Alcohol Assessment and Treatment

MADD supports mandatory alcohol assessment of all DUI/DWI offenders with mandatory alcohol treatment for all repeat DUI/DWI offenders for a period of at least one year with close supervision and monitoring to ensure compliance with the treatment program.

MADD supports the development and use of special minimum-security facilities for incarceration of convicted DUI/DWI offenders with alcohol assessment and treatment programs required as part of the incarceration.

MADD supports efforts to provide funds for impaired driving programs including adequate DUI/DWI prevention, deterrence programs, education, law enforcement, substance abuse treatment and victim assistance through the use of offender-generated fees and fines as well as other assessments including alcohol beverage taxes to ensure a reliable source of funding for effective programs and to place the burden of these programs where it belongs; on the drunk driver.

MADD supports a prevention component to health care reform and supports a substantial increase in taxation on alcoholic beverages as a means of covering the costs to society caused by the misuse of alcohol and as a means of supporting prevention programs including countermeasures to alcohol-impaired driving.

MADD supports an increase in excise taxes on wine and beer to alcoholic equivalent to taxes on distilled spirits and indexation of tax rates applicable to alcoholic beverages as a means of covering costs to society caused by misuse of alcohol and as a means of supporting prevention programs including countermeasures to alcohol-impaired driving.

MADD opposes the use of diversionary, Probation Before Judgment or similar programs which would enable offenders charged with DUI/DWI offenses to avoid statutory sanctions that would otherwise be imposed upon arrest and/or conviction and record of conviction and license sanctions.

Insurance Industry Barriers

MADD believes that medical benefits coverage in health insurance policies should permit hospital personnel to screen trauma patients (including blood alcohol testing) for alcohol treatment as necessary. In order to achieve this hospital intervention, MADD supports the removal of exclusionary coverage provisions which provide any barrier to medical or drug and alcohol treatment in health insurance policies and the elimination of sections of state laws and regulatory policies that allow such exclusions.

DUI/DWI Courts

MADD supports the use of post-adjudication DUI/DWI courts that employ the strategies of close supervision, frequent testing, and ongoing judicial interaction to integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with the justice system. DWI/DUI courts should not be used to avoid a record of conviction and/or license sanctions.