Public drug rehabilitation programs in Alabama only have enough capacity for half the patients who need them, but a coalition of treatment providers hopes their plan for opioid settlement spending could expand services to all.
The Alabama Fentanyl Abuse Treatment and Prevention Coalition consists of addiction treatment providers from across the state, as well as peer organizations led by people in recovery. Their plan would steer $100 million of an estimated $120 million in settlement funds from three major drug and distribution companies into existing treatment and prevention programs. The money could start flowing into Alabama this year.
The opioid epidemic – which began with prescription pain pills – has morphed into the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history. In recent years, heroin and fentanyl have overtaken prescription pills as the cause of most fatal overdoses. The number of drug overdose deaths hit all-time highs in Alabama and across the U.S. in 2021.
Alabama does not have the resources to treat all the people who need it, Retan said. Those with private insurance can usually find care, but uninsured people face long waits for treatment beds. “The best way for us to make sure that babies aren’t born addicted to fentanyl and other drugs is to make sure we have easy access to residential treatment for pregnant women,” Retan said. “I don’t think anybody in Alabama doesn’t want a pregnant woman who’s using fentanyl to be able to get into treatment quickly.”
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