Texas & U.S. Drug Treatment Gap to Be Highlighted at News Conference 11 a.m. June 23 By Former U.S. Drug Czar, U.S. Music Industry/Grammys Addiction Services Leader, Miss Texas 2007, San Antonio Police Chief, Nation's Leading Treatment CEO, Experts

Witte Museum, San Antonio—11 a.m. THURS. JUNE 23: 3801 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

Media Invited to News Conference, Q&A with leaders, and follow-on lunch with attendees

Will Discuss Huge Official Treatment Gap Numbers Not Widely Known, Exploding Prescription Drug Abuse, New FDA-Approved Science-based Treatment and Breakthroughs, Treatment Impact on Reducing Crime and Improving Lives, and New Tricare Help to Military Service Members Returning from Wars Abroad

SAN ANTONIO, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Texas and the U.S. drug treatment gap—nearly two million in Texas and 24 million nationwide who "need but do not receive" drug or alcohol treatment, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), huge numbers that are not widely known, will be highlighted at a news conference by national and local leaders 11 a.m. Thursday, June 23 at San Antonio's Witte Museum.

Among the speakers will be Four-Star General (ret) Barry McCaffrey, the former White House Drug Czar; Harold Owens, the Senior director of MusiCares, the charity arm of the national Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Grammy Organization, who is director of its addiction recovery and treatment services program and who has helped many famous artists; and Molly Hazlett Simmons, Miss Texas 2007, whose platform and passion remain drug education, also National Spokesman for Mothers Against Drug Driving (MADD), who will tell personal experiences of classmates that have motivated her.

In addition, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus will discuss the impact of drug treatment and awareness on reducing crime. Dr. Walter Root, Co-President of the Bexar County Psychiatric Association, will announce his medical experiences with patients utilizing a new FDA-approved monthly treatment as an alternative to a daily regimen. CRC Health Group, the nation's largest behavioral and substance abuse treatment provider, and its Starlite Recovery Center at Center Point Texas, who is hosting the San Antonio News Conference, will be represented by CRC CEO Andy Eckert and COO Jerry Rhodes.

In addition to the Texas and national treatment gaps, participants at the news conference will discuss the quadrupling of opiate prescription drug abuse including OxyContin, which General McCaffrey has called "the new heroin," an explosion of abuse which the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy now estimates has higher numbers than crack and heroin. Experts will discuss the newest FDA-approved science-based monthly treatment for opiate addiction which allows one decision a month instead of thirty by addicts. Panelists will announce and discuss the importance of new Tricare help to returning military from wars abroad; and treatment access and information's impact on reducing crime and improving lives for all substance abuse victims.

The Witte Museum is located at 3801 Broadway, San Antonio TX 78209. The public is invited to the event free of charge.

Contact: Bob Weiner/Khurram Abbas 301-283-0821 or 202-306-1200

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates and CRC Health Group