House The Homeless, Inc. P.O. Box 2312 Austin, Texas 78768-2312 (512) 796-4366 info@housethehomeless.org       Substance Abuse Treatment Funding/ Behind The Scenes   House The Homeless has been advocating for substance abuse treatment and the need for a permanent funding stream for this process to help aid the homeless for over a decade. House The Homeless has now devised a methodology for creating a permanent income stream that will help accomplish this. Texas State Representative Lon Burnam, a Democrat from Fort Worth, Texas (512) 463-0740 has fashioned this concept in HB No. 3611.  Similar legislation will be re-introduced in the 79th Texas Legislature in 2005. This legislation would enable municipalities throughout Texas to set aside a percentage of alcohol revenue (principly from restaurant and entertainment businesses) for the sole purpose of funding substance abuse programs.   Bill Analysis Alcohol Substance Abuse Tax Rep. Lon Burnam TCADA gets state appropriation for alcohol substance abuse programs, but a few years ago transferred all of their programs into the criminal justice system. You have to be in jail/prison to get treated. Now, cities and counties must pay for their own programs---severe limit on programs now. This bill would allow cities to have the option to raise funds locally through a tax on alcohol consumed on the premises where it is sold--such as bars, hotels, restaurants, privately catered functions (alcohol not sold for home consumption). The municipality would have the right to determine the amount of tax, and whether a tax is imposed at all. The tax must be spent only on treatment programs for drug dependency and alcoholism that meet standards prescribed by the municipality. Substance abuse treatment is costly, beyond the reach of most people--major health care concern. Cost-effective to address medical concerns up front as opposed to the prohibitive costs we face if these medical concerns are not dealt with at the other end of the spectrum. Prison/jail costs are much higher than "preventative" treatment before behavior becomes criminal. Well documented that health care costs, when addressed in early stages, are a fraction of the costs that arise when sickness is left untreated---organ disease, DWI, auto-pedestrian fatalities, disillusion of family relationships. An Editorial letter written by Richard Troxell April 18th, 1999 concerning substance abuse treatment funding.  Even now, 5 years later, we need people to respond to this editorial. The Statesman will not publish responses to editorials unless there are multiple responses submitted Please send replies to: Mr. Arnold Garcia c/o The Austin American Statesman P.O. Box 670 Austin, Texas 78767 Fax (512) 445-1736 E-Mail:  AGarcia@statesman.com   Make alcohol businesses pay for substance abuse treatment programs! At first, this may seem to be an aggressive, anti-big business, deep pocket attack on one of our cornerstone industries. However, on closer examination, it can be seen as a cost saving, even-handed, win-win approach to one of society's more serious concerns.... alcoholism. Let's face it, some people that consume the product of alcohol have a very negative medical reaction to it. Each year this very serious reaction results in DWIs, deaths and a countless number of devastated families. What, if by putting a couple of extra pennies on each alcoholic drink, we could create an entire medical health care system for those citizens that suffer from the ill effects of alcohol? This might be worth looking at. Consider the cost savings to the alcohol industry. The alcohol businesses are not unlike the tobacco businesses where people are suffering and dying from end organ diseases like pancreatic and kidney failure. Thus far, the courts have allowed unbridled lawsuits against the tobacco industry. Just two weeks ago, a woman was awarded $80,000,000 for the tobacco related death of her husband. While that individual family surely suffered desperately, how does such an award benefit society or even avoid the next lawsuit? Individual states are suing for billions of dollars in an effort to recover the astronomical medical expenses based on the treatment of these end organ diseases. Similarly, President Clinton announced in the State of the Union Address that he thinks the Federal Government should line up in the suing frenzy of the tobacco companies. Alternatively, what if, for a couple of pennies on a beer, we could create a specific health care program for those suffering alcoholism and simultaneously avoid the lawsuits? Can you imagine the courts response when a potential alcohol litigant asks to sue because he/she is now dying from the disease of alcoholism? The court will first want to know that has he/she availed themselves of the health care programs. How sympathetic will the courts/juries be if someone's response is that they failed to seek this free preemptive health care? Furthermore, while the tobacco industry is perceived as "public enemy #1" and is receiving the nation's ire, by using this approach, would not the alcohol industry become the "poster child" of industry and heralded as a community partner? Would not