Budget deficit may mean protecting, not expanding, substance abuse treatment programs

(The Center Square) – A prominent state senator indicated that fiscal reality could mean prioritizing and protecting substance abuse recovery programs that are already working over any plans to expand them. Washington state is facing a projected operating budget deficit of between $10 billion and $16 billion over the next four years. “I want to be realistic, but I am also optimistic and have faith in my fellow legislators and for me, success really means that we are protecting the programs that are already in play,” Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said at a Monday morning virtual meeting of the Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee, or SURSAC, that included legislative priorities for the upcoming session. “I’m not optimistic enough to talk about expansion.”