Government funding for addiction treatment services is falling woefully short of growing requirements, says the National Committee for Addiction Treatment (Ncat).
The lobby group says dozens of people with addiction problems are missing out on help.
Co-chairwoman Chris Kalin said the addiction treatment sector as a whole was
seriously under-resourced and waiting lists for services were growing.
Ms Kalin said Odyssey House, Auckland's largest residential service with well over 100 beds, had 133 people on its waiting list.
The Salvation Army's Bridge programme operated 55 beds in Mt Eden, Waitakere, and Manukau, and had a waiting list of 55 for the Mt Eden facility alone.
Higher Ground, a private trust with 31 beds in Te Atatu, had a waiting list of 25 and was asking people to wait more than two months.
Ms Kalin said the range of addiction treatment options had increased over the last 10 years, in line with advances in addiction research, and the number of people seeking treatment had increased dramatically. The complexity of their needs had also increased. Ncat co-chairwoman and Alcohol Drug Association NZ chief executive Cate Kearney said funding had not kept pace with increased demand.
"Nor has it kept pace with the number of treatment techniques required to effectively treat the multiple problems many people now present with."
She said residential services helped severe alcohol and other drug-related problems, but it was not a one size fits all situation.
Ms Kearney said most people in residential services used multiple drugs, often had mental health problems, poor academic history, a poor work history and difficulties maintaining relationships.
- NZPA
