“While prevention is still the best approach to eradicating meth from our communities once and for all, we can’t afford to ignore those who do become addicted,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Congressional Meth Caucus.  “It’s well-established that families provide the best support systems, so making the family the center of meth addiction treatment whenever possible is just common sense.”

Traditional substance abuse treatment is not designed around the needs of families, and though the programs may be successful for single men and women, families struggling with substance abuse issues find few opportunities for treatment and recovery.  Family-based treatment centers provide essential needs for the entire family, rather than just the parent.  Studies show that family-based treatment increases long-term sobriety, educational enrollment, and gainful employment, along with decreased criminal activity and child development delays.

Addressing the meth crisis through a comprehensive family-treatment approach provides a cost-effective alternative to incarceration and foster care, and yields consistently positive outcomes in child well-being, family stability, and lower recidivism rates.

Rehberg’s bill expands an existing grant program that provides residential substance abuse treatment to pregnant and postpartum women to include coverage for parenting women, substance abuse treatment, and outpatient treatment services.