National Survey Finds Americans Overwhelmingly Prefer a Presidential Candidate Committed to Expanding Access to Addiction Treatment
December 1, 2015 Chris GatesThe majority of Americans report that track records of success should be considered when selecting an addiction treatment facility and whether or not treatment is covered by insurance.
Austin, Texas, Dec. 1, 2015 – With less than one year until Election 2016 and as America’s addiction epidemic receives increasing attention from citizens and policymakers, a nationally representative survey finds that 73 percent of American voters favor a presidential candidate willing to expand access to addiction treatment and recovery services. This is a key finding of the 2015 National Addiction and Recovery Survey commissioned by MAP Health Management and conducted by national survey research firm, The Mellman Group.
The survey of 1,007 Americans aged 18-plus, released today on Capitol Hill, measured the prevalence of substance abuse in the United States and the opinions of Americans about addiction. The study shows that 86 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Republicans, and 67 percent of Independents are more likely to support a presidential candidate who will expand treatment and recovery services.
Among other findings, the survey reports that seven in 10 (72%) of Americans believe that substance abuse is a chronic disease that should be treated as a health condition, far outnumbering the 22 percent who think substance abuse is a behavioral issue that should be treated by criminal punishment. This belief is strongest among the one in five Americans who have been personally touched by the disease.
The survey also confirms that 70 percent of Americans favor requiring addiction treatment facilities to demonstrate a science-based approach and an outcomes-based track record in order to receive government reimbursement for their services. And, they believe a facility’s track record of long-term success in treating substance abuse patients is the most important factor in selecting a treatment facility, among a list of seven factors.
“The survey results reveal that voters want a leader who will create solutions to address the addiction crisis that is costing our nation $650 billion dollars and 125,000 American lives annually,†said Jacob Levenson, CEO of MAP Health Management, LLC, who founded the MAP Recovery Network. “Americans recognize addiction is a chronic disease and they support policies to ensure they receive the high quality, outcomes-based treatment they deserve.â€
“Too many addiction treatment providers are using unproven, non-scientific approaches to care that provide little to no follow up once a client leaves their facility. It is clear that our country needs to expand access to recovery programs and improve measurable outcomes if we are to successfully treat this disease,†said Levenson.
“We need to ensure our country’s policies support reimbursement for outcomes-based addiction treatment, in order for every behavioral healthcare patient to get the help they need to achieve long-term recovery,†said Dr. Thomas G. Kimball, Ph.D., LMFT, the George C. Miller Family Regents Professor, Director of the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery at Texas Tech University and a Clinical Director with MAP.
To access the full report of the 2015 National Addiction and Recovery Survey, click here.
The MAP Recovery Network is the most comprehensive standardized, outcomes-driven network comprised of more than 50 addiction treatment providers throughout Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas. The network functions to empower an alliance of providers who demonstrate and improve treatment outcomes with the data necessary to navigate the changing reimbursement paradigm and provide quality providers with a way to effectively differentiate themselves to consumers. The network also gives payers the ability to discern quality through performance backed by science and utilize providers who are best suited for patients on an individualized basis.
About MAP Health Management, LLC
MAP Health Management, LLC, which founded the MAP Recovery Network in 2015, is the industry leader in the provision of comprehensive outcome data, aftercare programs and revenue cycle management to addiction treatment providers across the country. Nationally recognized addiction treatment facilities trust MAP to help them navigate and thrive in the new healthcare paradigm. Since 2011, MAP’s dedicated team of research analysts, recovery advocates, technology professionals and billing experts have worked to improve patient outcomes, empower treatment providers with data, reduce costs and drive facility revenue. For more information, visit ThisIsMAP.com.
About The Mellman Group
The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, government agencies, corporations and the nation’s leading public interest groups for nearly twenty-five years. We are experts in the decision making process of consumers and voters, and have extensive experience developing effective communications strategies that lead people to choose our client’s product or service, join their organization, hold their opinion, or vote as we would like. For more information, visit www.mellmangroup.com.
