Testimony of Mr. Robert Newton

Testimony of Mr. Robert Newton
Licensed Professional Treatment Program
Betty Ford Center

before the
Congressional Subcommittee on Education Reform

February 11, 2004

The Betty Ford Center is a non-profit licensed addiction hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. Mrs. Ford opened the facility in October 1982 to help those suffering from alcoholism and other drug addiction and their families. The center has helped over 61,000 people since its opening. Levels of care provided at the Betty Ford center include: inpatient care, residential day treatment, and intensive outpatient services. We have specialty programs including our licensed professional program, family and children’s programs.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that more than 6 million children live with at least one parent who abuses or is dependent on alcohol or an illicit drug. The Betty Ford Center’s Children’s Program attempts to help children whose parents have struggled with addiction by providing a program where they can learn problem-solving, coping and self-care strategies.

The Betty Ford Center is a member of the Partnership for Recovery (PFR), a public policy coalition comprised of nine of the nation’s leading alcohol and drug addiction treatment providers and the field’s trade association, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP). Members include: the Betty Ford Center, Bradford Health Systems, Caron Foundation, Cumberland Heights, Father Martin’s Ashley, Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Hazelden Foundation, NAATP, Sierra Tucson, and Valley Hope Association. The PFR was formed in 1997 because the Centers share a common philosophy in the treatment and care of individuals and their families suffering from chemical dependency and share a common interest in shaping policy that affects those in or seeking recovery. The treatment providers offer a continuum of care including traditional and intensive outpatient, residential inpatient, day or partial care and sub-acute detoxification. Each PFR facility also utilizes American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Patient Placement criteria to determine admission, length of stay and discharge for all levels of care.

BACKGROUND

I have worked in the chemical dependency field since 1986 as a counselor, educator, and administrator. I have been a CADC [certified alcohol drug counselor] since 1988. I currently work at the Betty ford center as a business development associate and counselor. I’ve also worked in many school systems presenting numerous lectures and seminars regarding prevention and intervention to substance use for students, teachers, administrators and coaches. Some of my work with youth included SAP [Student Assistance Program] counseling for a high school in Tacoma, WA. where I evaluated adolescents for chemical use, provided individual counseling and family education. This work also included training teachers, administrators and coaches about signs and symptoms of chemical use problems in the school. The SAP experience was extremely insightful and a valuable experience. I was able to provide early intervention for numerous young people experiencing alcohol and other drug abuse and/or addiction. This early intervention gave the young person an opportunity to seek counseling and/or treatment. I observed many young people turn their lives around from the SAP process. I have great concern that the Student Assistance Program is diminishing throughout the country because of budget woes. Many young people will suffer from not having an SAP on every high school and middle school campus.

The Seattle Seahawks football team also utilized my services as a consultant regarding their alcohol/drug programs. I provided evaluations, individual counseling and trainings for players and staff and treatment recommendations. My past work also included evaluation specialist and educator for the University of Nebraska athletic department.

Prior to my work in the chemical dependency field I played in the National Football League for eleven years as an offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears [1971-1975] and Seattle Seahawks [1976-1981]. I was a team member on the first national Championship college football team for the University of Nebraska in 1970. I was also honored as a consensus All-American offensive tackle in 1970.

My NFL career ended in 1982 because of my alcoholism and other drug dependencies. I entered alcoholism treatment in July 1983 and I’m very grateful that I have been clean and sober since July 12, 1983. One of the aspects I learned about my alcoholism while I was in treatment is the mixed messages I received as a young teenager about alcohol use. I had my first drink of alcohol [beer] at age 13 as a result of peer pressure from one of my friends. I had a few other beers that afternoon and became very sick. But I did not heed this warning and continued to drink through high school because I felt drinking alcohol had something to do with being mature and being a man. Again, I had received confusing messages about alcohol from my friends and alcohol advertisements and did not have the leadership at home from my family because my dad had a severe problem with alcohol. Although I had a successful college football career and played a long time in the NFL, I never played up to my potential and alcohol use caused me to be cut from the Seahawks. Alcohol caused major legal problems in my life regarding DUI’S. I had my first DUI at age seventeen. Alcohol was a big factor in my divorce and severely impaired my physical and mental health.

THE SCOPE OF THE UNDERAGE DRINKING PROBLEM

Today I feel our young people are still receiving mix messages regarding alcohol. Underage drinking is a serious widespread problem in America that deserves immediate Congressional action. Approximately 10.7 million underage Americans, 28.8 % of the 12 to 20 age group, reported drinking alcohol in the month prior to being surveyed by the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and 7.2 million of those teens are classified as binge drinkers. Furthermore, underage drinkers are responsible for almost 20% of all alcohol consumed in the United States, with $22.5 billion spent on alcohol in 1999.

Teens and adults incorrectly view alcohol as less harmful than other drugs and, while many Americans view teen drinking as a right of passage, we cannot ignore the serious long and short-term consequences associated with illegal underage drinking.

