SAMHSA Unveils State Substance Abuse Data from 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health; Nebraska Had High Binge Drinking Rate and Ranked as Top Fifth State

Alaska has the highest rate of illegal drug use,
while North Dakota has the highest rate for binging on alcohol.
Utah had the lowest rate in the nation for binge alcohol use in the past
month among all persons ages 12 or older, 15. Binge alcohol use is
defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least one
day in the 30 days prior to the survey. The District of Columbia
had the highest rate of past year illicit drug dependence or abuse, 4.4 percent, for
marijuana use among those ages 12 and older in the past year, while Alaska had
the highest rate, 16.

WASHINGTON, There were 326 drug misuse deaths in
Utah in 2003, and another 45 drug-related suicides, the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced today. We must
encourage those in need to enter and remain in treatment before it's too late,
before they become a mortality statistic.
"Miami is a crucial location in the fight against drug addiction and
thus, represents an important market for Hythiam . Throughout his career
he has served as a consultant, advisory member and grant reviewer to
many Federal Agencies, including the Department of Health + Human
Services Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the
first-ever National Advisory Council of SAMHSA, Center for Substance
Abuse Treatment, having been appointed to that position by the former
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.

Hythiam is a healthcare services management company, focused on
delivering solutions for those suffering from alcoholism and other
substance dependencies. Additionally, Hythiam provides proprietary
administrative services to assist physicians and facilities with staff
education, marketing and sales support, and outcomes tracking for data
analysis.

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4.5 percent.
New Mexico had the highest percentage of persons ages 12 or older needing
treatment for an illicit drug use problem, but not receiving it, 3.
Kentucky had the highest rate of past month tobacco use among persons ages
12 or older, 39. Other metropolitan areas highlighted in the
report include Ogden-Clearfield, with a rate of 92 drug misuse deaths per
million population, and Provo-Orem, with a rate of 128 deaths per million.

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2 percent.

About The Village South

The mission of The Village South is to improve the health and well
being of individuals, families and their communities impacted by
substance abuse, mental disorder and other related social problems. John in the U. For further information please visit www.

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8 percent in North Dakota.0
percent.S.

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For current use -- use in the
past month -- Utah had the lowest rate, 4.
Virgin Islands.

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Other states with high past month use of any illicit drug include
Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Vermont and the District of Columbia. Unlike in
the past, DAWN now captures any death related to recent drug use, including
drug misuse, abuse, and drug-related suicides.
The full report is available online at http://dawninfo.D.

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6
percent.oas. For 2003, the rate of drug misuse deaths in Salt
Lake City was 183 deaths per million, a rate higher than the 139 deaths per
million for the state as a whole.
This is the first year that SAMHSA's Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) has
collected mortality data from states, as part of a redesigned DAWN.
The 2003 DAWN also has mortality data from jurisdictions in 32
metropolitan areas. This is an
exciting development in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction
for the citizens of Miami and South Florida.

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The highest rate of past year cocaine use among persons ages 12 or older
was found in Colorado, 3.
For 2003, DAWN includes mortality data for six states -- Maine, Maryland, New
Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah and Vermont . Department of Health and
Human Services.
"As founder of The Village South, I am pleased that they will be
offering a physiological alternative like the HANDS Protocols(TM)
which will provide us with a powerful additional tool for treating the
physiological aspects of substance dependence ," said Gissen. Pariente.

About HANDS(TM)

Hythiam's HANDS Protocols(TM) are designed for use by healthcare
providers to treat those diagnosed with dependencies to alcohol,
cocaine, methamphetamine and other addictive stimulants, as well as
combinations of these drugs. Changes in the neurochemistry of the brain
underlie the hallmarks of substance dependency, including craving,
tolerance, withdrawal symptoms and relapse.

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More
awards are expected this year. Its campus-like
facility is located in the downtown Miami and Art Deco district. Currently the National Business Development Director for
WestCare, Gissen has helped chart the course of numerous therapeutic
communities in the field of addiction treatment.S.hythiam. These risk factors include, among
others, limited operating history and lack of statistically
significant formal research studies, difficulty in developing,
exploiting and protecting proprietary technologies, intense
competition and substantial regulation in the healthcare industry; and
additional risks factors as discussed in the reports filed by the
company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are
available on its website at http://www.

