Advocacy in Austin

Extended Aftercare staff members Keith Liles, Kevin Foley, Clayton Goldberg and Anthony Davis recently traveled to Austin to support substance abuse related legislation in the Texas capitol by visiting with various state senators, representatives, and policy makers. The Texas Association of Addiction Professionals (TAAP) hosted the annual Legislative Advocacy Day on February 16. Addiction professionals from across the state joined together to lobby the state legislature for better support of Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors and the licensure process.

With the state budget being dramatically smaller than it has been in the past, many social services such as chemical dependency treatment funding, are being lessened or eliminated entirely. With Texas being one of the states with the highest number of chemically dependent residents, many addiction professionals feel there is absolutely no reason Texas should be 50th in ranking in funding for chemical dependency treatment.

“This legislation we are trying to get passed will directly affect me when I finish my clinical internship. The stringent rules in place surrounding licensure of Chemical Dependency Counselors are outdated and prevent people like myself, who have a passion for this work, from being able to help others without undue financial burdens and time limits,” states Clinical Intern Kevin Foley.