The League of Independent Welfare in Saxony is concerned about addiction counseling in the state. According to the league in Dresden, there are increasing signs of cutbacks at local authority level. "By 2026, the cuts in Dresden will have reached 20 percent. As a result, up to 530 people with addiction problems could remain without care," explained Karin Tenbusch, head of the Dresden Caritas addiction counseling center.
Associations: Political support for addiction counseling is essential
The league associations believe that political support for addiction counseling in Saxony is essential. "Addiction counseling needs to be protected by law so that it is not dependent on the budget situation of the municipalities," demanded David Eckardt, Managing Director of the AWO regional association in Saxony and current Chairman of the League of Independent Welfare in Saxony.
"One euro invested in addiction counseling saves at least 17 euros in follow-up costs. Addiction counselling helps to prevent social destabilization," Eckardt clarified. Above all, it is important to support affected families and prevent addiction from becoming "chronic".
Day of action for addiction counseling
On Thursday, the league wants to draw attention to the concerns of addiction counseling at a day of action. According to the information, there are a total of 48 addiction counseling and treatment centers in Saxony. However, there are major regional differences.
The league is an association of the leading non-statutory welfare organizations in Saxony. These include the state association of workers' welfare, the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Görlitz, the Diakonisches Werk Sachsen, the German Red Cross, the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband Sachsen and the state association of Jewish communities. With their facilities and services, the associations are responsible for a large part of the social landscape in Saxony. A total of around 110,000 people are employed here.
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