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* NETCADA Northeast Texas Council on Alcohol ~S~ Drug Abuse 25 1~ NW · Paris, Texas 75460 · (903) 737-4394 · 1-800-221-2992 · (903) 737-4396 fax September 4, 2003 Michael Malone, City Manager ",~ and Paris City Council Members City Hall P.O. Box 9037 ~ Paris, Texas 75461-9037 Re: Request for City of Paris Funding in the next Fiscal Year Dear Mr. Malone and Paris City Council Members, I want to first thank you for your past financial support of the Northeast Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse [NETCADA]. Your support has allowed us to provide critical help to hundreds of Paris residents who have experienced problems related to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, as well as helping hundreds of youth resist developing substance abuse problems. With the help of your support we have been able to provide many important services to Paris citizens to combat what has become the number one social problem in our nation. The abuse of alcohol and drugs costs Texans $19.3 billion annually. That's over $1,000 fir every man, woman, and child in the state. We are combating this problem in Paris on several levels. We are providing prevention services to early grade schools students and some middle school students. We provide intervention services to many youth who are starting to have problems. We also provide screening, assessment, and referral services to all ages. We provide a variety of substance abuse related educational classes to adults and youth. Finally, we provide a variety of substance abuse outpatient treatment services. The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) requires a 5% match on the funding they provide. Through a very competitive process, we have been successful in bringing needed services to this area where a dollar of local match covers $20 of state funding. A study by Texas Perspectives found that substance abuse prevention has a savings from reduced outpatient treatment and counseling expenditures alone of almost $5 for every prevention dollar spent. The study also showed the overall benefit-cost ration of treatment services in Texas to be 3:1. We also provide treatment services locally for many individuals who have been sent to a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility as a phase down from that program. The funding for that program only covers about 69% of the costs and needs local funds to supplement this important service. These programs are the best way we can combat illegal drugs, which 80 percent of Americans considered to be a very or extremely serious problem. Sixty-four percent of Texas male inmates report they have substance abuse problems. Up to two-thirds of all cases of child abuse and neglect involve substance abuse. We can either spend money dealing with this problem directly or spend more money dealing with the resulting costs. www. netcada.org ~ Serving Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Morris, Red River, Titus, Wood counties Un~eaWay Agent