The issue of access to alcohol and drug services for people with disabilities has been creeping up on the national radar screen for 15 years. We have been working hard to spread the word that people with disabilities can develop substance abuse just like everyone else.
Addiction is an equal-opportunity problem.
What's not equal, however, is our access to recovery services. A small group of states, selected partly because of a demonstrated willingness to improve access, will receive an unprecedented level of training and technical assistance to increase the physical and programmatic accommodation of people with disabilities. As a response, we invited participation from programs interested in working to improve access. To date more than 100 organizations have joined the national Access Unlimited Coalition. Although our efforts are focused on a limited number of states, it is anticipated that the lessons learned will affect other states.