1970 The Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-616, The Hughes Act) is passed and establishes the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA.
Referred to as the “Hughes Act” for the pivotal role played by Senator Harold E. Hughes (IA) in its passage, this law recognized alcohol abuse and alcoholism as major public health problems and created the NIAAA to combat them. The road to passage and signing of this legislation was not easy. In the end, it required the courage of a number of recovered alcoholics “going public.” National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. About NIAAA. The History of NIAAA
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1970 The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (Uniform Controlled Substances Act).
Congress found that the illegal importation, manufacture, distribution, and possession and improper sale of controlled substances have a substantial and detrimental effect on the health and general welfare of the American people…Almost every state has enacted the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, intended to provide a foundation for a coordinated, federal-state system of drug control. Effective Drug Control: Toward a New Legal Framework: State-Level Regulation as a Workable Alternative to the “War on Drugs.” Seattle: King County Bar Association Drug Policy Project, 2005; pg. 83-84.
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1970 Washington State Department of Social and Health Services created to unify social services.
On July 1, 1970 five major units of Washington State Government – the Department of Health, Department of Institutions, Department of Public Assistance, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Veterans Rehabilitation Council – became one agency, the Department of Social and Health Services. The Office of Mental Health is located within the Social Services Division. The Alcoholism Section, assigned within the Office of Mental Health, can be clearly defined. Washington State Department of Social And Health Services, Washington State Alcoholism Plan. March 1973; pg. 59.
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DSHS – A History of Human Services. Introduction.
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By legislative enactment (RCW 70.96 and RCW 43.20A) the Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Health, is directed to conduct an alcoholism program. This legislation also directs the Department to “coordinate the efforts of all affected state, county, and local agencies.” The purpose of the Alcoholism Program, as stated in RCW 70.96.010, is to: “establish a state-wide program for study, treatment, and rehabilitation of persons suffering from alcoholism and those addicted to the use of alcoholic beverages, research into the causes and prevention of alcoholism and associated health problems, and public education relating thereto, by creating a program on alcoholism within the State Department of Health. A Comprehensive Plan to Combat Alcoholism in Washington State. November, 1970; pg. 1.
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1970 The Seattle Indian Health Board is chartered.
The Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) is a non-profit, multi-service community health center chartered in 1970 to serve the health care needs of AI/ANs living in the greater Seattle/King County region. Services include Chemical Dependency Services, Thunderbird Treatment Center, and outpatient CD counseling services. Seattle Indian Health Board. Celebrating 35 Years of Excellence in Health Care. About SIHB.
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1970 Drug Education for the ‘70’s Curriculum is created in November.
Drug Education for the 70’s is a curriculum developed to help educators understand the problems associated with alcohol and drug abuse and how significant the problem is in the schools. Drug Education for the ‘70’s:Grades Primary through Senior High. Olympia, WA: Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, c1969.
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1970 Seattle Treatment Center, WA State's first detoxification center opens in Seattle.
The Seattle Treatment Center, a 23 bed detoxification center for alcoholics and drug users, was opened early in 1970 by the City of Seattle. The majority of alcoholic patients are referred by the Seattle Police Department, but it is open to all persons in need of detoxification. A Comprehensive Plan to Combat Alcoholism in Washington State. November 1970; pg. 13.
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1970 Dr. James R. Milam self published “The Emergent Comprehensive Concept of Alcoholism.”
The basic thesis of this book was first conceptualized by the author in 1966, and first presented in a public lecture to specialists attending Seattle University Alcoholism Institute in June of 1968. The concept has been subsequently confirmed and refined in research and clinical experience with thousands of alcoholic men and women in all stages of deterioration and recovery in a wide variety of settings. Milam, James R. The Emergent Comprehensive Concept of Alcoholism. Kirkland, WA: ACA Press, 1970, Preface to Ninth Printing.
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1970 Dr. James R. Milam co-founds ALCENAS Hospital in Seattle.
In April of 1970, Doris Hutchinson and Dr. Milam co-founded ALCENAS as the model treatment program for demonstration of this new approach. ALCENAS Hospital: For Alcohol Problems. (Brochure)
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1971 Alcohol Safety Action Program in Washington State establishes PDD-Crash Program aimed at drinking drivers.
