National and state spending on specialty alcoholism treatment: 1979 and 1989.

The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit Survey was used to measure changes in specialty alcoholism treatment spending between 1979 and 1989 nationally and by state. National spending more than doubled from $1.6 billion to $3.8 billion in 1989 dollars. Private spending increased more rapidly than public spending, although most clients continue to be publicly funded. Dramatic differences across states in public funding growth were partially explained by differential increases in per capita income and in federal substance abuse block grants. Access to treatment continues to vary widely across the states.