California's alcoholic rehabilitation program; a preliminary report.

CONFRONTED BY THE MOST SERIOUS ALCOHOLISM PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES, CALIFORNIA HAS BEGUN AN EXTENSIVE REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN THREE CATEGORIES: Treatment and rehabilitation services; study and investigation; education, information and training. Treatment clinics operate in seven cities and it is proposed to help finance further facilities in communities interested in their local alcoholic problem. Grants to medical schools for improved personnel training are also proposed. Basic and clinical research and epidemiologic, sociologic and follow-up studies are in progress. Public education to the problems of alcoholism, stressing that it is an illness requiring treatment, is under way. This multi-faceted approach is expected to supply answers to many of the questions surrounding alcoholism.