The State Department of Highways under a $1.9 million Department of Transportation contract is conducting an Alcohol Safety Action Program. One phase is PDD-Crash (for Problem Drinking Driver – Court Referred Action for Safer Highways). It was set up in January and began operation in April. The federal contract calls for the program to operate until December 1972 as a demonstration-action program. A driver in Seattle or King County who pleads guilty or is convicted of driving while intoxicated may be sentenced after a pre-sentence investigation to determine suitability to a 30-day stay at the Cedar Hills Alcohol Treatment Center for a special program for dinking drivers. Walla Walla Union Bulletin, “Drinking Driver Program Launched.” Thursday, November 25, 1971; pg. 26.
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1971 Walla Walla Drug Abuse Council is formed.
The Walla Walla Drug Abuse Council, Inc., was formed in January 1971 upon the recommendation of a 54 member study committee appointed by the Walla Walla City Council and the Walla Walla County Commissioners to study the drug abuse problem in Walla Walla city and county. The study group was appointed in December 1969 at the request of Governor Daniel J. Evans. “Walla Walla Drug Abuse Council, Inc. 1971 Report."
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1972 The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) is founded.
NAADAC (now known as the Association for Addiction Professionals, is the largest membership organization serving addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused health care professionals, who specialize in addiction prevention, treatment and education. Founded in 1972, NAADAC was created to represent the interests and concerns of substance abuse counselors. NAADAC The Association for Addiction Professionals. About NAADAC. (co-founded by Mel Schulstad)
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1972 Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) is created.
TASC is created by the Drug Abuse and Treatment Act to screen addicts in the criminal justice system and then to link and manage their involvement in treatment services. White, William L. Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America. Bloomington, IL: Chestnut Health Systems, 1998.
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1972 State legislature passes the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification Treatment Act.
In the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification Treatment Act, RCW 70.96A, the legislature has further declared it to be "the policy of this state that alcoholics and intoxicated persons may not be subjected to criminal prosecution solely because of their consumption of alcoholic beverages but rather should be afforded a continuum of treatment in order that they may lead normal lives as productive members of society. “
Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification
Treatment Act. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 29. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services,
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Washington was the first state to pass a uniform alcoholism treatment law decriminalizing public intoxication, and established a continuum of treatment for alcohol addiction. DSHS – A History of Human Services. Introduction.
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It is important to realize that the state of Washington anticipated the National reform by a decade, and is now at the forefront among the fifty states. It was not by chance that Washington was the first state to pass the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification Treatment Act. Washington State Council on Alcoholism, “Position Statement.” July 28, 1972; pg. 5.
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1972 The Citizens Advisory Council is created to advise DSHS on alcoholism and addictions.
The statute under which the Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction operates requires that it be composed of not less than seven nor more than 15 members. The Council is mandated to be broadly representative of citizens who have been recipients of treatment for alcoholism or other drug addiction and who have been in recovery from chemical dependency for a minimum of two years. At least two-thirds of the Council's members should be former recipients of treatment and not be employed in any occupation related to chemical dependency. The remaining members are to be chosen for their demonstrated concern with alcoholism and drug addiction, and drawn from the business, organized labor, judiciary, and minority communities. DSHS: Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. Who We Are.
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The Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Addictions is established under RCW 70.96A.070, enacted in 1972. We are dedicated volunteer advocates who advise and recommend to the Department of Social and Health Services rules, policies, and programs that will benefit: individuals and their families with alcoholism/addictions; families and individuals in high risk environments; and the larger community. Citizens Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. 2006 Annual Report.
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1972 The “Dolliver Statement” is issued by the Washington State Council on Alcoholism in opposition to removing the Alcoholism program from the Department of Health and placing it under the auspices of the Mental Health section.
This letter and position statement is in response to the requests of this information from other states facing a similar challenge. It was presented as the “Dolliver Statement” to James M. Dolliver, administrative aide to Governor Daniel J. Evans, in the fall of 1972. As part of the consolidation of several state departments and other agencies dealing with health and social problems in one “super agency”, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, the state’s alcoholism program was moved from what had been the department of health to what had been the community mental health section of the old department of institutions. The move was against the advice of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Alcoholism. In 1973, an amendment was added to the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification Treatment Act that clarified the state’s intention to keep the alcoholism program separate from the office of mental health. Washington State Council on Alcoholism, “Cover Letter to Go With Position Paper and “Dolliver Statement.” 1973.
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1972 Center for Addiction Services is founded in Seattle.
