(a)The Legislature recognizes that substance use disorder should be viewed and treated as a health problem, as well as a public safety problem. The substance use problem has significant public impact and must, in addition to public safety, be given community, education, social, and health attention if prevention and amelioration are to be achieved. These approaches should be coordinated into a multiagency and multifaceted program for alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment in the counties of the state.
(b)It is the intent of the Legislature that community alcohol and other drug services shall be organized through locally administered and locally controlled community
alcohol and other drug programs. The community alcohol and other drug programs shall operate under the principle that services are designed to be equally accessible to all persons, including persons who because of differences in language, cultural differences in language, cultural traditions, or physical disabilities, confront barriers to knowing about or to using the alcohol and other drug services that are offered.