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This compares with Kansas and Iowa, which had the lowest rate of
dependence or abuse, 2. The lowest rate was found in Idaho, 1.
Rhode Island had the highest rate of serious mental illness among persons
ages 18 or older, 11 percent, while Hawaii had the lowest rate in the nation
at 7.samhsa."
Of the drug misuse deaths for Utah, 56 percent came from the Salt Lake
City metropolitan area. WestCare specializes in helping
people traditionally considered difficult to treat, such as those who
are indigent, have multiple disorders, or are involved with the
criminal justice system. Richard Steinberg , CEO and President
of WestCare is President of Therapeutic Communities of America and a
former member of the National Advisory Council of SAMHSA, Center for
Substance Abuse Treatment.

About Hythiam, Inc.

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Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Massachusetts and Rhode Island also had high rates of binge drinking. Of the 326
drug-related deaths, only 24 involved a single drug. Peizer, Hythiam's Chairman and CEO. He has
co-authored numerous papers on addiction treatment and has been
published in Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.
The Village South provides a continuously improving continuum of care
that is cost effective and culturally competent , offering prevention,
intervention, treatment, education, research and evaluation.

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The top four drugs involved in drug misuse deaths in Utah were opiates,
which include prescription pain relievers and heroin, followed by
antidepressants, cocaine and benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs). Since the jurisdictions that participate in DAWN are not
part of a statistical sample, these data cannot be used to project to the
nation as a whole.gov

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While we as a nation are making overall progress in reducing
illicit drug use among youth, it is clear from the findings that illicit drug ,
alcohol and tobacco use vary substantially among states and regions," SAMHSA
Administrator Charles Curie said.0 percent. Utah had the lowest rate, 19.samhsa. The Village South has
comprehensive substance abuse/mental health treatment programs in
Miami, Florida, and on St.

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" SAMHSA combined two years of data
from the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health to enhance the
precision of estimates for the less populous states. In comparison, Salt Lake City accounts for 43 percent
of the state 's population.gov. We are proud to be
offering help to a community that desperately needs new medical
options for the treatment of substance abuse and alcohol dependence.B. The HANDS Protocols(TM) include medically
supervised procedures designed to target receptor sites in the brain
that regulate neurotransmitters implicated in brain processes of
substance dependency. The HANDS Protocols(TM)
also provide for a maintenance program that includes medications and
incentives for patients to continue with the recovery process through
individualized continuing care programs.

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"To help continue to build on the gains we
have made, SAMHSA announced last year a total of $230 million over five years
to implement its Strategic Prevention Framework in 19 States and two
territories to advance community -based programs for substance abuse
prevention, mental health promotion and mental illness prevention . The agency is responsible for improving the accountability,
capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention,
addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems ."
An affiliate of WestCare, The Village South is a provider of
comprehensive rehabilitation programs for addictive diseases, mental
disorders, developmental disabilities and other behavioral disorders ,
to the underserved population of Miami-Dade County.,
J. Thomas and St. He has guided the course of WestCare to its
becoming one of America's larger non-profit behavioral healthcare
organizations .

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The report estimates
state rates of use of illegal drugs, binge drinking, serious mental illness
and tobacco use.
The report is available on the web at http://www.
"The Village South is a leader in substance abuse and recovery
services and we look forward to working with such an esteemed
organization," said Terren S. Rabbito, Regional Vice President and Administrator of The
Village South and Village Virgin Islands, concurred, saying, "The
philosophy of The Village South is in sync with the philosophy behind
the HANDS Protocols(TM), which places emphasis on addressing both the
physiological and psychological aspects of addiction.

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5 percent.2 percent. Arizona and Colorado were the only two states that ranked in the top
fifth for all three age groups, 12-17, 18 to 25 and 26 or older.gov.
"Amazingly, the vast majority of people who need but do not receive
treatment for a serious drug or alcohol problem don't even recognize they have
a problem," SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie said.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.
The Village South was founded by Matthew Gissen, B.
Residential treatment at The Village South includes individual
counseling , group counseling, case management, self-help groups,
vocational training, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
meetings, and recreational activities. In the second
half of 2001 alone The Village Outreach reached out to over 15,000
Miami-Dade residents and provided them with substance abuse counseling
and referrals, and/or HIV risk-reduction education.

About WestCare

WestCare , a family of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, under
the leadership of Richard Steinberg for the past twenty seven years,
provides a wide spectrum of health and human services in both
residential and outpatient environments. Its services include
substance abuse and addiction treatment, homeless and runaway
shelters, domestic violence treatment and prevention, and behavioral
and mental health programs.

lengths varying

The
national current use rate for marijuana was 6.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human
Services.
The total population for the State of Utah was estimated to be 2.