In 1972, the Center for Addiction Services after more than a year of joint planning the Seattle King County Drug Commission, and other local government agencies, and existing drug treatment programs was funded through a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. The grant established CAS primarily responsible for providing services and continuity of care to drug abusers in King County. The Center for Addiction Services: Seeking to Minimize Negative Effects of Drug Abuse Upon Both the Individual and the Community. (CAS Brochure 1978?)
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Therapeutic Health Services. Building Healthier Families and Healthier Communities: 2004 Annual Report.
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1972 Spokane opens a 13 bed dry-out (detox) facility.
The City of Spokane piloted an emergency medical service project by opening the 13 bed hospital affiliated dry-out facility to ensure that communities would have experience in providing detoxification services prior to the implementation of the Uniform Alcoholism Act, scheduled to go into effect in January 1975. Washington State Alcoholism Plan: March 1973. WA State Department of Social and Health Services; pg. 311.
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1972 The first program to treat court ordered drunk drivers (the pilot of deferred prosecution) begins at the Malden Center.
Legislation enacted by the 1971 Special Session and signed by Governor Evans (House Bill 314) has opened the door to a new approach to the problem, an approach to programs of treatment and rehabilitation. Courts may now make use of community treatment facilities and exert a measure of compulsion through the probation system. “MALDEN CENTERS Alcoholic Rehabilitation Centers: Alcoholism Training Workshop. “ May 20, 1972.
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1972 A Federal grant helps the King County Public Health Department create the Central Alcohol Agency, the first local state office to consolidate alcoholism treatment and services.
Public alcoholism programs in King County were initially part of the criminal justice system. The county's first major facility, the Cedar Hills Alcoholism Treatment Center in Maple Valley, opened in 1967 under the Sheriff's Office (subsequently the Department of Public Safety), and the affiliated Department of Rehabilitative Services maintained an "Alcoholic Section" in its Involuntary Treatment Division until 1974. Other alcoholism treatment services were provided by many public and private agencies. They were not coordinated in a comprehensive continuum of care, despite recommendations to that end by several citizens' committees. The Central Alcoholism Agency, established with federal grant funds in 1972 under the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health, was the first effort by local government to consolidate services. Centralization continued with Washington State's passage (1972) of the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxication Treatment Act, which decriminalized public inebriation and provided a discrete program of alcoholism treatment separate from the criminal justice and mental health systems. King County Archives and Records Management. Seattle-King County Department of Public Health: Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services Division. Record Group 112.06. Administrative Files.
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The Alcoholism Report. Vol.1, No. 5. December 22, 1972; pg. 7.
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1973 Vernon H. Johnson publishes “I’ll Quit Tomorrow: A Practical Guide to Alcoholism Treatment.”
This bestselling recovery classic has helped untold thousands of alcoholics onto the road of recovery. Written by the founder of the Johnson Institute in Minneapolis, this book became one of the country's most successful training programs for treatment providers. I'll Quit Tomorrow presents the concepts and methods that have brought new hope to alcoholics and their families, friends, and employers. AA Bibliography Home: I’ll Quit Tomorrow.
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1973 Office on Alcoholism is created as an agency separate from Mental Health under the Department of Social and Health Services.
House bill 2435 reflects the changing approach to alcoholism. It removed the state division on alcoholism from under the control of the state Office of Mental Health and made it a separate and equal Office on Alcoholism under the Department of Health Services. East Side Journal, “New alcoholism laws reflect changing ideas of treatment.” Wednesday, September 25, 1974; pg. A13.
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In 1973 the state legislature enacted Engrossed Senate Bill 2435, which has two primary thrusts. First, it very specifically separates alcoholism from mental health. Secondly, the Bill establishes county alcoholism administrative boards to allow for maximum control of planning, funding, and operation of alcoholism programs to be carried out at local and county levels. Washington State Comprehensive Alcoholism Plan, Fiscal Year 1977 (Draft), April 1, 1976; pg. 3.
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1973 The first clinical study establishing a relationship between alcohol consumption and birth defects takes place at the University of Washington. The syndrome is formally named: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
That year, University of Washington pediatricians Kenneth L. Jones, David W. Smith, and others, published a study of eight children born with serious developmental disabilities and a specific pattern of birth defects that could have been caused by gestational development. The children's mothers came from various ethnic groups, and had nothing in common except their alcohol abuse. Jones and Smith's study not only noted the connection between prenatal alcohol and developmental disabilities, but gave it a name: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “The Ethanol Bath: The Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit’s Continuing Battle Against Preventable Developmental Disorders.” Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2000.
