NATIONAL AND STATE SPENDING ON SPECIALTY ALCOHOLISM-TREATMENT - 1979 AND 1989

The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit Survey was used to measur e changes in specialty alcoholism treatment spending between 1979 and 1989 nationally and by state. National spending more than doubled from $1.6 billion to $3.8 billion in 1989 dollars. Private spending increa sed more rapidly than public spending, although most clients continue to be publicly funded. Dramatic differences across states in public fu nding growth were partially explained by differential increases in per capita income and in federal substance abuse block grants. Access to treatment continues to vary widely across the states.