Pubdate: Fri, 09 Jan 2009 Source: Dowagiac Daily News (MI) Copyright: 2009 Dowagiac Daily News Contact: http://www.dowagiacnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1554 Author: John Eby Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) LEHMAN: MEDICAL MARIJUANA 'BIG MISTAKE' CASSOPOLIS - Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network serves as a "safety net" for Cass County citizens. Seventy percent of its consumers are unemployed or employed part-time. Males outnumber females 2:1. Consumers' median income is $16,000. Their median age is 33, Steve Lehman reported to the Board of Commissioners Thursday night. Lehman, who has been addiction services supervisor for 24 years during a 37-year career which also includes Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties, told Commissioner Ron Francis, R-Cassopolis, he believes Michigan voters made a "big mistake" in approving medical marijuana Nov. 4. "From a treatment point of view, it will increase the use of marijuana," Lehman said. "I don't know that it will increase addiction per se. Frankly, from a treatment point of view, I believe in most areas where that law has been in effect, while there have been some benefits, it's outweighed by the negative effects of making that drug available to people who don't have a legitimate need for it." Woodlands Addictions Center in Vandalia employs four full-time therapists and 1.5 FTE (fulltime equivalent) staff. Lehman said the generous support of the Cass County commission through allocation of P.A. 2 liquor excise dollars from Cobo Hall in Detroit helped Woodlands maintain a basic program structure for many years in the absence of any state funding increases for 15 years. "We sincerely appreciate this stable allocation these many years in support of our services," Lehman said. Basic services offered to those age 12 and older include substance abuse outpatient individual and family therapy, group therapy, assessment and referral services, educational services and community corrections programming. Woodlands' program typically admits 350 to 400 people per year. The predominant diagnosis is related to alcohol - 55 percent on average - followed by marijuana (20 percent), cocaine (10 percent) and methamphetamine (8 percent for the past six months). "What that says to me is more people are seeking treatment services," Lehman said. Other substances constitute about 10 percent of admissions. Growing in numbers of those seeking services are persons with co-occurring disorders which require coordinated mental health and psychiatric services. Lehman said Woodlands is "very unique" in the way substance abuse and mental health services are integrated, including at the 10-bed residential treatment center in Vandalia. "Innovative program highlights" include: - - Family Treatment Court: FTC brings the Drug Court concept to Judge Susan Dobrich's Family Court. Staff from addictions services participate weekly in team staffing and court hearings. - - Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT): Mental health case managers, therapists and addictions staff meet regularly to cover those consumers with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse needs to enhance integrated care. - - Community Corrections Educational Series: Addiction services have been provided to the jail for more than 20 years, bringing assessment and cognitive behavioral group therapy to offenders who are incarcerated related to substance abuse disorders. This close, supportive working relationship with Sheriff Joe Underwood's office and Community Corrections enables many to begin recovery while incarcerated. - - Methamphetamine Aftercare Group: Lehman said Woodlands sincerely appreciates the support of the Sheriff's Office and funding from the county drug millage for implementation of this new group. Men and women participate in up to one year of aftercare in this service for methamphetamine addiction. This is an out-of-custody group for those who were incarcerated and started therapy while in jail or prison before release back into the community. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom