Put aside conflicts to address policies on public health
While I agree that the defunding of autism programs, including Camp Rising Sun, is not in the best interest of the state of New Mexico, it is a gross mistake to play us vs. them with programs that benefit people with autism and programs that battle addiction.
Addiction is also a disease. It is a disease that has many contributing factors, and it cannot simply be defined by poor choices. Furthermore, treatment for addiction and enabling addiction are not compatible. Many programs that serve people with addiction start by identifying enabling factors and separating them from the lives of those seeking treatment. Contrasting autism spectrum disorder against substance abuse is not a step in the right direction.
Rather than pitting two programs that are both underfunded in the current budget against each other, I think it would (be) more beneficial for supporters of these programs to find common ground and work together toward a New Mexico that we can all be proud of.
While there are many types of addiction that do not involve legal or illegal substances, the numbers for substance abuse alone are staggering. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 1 out of 15 Americans fought substance abuse in 2014, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration reported that 1 out of 40 Americans suffered from both addiction and a mental health disorder in the same year.
Based on these numbers and the numbers provided by Janet Robertson in her June 30 op-ed, “Autism camp defunding is wrong,” it would not be a mischaracterization to say that there are many Americans and New Mexicans who could and would benefit from increased spending on both treatment for addiction as well as programs for people with ASD.
Beyond ASD and substance abuse, there are many other diseases and disorders that have special interest groups, and those groups are also largely underfunded by the state and federal governments. Why not join forces and work together toward increased spending on disease prevention and control for everyone? We can all benefit when we help each other in times of need.