NCADD Urges Senate Committee to Improve Addiction Treatment Among Native American Populations Using COB Model

National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Wednesday, 13 October 1999

A member of NCADD's Committee on Treatment Benefits (COB) today (October 13) delivered Senate testimony in support of legislation that seeks to improve treatment of alcoholism and other drug addictions among Native Americans by consolidating various federal funding streams for this purpose.

"This bill [S.1507, the Native American Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program Consolidation Act of 1999] should make it possible to get more money to where it is needed and spend much less time and resources on complying with different and complex regulations which take time and resources away from actual service to patients," testified Robert Greene before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, chaired by Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), who also introduced the legislation. Mr. Greene is an attorney with expertise in Native American health care who has worked with COB since 1998.

"We suggest that the actual uniform planning and reporting system be designed by actual treatment personnel in consultation with auditors and planners, so that it is easily integrated into the actual process of operating the programs. Such systems to capture clinical effectiveness and financial data are currently being developed in the private sector and could be done here. Such a single, easy-to-use management information system could also be invaluable toward accomplishing the goals of this legislation. The experience and needs of treatment providers should drive the new unified system," continued Green, invoking one of the fundamental principles of the COB model.

NCADD's COB project is currently actively involved in trying to improve access to treatment for alcoholism and other drug addictions among the Native American population. Several members of COB have provided consulting services to treatment programs operated by specific Native American tribes as well as the Indian Health Service (IHS). In addition, COB members are now conducting a national study for IHS of Native American women who are receiving treatment for alcoholism. It is the first large study to concentrate on this important group. COB also has provided assistance and information on management information services, health care financing issues, grant writing and technical assistance tot he National Steering Committee for the Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

For more information, or to contact National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, see their website at: www.ncadd.org