We live in precarious times. On the drug abuse front, the country is mired in an opiate addiction epidemic. The number of people who are currently abusing prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl are of great concern from shore to shore. Throw in the continuing abuse of drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol and a host of dangerous synthetic party substances, and you have the makings of an absolute disaster.
Of note is the fact that all of these drugs are equal opportunity substances. They are being abused by men, women and children of all ages, races and political affiliations in every state. It’s putting a lot of pressure on each state government and officials at the federal level to figure out ways to battle this growing problem.
To date, there seems to be no viable solution to the drug and alcohol abuse issue. All there is to join in the battle is a growing number of drug and alcohol rehab centers that are being charged with helping to clean up the mess.
Since most of the pressure to deal with these drug abuse issues is falling on the states, each state has a responsibility to make treatment resources available. Are they succeeding?
Are There Enough Drug Rehab Centers in OH to Keep Up with Demand?
For the rest of this discussion, we are going to focus on Ohio. Based on the data being furnished by organizations like The Centers for Disease Control, SAMHSA and a number of health insurance providers, Ohio does not have enough drug addiction treatment centers to deal with the ongoing level of drug.
Keeping in mind things are materially worst today than they were five years ago, it was at that time the aforementioned organizations estimated that almost 700,000 residents were abusing drugs. Also, a an additional 10% of the population had reported incidents of binge drinking. With only a little less than 400 licensed rehabs operating in the state, the math says there was a material shortage of addiction treatment care even back five years ago.
Assuming current addiction treatment figures and ratios are no better, what is an addiction sufferer in Ohio to do once they make the decision to stop using drugs/alcohol?
Wait in Line
When Ohio’s addiction treatment community becomes impacted, Ohio residents who are unable to travel for treatment have to wait in line. They have to wait for bed space to open or new addiction treatment facilities to be born. If there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s the fact people are pursuing certification as drug addiction therapists and new facilities are opening on a monthly basis.
In the meantime, pressure is being put on the medical and psychiatry communities to help addiction suffers find recovery. There’s no telling how long the waiting is going to be, but the state is also seeing an influx of outpatient treatment facilities, which are providing some relief to the problem.
Get Treatment Out of State
While things are likely no better in other states, the willingness of an addiction sufferer to travel for treatment helps. It opens the door to more possibilities, which usually translates to the individual getting care sooner rather than later.
Ohio residents might be able to find help in neighboring states like Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. All three of these states have a strong number of quality addiction treatment centers that will accept people from other regions. Someone willing to travel for treatment also has the option to seek help in Florida, the addiction treatment capital of the world.
The good news is traveling outside the state for treatment is not always a bad idea. There’s value in seeking help far away from the environment that gave rise to the person’s addiction in the first place.
Pay for Private Care
If someone has the financial resources to pay for private treatment in an upscale addiction treatment facility, it does open up more opportunities for treatment. It’s one of the advantages that is reserved for people with money. Many of these private facilities offer private rooms and access to some truly amazing amenities that justify the high costs. Since insurance companies will typically cap the extent of addiction coverage, this option is truly reserved for clients with means.
If you are truly driven to pull yourself out of the cycle of addiction, you’ll have to be patient to get the care you need. You can start by calling us at (440) 253-9915 to ask about or services, facility, and availability.