the cost savings to the industry be in the billions of dollars; while at the same time, the savings in lives, families and work place hours recovered be of equal or even greater value to our society? With so many of the homeless persons suffering from some form of substance abuse, wouldn't this permanent revenue stream also help us to make a quantum leap forward in our efforts to deal with their medical needs also? House The Homeless, Inc., with the help of State Representative Elliott Naishtat (author) and State Representative Lon Burnam (introducer), created House Bill #3611 which would.... ....enable Texas municipalities to set aside a percentage of alcohol sales for the creation of substance abuse/treatment programs for all Texans. This bill deserves a hearing. Let the debate begin! Sincerely, Richard R. Troxell Executive Director--House The Homeless, Inc. Response to Mr. Troxell's Letter Dear Editor; What a wonderful, creative idea from Mr. Troxell (Letter to Editor 4/28/99), "A cost saving approach"). Having those who are making money on the sale of alcohol simultaneously help those who are ill from imbibing it, is the only responsible action for business to pursue. Let them profit but let them help those that their product hurts. That we might hold the manufacture/distributors/sellers of alcohol accountable for the cost of health-care issues specifically relating to drinking is a common sense, win-win idea. Of course, it is only a sound business practice to improve public relations (and save money) by embracing this plan rather than enduring the litigation that surely may be forced upon them as with the cigarette manufacturers. Obviously, few want to speak of this enormous problem (alcoholism). The alcohol industry must realize that it is faced with the pay-me-now (a little), or pay-me-later (a lot) dilemma. They have a choice...they can lead the way and be heroes or be dragged into court and fight the war on drugs through litigation. Thanks again Richard, Marilyn Morris HOUSE THE HOMELESS, INC. P.O. BOX 2312 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78768-2312 (512) 796-4366 1/09/00 Dignity and Fairness Following the release of a comprehensive report by the federal government two weeks ago, the Austin American Statesman all but made a front page editorial apology for its miss characterizations of our homeless citizens over the years. But, it stopped short of calling for the repeal of the No Camping Ordinance which it had so adamantly pushed into law based on those same miss characterizations. Today, the Statesman should be applauded for its willingness to share its new understanding that many of these people are mostly desirous of work, yet down on their luck.  We are now entering the new millennium and we must take stock of our situation and call for a new era - an era of Dignity and Fairness for homeless citizens in Austin, across America and around the world. Realize that: #1. Developers are becoming millionaires from the tax credits they receive to build affordable housing and yet no “affordable” housing is being built for our homeless citizens. #2. The federal government gave billions of dollars in unissued section 8 housing certificates to Kosovo and to their homeless citizens, but we too are just as deserving in this country. Are there no other resources except from the pockets of our homeless citizens? #3. Some local employers are hiding behind the federal minimum wage and refuse to pay a fair living wage here in Austin and throughout America. They won’t pay the wages that would allow us to work ourselves off the streets. Corporate America at both the local and national levels need to look at their profits, search their souls, and pay a Universal Living Wage. #4. And yet, all across this nation, wealthy Cities just like Austin are passing laws to lock up homeless citizens for the mere fact of being homeless. As we enter the new millennium, we call for a new era of both DIGNITY and FAIRNESS. First, We call for the repeal of all No Camping Homeless Ordinances both here in Austin and across America which make us “criminal sleepers” because we have no homes. Second, We must press for the creation of substance abuse treatment beds... paid for by those that are profiting from our addictions. We call for the passage of the House the Homeless Alcohol Bill to be re-introduced in the 79th Texas Legislature in 2005. Third, As we enter this new era of dignity and fairness, we must ensure the passage of the House the Homeless Universal Living Wage  that will allow us to work ourselves off of our streets. Fourth, We must work for passage of the Protected Class Resolution written by House the Homeless and adopted by the National Coalition for the Homeless that protects the homeless who have become the targets of hate crimes because they are homeless. Finally, we encourage the Austin American Statesman to continue its search for truth and clarity relating to the needs of these citizens. Together, we must find fair, practical and dignified solutions for ending this national community problem. Richard R. Troxell President HTH, Board Member National Coalition for the Homeless, Washington D. C.