Fetal alcohol syndrome was named in 1973 by two dysmorphologists, Kenneth Lyons Jones and David W. Smith of the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle. They identified a pattern of "craniofacial, limb, and cardiovascular defects associated with prenatal onset growth deficiency and developmental delay" in eight unrelated children of three ethnic groups, all born to mothers who were alcoholics. The pattern of malformations indicated that the damage was prenatal. News of the discovery was "shocking, and met at first with disbelief." Wikipedia: "The Free Encyclopedia. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder."
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1973 Alcohol and Drug Institute established at the University of Washington.
Recognizing the need to address the enormous problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse, the University of Washington established the Alcohol and Drug Institute in October of 1973 as an interdisciplinary research center in the Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center. From the beginning, the mission of the Institute has been to conduct and support substance abuse research at the University of Washington, and disseminate research finding in substance abuse…The Institute receives financial support from the State of Washington under state Initiative 171, which mandates that a portion of fees collected for state liquor licenses be allocated to the two state research universities for research on alcohol and drug abuse. Alcohol and Drug Institute, University of Washington: Overview of ADAI
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In 1972, Dean Joseph McCarthy of the Graduate School appointed an ad hoc committee to study state needs in the field of research and training in relation to Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. This committee was charged with the task of studying the needs of the agencies of the State of Washington for research and training in relation to alcoholism and drug addiction, particularly with regard to the impending enactment of Senate Bill 29, which provides for the recognition of alcoholism as a medical illness with the implication that public intoxication should not be treated as a criminal act. A group of professors including Albert Carlin (psychiatry), Lawrence Halpern (pharmacology), Alan Marlatt (psychology), and Roger Roffman (social work) submitted a proposal outlining plans for the establishment of an Institute which was submitted to Dean McCarthy in April 1973. Alcoholism and Drug Institute Annual Report. November 1973-September 1974; pg. 3.
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Eventually, in 1973, the Board of Regents established the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI) at the University of Washington which became the administrative structure for the Initiative 171 funds. The Institute was structured so as to be an independent unit within the Health Sciences, reporting directly to the Vice President for Health Sciences. “ADAI History.” (Unattributed memoir).
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1973 Evergreen Treatment Services opens in Seattle, pioneering treatment in opioid dependence.
ETS is a private, nonprofit addiction treatment service, and has earned a nationwide reputation for excellence in the treatment of opioid dependence and other addictive disorders. Evergreen Treatment Services: About ETS.
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1973 Sundown M Ranch adds inpatient treatment for women.
Sundown had implemented a day program of inpatient treatment for women, but it soon became apparent that many women needed the additional attention that they could not get as outpatients and needed the protection of inpatient treatment. In October of 1973, after some major alteration to the facility, nine women’s beds were made available. Sundown M Ranch Celebrating 35 Years: A History of Success, A Community of Recovery. Sundown M Ranch, 2003.
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1974 Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act is amended.
Public
Law 93-415 is amended. Located within the Office of Justice Programs of the
U.S. Department of Justice, OJJDP's goal is to provide national leadership in
addressing the issues of juvenile delinquency and improving juvenile justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention.
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1974 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is established.
In 1974 NIDA is established as the Federal focal point for research, treatment, prevention and training services, and data collection on the nature and extent of drug abuse. NIDA. About NIDA. Milestones in NIDA’s History.
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National Institute on Drug Abuse: 25 Years of Progress in Drug Abuse Research. A Special Supplement to NIDA’s Bimonthly Newsletter NIDA Notes.
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1974 The Association of Labor and Management Administrators and Consultants on Alcoholism, or ALMACA is created, (renamed the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, or EAPA, in 1989).
ALMACA provided another major boost to the Employee Assistance Program movement. ALMACA contributed to the dissemination and enhancement of EAP knowledge. Swanson, Robert C. Employee Assistance Handbook. Chapter II: Historical Overview and Evolution of Employee Assistance Programs. CONSAD Research Corporation, 1999.
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1974 Certification for Alcoholism Treatment Facilities, WAC 275-15.
Adopted early on in the state’s alcoholism program and based on a lot of input from the Washington State Council on Alcoholism, and the treatment community. FOCUS. Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Vol. 1, No.2, August/September, 1979; Pg 6.
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Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Title 275.
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1974 Washington State University establishes Alcoholism Studies Program.
The program, which is staffed by members of the Sociology and Psychology faculty, has three elements: an undergraduate Certificate program, a Masters program, and a pre- and post-doctoral research training program. Washington State Alcoholism Plan: Fiscal Year 1978. Action Plan & Appendices; pg. 55.