UNDERAGE DRINKING AND ILLICIT DRUG USE ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO YOUTH SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SUICIDE

As I can tell you first hand, underage drinking and alcohol abuse can result in serious negative consequences in the lives of our nation’s youth. Early experimentation with alcohol puts teens at a greater risk for developing a problem with alcohol and/or substance abuse. A study released just last month found that the basis for adult substance abuse has been generally established for a person by the time he or she finishes high school. Youth who begin drinking before age 15 are four times likelier to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. Furthermore, alcohol use strongly associates with illicit drug use and 30.7% of heavy drinkers aged 12 and older concurrently use illicit drugs. Thus, the Partnership for Recovery and the Betty Ford Center applaud the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)’s new ad campaign that debuted during the Super Bowl that links youth alcohol consumption with substance abuse. ONDCP reports that this ad ranked as the number one Super Bowl ad among viewers aged 17 and under and we hope that additional ads will be forthcoming.

Underage drinking can damage developing brains and put our children at higher risk for sexual assault and suicide. For example, one study found that 37% of eighth grade females who drank heavily reported attempting suicide, compared with 11%who did not drink. NIAAA reports that "underage alcohol use is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined" and in 2002, 24% of drivers ages15 to 20 years old who were killed in crashes were intoxicated. We need to tackle this problem before it destroys or ends the lives of any more American children.

THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING

The economic consequences associated with underage drinking are staggering. The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council (IOM/NRC) report released last September found that underage drinking costs the nation an estimated $53 billion annually in losses stemming from traffic fatalities, violent crime, and other behaviors that threaten the well-being of America's youth. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would approximately total more than $120 million per district.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Congress has the opportunity to help curtail underage drinking – a problem that will not go away on its own. The IOM/NRC report made several recommendations on necessary steps to reduce underage drinking. The Betty Ford Center and the PFR urge Congress to act as swiftly as possible to enact these recommendations. While I realize that not all of the recommendations are within the purview of this Committee, I believe they deserve Congressional attention.

REFORM ADVERTISING

Alcohol companies, advertising companies, and commercial media should refrain from marketing practices (including product design, advertising, and promotional techniques) that have substantial underage appeal and should take reasonable precautions in the time, place, and manner of placement and promotion to reduce youthful exposure to other alcohol advertising and marketing activity

The alcohol industry trade associations, as well as individual companies, should strengthen their advertising codes to preclude placement of commercial messages in venues where a significant proportion of the expected audience is underage, to prohibit the use of commercial messages that have substantial underage appeal, and to establish independent external review boards to investigate complaints and enforce the codes

Congress should appropriate the necessary funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to monitor underage exposure to alcohol advertising on a continuing basis and to report periodically to Congress and the public. The report should include information on the underage percentage of the exposed audience and estimated number of underage viewers of print and broadcasting alcohol advertising in national markets and, for television and radio broadcasting, in a selection of large local or regional markets

FUND HHS UNDERAGE DRINKING MEDIA CAMPAIGN

The federal government should fund and actively support the development of a national media effort, as a major component of an adult-oriented campaign to reduce underage drinking

Intensive research and development for a youth-focused national media campaign relating to underage drinking should be initiated. If this work yields promising results, the inclusion of a youth-focused campaign in the strategy should be reconsidered

DEVELOP A FEDERAL STRATEGY TO PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING

A federal interagency coordinating committee on prevention of underage drinking should be established, chaired by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The annual report of the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on underage drinking should include key indicators of underage drinking

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey and the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) should be revised to elicit more precise information on the quantity of alcohol consumed and to ascertain brand preferences of underage drinkers

RAISE ALCOHOL EXCISE TAXES

Congress and state legislatures should raise excise taxes to reduce underage consumption and to raise additional revenues for this purpose. Top priority should be given to raising beer taxes, and excise tax rates for all alcoholic beverages should be indexed to the consumer price index so that they keep pace with inflation without the necessity of further legislative action

SUPPORT COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION EFFORTS

Community leaders should assess the underage drinking problem in their communities and consider effective approaches—such as community organizing, coalition building, and the strategic use of the mass media—to reduce drinking among underage youth

Public and private funders should support community mobilization to reduce underage drinking. Federal funding for reducing and preventing underage drinking should be available under a national program dedicated to community-level approaches to reducing underage drinking, similar to the Drug Free Communities Act, which supports communities in addressing substance abuse with targeted, evidence-based prevention strategies

STRENGTHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS

States should strengthen their compliance check programs in retail outlets, using media campaigns and license revocation to increase deterrence

States and localities should implement enforcement programs to deter adults from purchasing alcohol for minors

States should facilitate enforcement of zero tolerance laws in order to increase their deterrent effect

Local police, working with community leaders, should adopt and announce policies for detecting and terminating underage drinking parties

I understand that Representatives Frank Wolf (R-VA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Zach Wamp (R-TN) intend to introduce legislation containing a Office of Public Health and Science and U.S. Surgeon General funded media campaign aimed at reducing underage drinking. From my own experience, I know that such a campaign would be invaluable for the millions of American youth who are bombarded with mixed messages about drinking.

On behalf of the Betty Ford Center and the Partnership for Recovery, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on such an important issue affecting America’s youth. We look forward continuing to work with Congress to reduce and prevent underage drinking. Thank you.