SEATTLE—A new program is being offered in this city that ties small financial rewards to reductions in or the elimination of substance abuse.
Called “Contingency Management,” the program offers a carrot instead, instead of the stick, to help people fight their addictions, the Seattle Times reported.
The program offers gift cards to anyone who can make and keep goals to reduce their substance use. The cards are small, ranging from $15 or $20 to Safeway.
“Seattle City Hall’s interest comes as King County sees a record number of overdose deaths, the majority of which involve both fentanyl and methamphetamine,” the Seattle Times said.
More than 1,330 people died of overdoses in 2023. So far in 2024, nearly 500 people have died from drugs and alcohol, the report added.
Still in ‘Infancy’
“Seattle’s program is in its infancy. Washington is one of two states in the country allowed by public insurance to try these programs and Seattle is now among a handful of places in Washington running a pilot program,” the Seattle Times explained.
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