ATLANTA – Georgia is increasing regulation of addiction treatment centers, prompted by complaints from northwest Georgia lawmakers and residents that a cluster of programs there largely treat people traveling from other states.
Gov. Nathan Deal signed the legislation on Thursday.
State records obtained by The Associated Press back up residents’ complaints. Last year, one in five people treated at an opioid treatment center in Georgia came from out of state, according to state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities records. In northwest Georgia, two out of every three patients weren’t from the state.
Patients and treatment center owners say locals’ concerns are unfair and stigmatize the facilities and people seeking help for addiction to opioids and other drugs. New patients receiving methadone must take their doses at a treatment centre and are only allowed to take a few doses home after passing drug tests and completing other forms of treatment.
Access to treatment facilities is an issue nationwide. In 2015, fewer than 20 percent of people who needed addiction treatment received it, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services.