ hard choices during budget deliberations. “They have to cut from somewhere in order to add somewhere.”

Fewer Dollars

Supervisor Mike Antonovich said: “Let’s say it is a priority that deserves consideration. But the number of priorities are greater than the amount of dollars available.”

Supervisor Pete Schabarum said the county does not have enough money this year to continue many services at their current levels. He said that if any extra money is available for anti-drug programs, he will seek to spend it on a Sheriff’s Department anti-drug education program in the schools “to keep them (drug users) from requiring rehabilitation in the first place.”