Fact Sheet

Georgia Department of Human Resources
ADDICTION IN GEORGIA
The Problem More than 480,000 Georgia adults and youth need substance abuse treatment (8.1
percent of adults), including almost 18,000 adolescents and 105,000 women of childbearing age (15-44), based on DHR estimates for FY 2001. The most commonly abused drug in Georgia is alcohol, which accounts for 78 percent of the social costs of substance abuse. Substance abuse cost the state of Georgia an estimated $7.6 billion in 1997, including lost productivity, crime costs, motor vehicle accidents, medical costs and years of potential life lost. Multiple studies show that substance use and problems in Georgia and elsewhere are more frequent among whites than African-Americans, particularly adolescents, and among men than women. It is of great concern that the rate of use and problems among white female teens now nearly equals that among white male teens. Only 21 percent of adults and 15 percent of youth who have ever needed treatment have ever received it from either public or private services. Automobile crashes related to drugs and alcohol are the leading cause of death among youth and young adults. About 5 percent of licensed drivers in Georgia have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI); 42 percent of people with first-time DUIs and 84 percent of those with repeat DUIs have serious problems that require treatment.
The Resources During FY 2000, 28,614 Georgians were treated by the state of Georgia's substance
abuse services. For FY 2000, Georgia's budget was $92 million for substance abuse prevention and
treatment, including $40 million in state funds. A range of public addiction treatment services is now available in every part of
Georgia, but not all regions have all the services people need. Some residential programs may have waiting lists. The state funds 140 beds for youth substance abuse residential treatment. No regions are fully funded for the range of treatment needed by adolescents, including student assistance programs (identification and referral for youth at risk), day treatment, family treatment, and long-term residential treatment. During FY 2000, there were 116 TANF residential slots. The total capacity for FY 2000 was 160 slots. In FY 2001, we expanded the TANF slots by an additional 145 slots, effective September 30, 2000. Specialized residential treatment for women and children were developed in FY 2000. These services are an extension of the existing women's substance abuse services. The residential program accepts women and their minor children 13 and under. Each program provides therapeutic childcare to children of substance abusing women who are in treatment. Therapeutic childcare provides a nurturing environment that addresses and resolves behavioral issues from a therapeutic perspective.

Addiction In Georgia
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Each year approximately 50,000 people arrested for DUI related offenses are referred to Georgia's Risk Reduction Program. The program has been found to reduce by half the likelihood that persons who complete the program will have another DUI arrest.
Georgia Department of Human Resources Office of Communications www.dhr.state.ga.us September 2004