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1974 Group insurance policies in Washington State must include treatment for alcoholism.
Washington State became one of the first states in the nation to adopt legislation requiring all private group health plans include coverage of alcoholism treatment suggesting parity: “The legislature recognizes that alcoholism is a disease, and, as such, warrants the same attention from the health care industry as other similarly serious diseases warrant…” “Chemical Dependency & Health Insurance: Historical Recap.” Including Regulatory Changes Effective January 2000.
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House Bill 1077 states that all group insurance policies, as they are written or renewed, must include coverage for treatment of alcoholism at approved treatment centers. During the legislative process, the word “hospital” in the bill was changed to “treatment facility.” This made many more private treatment centers eligible for funds from insurance companies for the treatment of alcoholics. East Side Journal, “ New alcoholism laws reflect changing ideas of treatment.” Wednesday, September 25, 1974; pg. A13.
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In 1968, alcoholics were excluded from 60 percent of the general hospitals, and 40 percent of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans explicitly excluded coverage for alcoholism treatment. NIAAA advocated for the inclusion of alcoholism treatment as a benefit under health insurance and encouraged employers to support treatment for alcoholic employees. Because a voluntary expansion of benefits appeared unlikely, states changed insurance regulations and laws to mandate coverage for alcoholism treatment in group health insurance plans. The first states to require coverage for inpatient alcoholism treatment were Wisconsin (in 1972), Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Washington State (in 1974). Managing Managed Care: Quality Improvement in Behavioral Health. Institute of Medicine.
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1974 The Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit is created by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
The Department of Psychiatry founded the Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit (FADU), with Ann Streissguth, Ph.D., who had worked with Drs. Jones and Smith on their studies, as Director. In the years since, FADU has become one of the major research centers for the study of FAS and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), and Dr. Streissguth has become a recognized expert in the field. University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “The Ethanol Bath: The Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit’s Continuing Battle Against Preventable Developmental Disorders.” Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2000.
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1974 Comprehensive Health Education Foundation (CHEF) becomes a nonprofit in October.
C.H.E.F.
was incorporated on October 2, 1974, as a nonprofit dedicated to the
advancement of health through education. Our first venture into publishing came
with Here's Looking at You®, a drug prevention and education curriculum. Here's Looking
at You was developed by Comprehensive Health Education Foundation (C.H.E.F.®),
a nonprofit organization that supports health education in schools and
communities through the development of nationally recognized prevention and
health education materials and services. Comprehensive Health Education Foundation: Mission and History of
C.H.E.F.
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1974 Dial-A-Bottle is started in Seattle.
Dial-A-Bottle was a phone referral system for people with alcohol abuse questions. The service ran from late afternoon to midnight and expanded to 24 hours by 1978. Dial-A-Bottle folded in 1978, and was resurrected by volunteers in 1979 as the 24 Hour Alcohol Drug Helpline. “Chronological order of growth in the chemical dependency field." (Unattributed Memoir).
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She (Eva Page) started Dial-A-Bottle on September 2, 1974, a concept she developed after her husband died form alcoholism. Seattle Times. “Dial-A-Bottle was filled with red ink.” Monday, July 11,1977; pg. A10.
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1975 U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services codifies regulations on Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records in 42 C.F.R. Part 2.
Congress recognized that the stigma associated with substance abuse and fear of prosecution deterred people from entering treatment and enacted legislation that gave patients a right to confidentiality. The Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulation and the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Implications for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Programs. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. June 2004.
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Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42 – Public Health. Part 2.
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1975 First Oxford House is established.
Oxford House is a self-run, self-supported recovery house program for individuals recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. Oxford Houses assure an alcohol and drug free living environment. The first Oxford House, for 13 men, was started in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1975. “OXFORD HOUSE – A Concept, System of Operations and Traditions: Recovery, Responsibility, and Replication.”
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Oxford House.
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1975 Alcoholism treatment act implemented in Washington; decriminalizes public intoxication.
In February, 1972, the state legislature passed the Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxification Treatment Act (statutory designation: 70:96A, Revised Code of WA). As originally passed, the date of implementation was scheduled for January 1, 1974. During the 1973 extraordinary legislative session, the Department of Social and Health Services recommended postponing implementation. As a result, the implementation date was January 1, 1975. Washington State Comprehensive Alcoholism Plan, Fiscal Year 1977 (Draft), “History of the State Alcoholism Program.” April 1, 1976; pg. 3.
