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

631(e) Therapeutic communities.(f) Hospital based treatment programs.(g) Educational centers.(h) Acute detoxification centers.( i ) Computer services,(j) Central registry.It is my intention to develop a minimum of 26 centers to include a varietyof modalities with special attention to prevention as it pertains to the adolescent.In the event the Federal Government continues to play a passive role withrespect to our monetary crises, the numbers of heroin addicts in Detroit couldapproximate 40,000 in a year.Gentlemen, our services to the citizens of Detroit have been drastically curtailed.The failure to provide medical/social services for drug dependency willbecome unmanageable without adequate Federal Revenue.Sincerely,Roman S. Gribbs, Mayor.[Exhibit No. 26(c)]Statement of George A. Athanson, Mayor, Hartford, Conn.Hartford, Conn, is a geographically small city (18.4 square miles) in centralConnecticut, surrounded by relatively affluent suburban towns. The city has apopulation of 158,000 including about 44,000 black ijeople and 20.000 PuertoRicans. The capital region, 30 town area, of which Hartford is the hub, has apopulation of over one-half million.Conservative estimates of hard drug users in Hartford suggests about 2.000to 3.000 heroin addicts. About one-half of this number are addicted to substantialamounts of the drug requiring expenditures of $50 to $100 lyer day.The crime i*ates, especially breaking and entering, shoplifting, burglary, andmugging are increasing due in large part to drug dependency. Drug-relatedarrests by the police department are ranging in the neighborhood of one thousandannually. In addition to the major heroin problem, there is a large but indeterminateamount of usage of a variety of other di-ugs, both hard and soft.In the city, cocaine, alcohol and glue seem to pi'edominate. In suburban areas,there is a wide use of marihuana, amphetamines, bai'biturates, and hallucinogens.Further, and even more alarming, is the recent phenomenon of the "psychedelicdelicatessen". This phrase aptly describes the way drug and alcohol users indiscriminatelymix all varieties of both. Needless to say, the results of this practiceare fatal.At a recent meeting of the chief executives of the major drug treatment programs,certain recent trends or changes in drug usage were noted. All agencieshave noted a trend toward younger persons using hard narcotics—children inthe range of 12 years of age are being seen or referred to some progi-ams forcare. The younge.«t seen was age 9. This is also attested to by the increase inyouth drug offenders being sent to the juvenile detention centers in Meriden andCheshire. Conn., as well as the younger age group in the State jail in Hartford.The director of one of Hartford's methadone clinics estimates that nearly 100drug users between the ages of 12 and 15 have been seen by his facility.Another trend, noted by all agencies, was toward increasing use of drug combinationsby young i>eople. Particular attention was called to the use of heroinand alcohol (Boone's Farm Wine and Malt Duck) by urban young people experimentingwith drugs. The sight of children in the streets "stoned" duringregular school hours was noted. A separate new group of addicts, the Vietnamwar veteran, has recently appeared in Hartford. During the past year, 39 veteransaddicted to heroin approached one agency. Neither of the two Veterans' Administrationhopsitals (Newington and West Haven) has a drug service program.A variety of drug treatment programs has sprung up in an attempt to servethe needs of the community. Some of these programs were originally sponsoredby parents who had lost children to the drug culture.The most comprehensive programs for drug abuse are provided by the Alcoholand Drug Dependence Division of the Connecticut State Department of MentalHealth. With the assistance of a major grant from the National Institute ofMental Health, they currently offer the following programs :(1) Outpatient clinic care including group therapy, counseling, and vocationalrehabilitation.(2) Inpatient care in the Blue Hills Hospital including detoxification, a varietyof therapies, and long term followup.