Business Editors/Healthcare Writers

LOS ANGELES + MIAMI ----Hythiam, Inc. The initial capacity
allocated for treatment will accommodate 20 HANDS(TM) patients per
day. Its
award winning programs have been recognized by the Florida Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Association, the Miami-Dade Child Development Services
Advisory Council and many other state and national organizations."
Frank Rabbito was recently appointed to the Florida Supreme
Court's Task Force on Treatment-Based Drug Courts by Chief Supreme
Court Justice Barbara J. WestCare facilities are located in Arizona,
California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Kentucky and the Territory of
the United States Virgin Islands. As a result, the HANDS
Protocols(TM) represent a comprehensive approach to managing substance
dependence that is designed to address both the physiological and
psychological aspects of the disease, thereby offering patients an
opportunity to transition into a healthier lifestyle .

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The highest rate of alcohol
dependence or abuse is 10.8
percent for marijuana use in the past year.S., M., a Licensed Mental Health Professional and attorney committed to
the areas of substance abuse treatment and policy for more than 30
years. The Village Outreach programs serve the many diverse
communities of Miami-Dade County, providing linkages to social
services that the clients would not otherwise access.

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0 percent in Alaska for all persons ages 12
and older.9 percent. The findings
are from a new report, "Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2003: Area Profiles of
Drug-Related Mortality ," which is based on data submitted by medical examiners
and coroners in selected metropolitan areas , Utah, and five other states. HANDS(TM) treatments
will begin in The Village South's new four-story facility, which
should be operational by the late summer of 2005.

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"State-by-state data is a powerful tool for policymakers at the federal,
state and local levels to identify needs and target prevention and treatment
resources.3
percent in Utah to a high of 12. This compares to the national rate of 10.2 percent.

Hythiam Expands Licensing to Miami; WestCare Foundation Inc. Affiliate The Village South Inc. to Offer HANDS Protocols; Miami Based Licensee to Provide Initi

A. "We are
excited about this new relationship with Hythiam, as we can leverage
the knowledge we acquire at The Village South . These services are available to adults,
children, adolescents, and families.

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"
Estimates of past month use of any illicit drug ranged from a low of 6.
Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota all ranked in the top fifth of
states for all three age groups for needing but not receiving treatment for an
alcohol problem.7 percent. "Americans must begin to
confront drug use -- and drug users -- honestly and directly.35 million in
2003.
The Village South will offer the HANDS Protocols(TM) as part of
its award-winning residential services program.

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WASHINGTON, Utah has the lowest rate of past month
use of illicit drugs in the nation, as well as the lowest rate for binge
drinking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) revealed today.
The data are from "State Estimates of Substance Use from the 2002-2003
National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. North Dakota had the highest rate,
31.
For specific drugs, Tennessee had the lowest rate, 7. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability,
capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention,
addictions, treatment and mental health service delivery system.

Utah Deaths Due to Drug Misuse in 2003 Released

Because of the many changes
introduced in 2003, these data cannot be compared with data from prior years.
Gissen has also served on the National Consortium of TASC
Programs, the Board of Directors of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Association, and as an Adjunct Professor in Addictionology at the
University of Miami and Life College in Atlanta, Georgia. We will be following
the success of the HANDS Protocols (TM) in consideration for future use
by other WestCare facilities."
Frank C.

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9 percent.
The report estimates that Tennessee has the lowest rate of past year
dependence on or abuse of alcohol , 6.

(Nasdaq:HYTM), a healthcare services management company that delivers
to treatment providers both proprietary administrative services and
physiological protocols designed to treat substance dependence, has
entered into a licensing and services agreement to offer its HANDS
Protocols (TM) to WestCare affiliate The Village South, an award
winning non-profit behavioral health care agency based in Miami, Fla.
Through its residential and outreach programs, The Village South
services over 20,000 individuals per year. Hythiam researches, develops, licenses and
commercializes innovative physiological treatment protocols for
substance dependence.sec.

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0 percent of the population ages 12
and older, while New Hampshire had the highest rate, 10.8 percent.7 percent. Croix, St.com

Forward -Looking Statements

Except for statements of historical fact, the matters discussed in
this press release are forward looking and made pursuant to the Safe
Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions
and involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are
beyond the company's control that may cause actual results to differ
materially from stated expectations.