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King County is gearing up to respond to the change in law decriminalizing alcoholism. Both a new county treatment facility and the law will be in operation by the first of the year. East Side Journal, “ County to have treatment facility.” Wednesday, September 25, 1974; pg. A13.
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1975 Deferred prosecution for DWI offenders passed in state legislature.
In 1975 an enlightened state legislature recognized that some persons run afoul of the law not because they are criminals, but because they cannot help it. The lawmakers recognized that the most effective way to keep the alcoholic from driving drunk was to get him to stop drinking. Out of this inspiration was born RCW 10.05, the deferred prosecution statute. Cowan, Douglas L. and Hayne, Stephen W. Defending DWI’s in Washington, (2nd edition) Lexus/Nexus, 1998; pg. 92.
Deferred prosecution is a unique policy. No other states have a policy (law) like it, and few have anything similar. Deferred prosecution is a true intervention initiative. It recognizes that crisis is often the best incentive to motivate changes in behavior or confront dysfunctional or unhealthy life-styles. It also recognizes the disease nature of chemical addictions, and the "loss of control" that accompanies chemical dependency and many mental health diagnoses. Ethics and the Law: Washington State’s Deferred Prosecution Intervention Policy.
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Washington State has a proud history of progressive policies in the area of alcohol and other drug abuse treatment. It was among the first states in the country to link offenders convicted of Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI) to community treatment services. Washington’s Alcohol and Other Drug Information School is considered a model for similar programs adopted in other states. Interlaced throughout Washington’s criminal laws are linkages to alcohol and other drug treatment services, reflecting not only this state’s awareness of the destructive role those substances play in society, but also the importance of treatment and education as an intervention. Washington’s deferred prosecution policy may possibly be the most progressive example of that value system, and remains unique as the only treatment intervention program of its kind in the country. Ethics and the Law: The Legislative History of Deferred Prosecution.
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RCW 10.05. Deferred Prosecution – Courts of Limited Jurisdiction.
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Basically the law provides that an individual arraigned in a court of limited jurisdiction on a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charge may petition the court for “deferred prosecution” if (1) the act was a result of alcohol, drug, or mental problems and (2) unless treated, there is a high probability the act will be repeated. FOCUS. Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Vol. II, No. 2, May 1980; pg. 5.
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1975 Guidelines for Alcoholism Counselor Qualifications established.
The attached guidelines are the result of three years of developmental work by alcoholism service agencies, the Washington State Council on Alcoholism, the Alcoholism Professional Staff Society and the Office of Alcoholism. The criteria set forth in these guidelines were developed with the intent that they would be used by a duly constituted certifying body (either governmental or independent). While efforts are still moving in this direction, the Office of Alcoholism has adopted these criteria as departmental guidelines to be used by service agencies and the office in evaluating the qualifications of service agency counseling staff. Washington State Alcoholism Plan: Fiscal Year 1977. Volume I: Action Plan & Volume II: Appendices; Appendix E.
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1975 Washington Indian Commission on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse is established.
The Commission is established through a contract with the State Office of Alcoholism. The objectives of the Commission are to sponsor, develop, and promote the development of a system of comprehensive alcohol services in the State of Washington. Washington State Indian Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Indian Alcoholism Plan: Fiscal Year 1979; pg. 41.
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The Commission is an all-Indian organizatin chartered withing the State of Washington as a non-profit corporation. The primary purpose of the organization is to provide a collective voice for tribal and urban Native American alcoholism programs in order to promote, plan and coordinate alcoholism and drug abuse services among all of the Indians and Alaskan natives in the state. Washington State Comprehensive Alcoholism Plan: Fiscal Year 1977; pgs. 35 & 75.
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1975 Seattle University lists classes officially as “Alcohol Studies Courses,” and it becomes an identifiable program of study. A certificate is offered in Alcohol Studies.
Starting in the Fall Quarter of 1975, the (Seattle University) courses were offered as “Alcohol Studies Courses” and listed as “ALC” courses….Initially the Program offered a 20-credit Certificate in Alcohol Studies with 18 credits in required courses and two elective credits. The required courses included two Field Experiences in which the students were required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of supervised work experience in an approved alcoholism agency. Some minor changes were made, and an Advanced Certificate in Alcohol Studies was added; that Certificate required an additional 16 credits in Alcohol Studies courses. “A Short History of the Seattle University Alcohol Studies Program.” (Unattributed Memoir).