Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

246that came into my office, and I was sort of distressed to find out thatthe program he was talking about had longer than a 5-month waitingperiod and over and above and beyond that there was this geographicthino- where they said we don't service that particular area.Apparently what had happened is one program that had some openingssaid we don't service that area and the other program said wedon't service that program.I thought it was all your program.^Dr. GoLLAXCE. No ; there are a number of programs m New YorkCity. We are in four boroughs. We have others besides ours. The cityhas opened up several, the Bronx has a separate program.In our own network we have 14 hospitals, 30 clinics, and 3,200 patients.If we get the funds, we will go to 6,000 patients. We have themeans now to expand. We have trained staff to act as a nucleus forexpansion. It is not only a matter of money. It is to get space, to trainstall's, to get people willing to do this work. I think we are over mostof that hurdle.Mr. Brasco. You say you have the means. You say you have 3,200patients. What does that mean ? How many patients can you convertif you have the money and you have the staff ?Dr. GoLLANCE. They have been making funds available now andmore and more are getting intoMr. Brasco. How many additional patients would that be ?Dr. GoLLANCE. If we get what we ask for from the State—for example,we are financed entirely by the New York State Narcotics AddictionControl Commission—if they give us the funds we will jumpfrom 3,200 to 6,000 this year. That is just our program.Mr. Brasco. One last question.The diversion of methadone, when it is diverted in the streets, it isused, I take it, as a substitute for heroin, mainly because it is cheaper ;is that the reason ?Dr. GoLLANCE. From what I gather from all the addicts I havespoken to, they do not take methadone as a drug of choice. After he hasbecome addicted, after a while, the addict is not looking for the highs.He is looking to be comfortable. He doesn't want to be sick. Methadonewill prevent him from getting sick.Mr. Brasco. So that what you are saying^ then, is that the addictthat is using this in the street, when methadone is diverted, is using itin the same way that he would use it in your program, other than thefact that it isDr. GoLL.\NCE. He is trying to do it that way by and large. Thereare a number of psychotic individuals around. For example, our experiencehas been that anybody who takes heroin after 8 weeks in ourprogram, usually turns out to have a serious psychiatric problem. Hedoesn't get any high from it. He is a needle addict.Mr. Brasco. I have no further questions.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Steiger.Mr. Steiger. No questions.Chairman Pepper. Mr. Mann.Mr. Mann. Qualified personnel is a problem in the expanding medicalfield. How about your problems ?Dr. Gollance. Well, there has been a great improvement in ourprogram. For example, we are getting young doctors now who are