Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Talton and Hodge: Treatment needs mental health component

"A lot of people with mental illness self medicate," said Rep. Robert Talton this morning in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee during the debate over HB 2851. He and Rep. Terri Hodge asked Rep. John Davis to revise his bill which would require substance abuse evaluations of drivers whose license was suspended for DWI.

Rep. Hodge expressed concern that many people use buzzwords about "treatment" and "evidence based" approaches, but appeared not to include mental health components. A staffer from the Department of State Health Services said the proposed evaluation did not include evaluation for mental illness. Good points.

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