Stats reveal that number of drug overdose cases and associated deaths are increasing with each passing day in California. Therefore, leaders in the state have decided to find a reliable way to encourage people to stay sober. They have recently announced they will pay people to kick addictions and live a healthy life.
It is important to mention that the federal government has been using this method for a long time with military veterans. Surveys reveal that this is one of the best techniques to inspire people to stop consuming methamphetamines and cocaine. As traditions treatment is difficult for these stimulants, it is better to get rid of this habit as soon as possible.
The idea is to help people earn small incentives whenever they get a negative report on a drug test for a specific duration of time. People that are able to complete the treatment without showing any positive tests are able to earn a few hundred dollars. This money can be transferred to them via gift cards.
California federal government calls it contingency management, where tax dollars are used to make such payments through Medicaid. Note that Medicaid is a well-known health insurance program in the state that covers almost 14 million disabled and poor people in California.
A similar kind of proposal is underway at the Democratic-controlled Legislature of California. The senate has already passed without any opposition, and the execution is awaited at Assembly.
When asked about the cost, the professionals involved in this program stated that the overall expenses in this drive might depend upon the number of people that participate. In order to cover 1,000 people in the program, they may need to invest $286,000.
Like most other parts of the country, California has struggled so long with critical cases of opioid abuse. People in this state have died overdoses of heroin and painkillers repeatedly. Moreover, the overdose deaths from various stimulants in the state increased by almost four times between the year 2010 to 2019. The problem has even gotten worse during the past few years.
If we check preliminary data obtained from January to September of the year 2020, it shows a considerable rise in the overdose of stimulants, and the death rate jumped 42% in 2019. This scenario is linked to the extended lockdown measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Although it is possible to find treatments for dealing with the addiction to opioids, the stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine are more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is better to motivate people to kick these harmful substances from their lifestyle. This is the main reason why the government in California is considering providing monetary benefits to the people with these addictions.
The health experts are also looking for new treatment options, counseling methods, and community development programs that can enhance the overall quality of life for individuals in the state. The main goal is to irradiate drug overuse from the life of individuals whenever and however possible.
Citation
https://www.npr.org/2021/08/26/1031220835/california-bill-treatment-addiction