Today (October 31), the Administrative Enforcement Agency
(AEA), Ministry of Justice, held the event titled “Prevent Drunk
Driving, Protect the Public—Building a Better Future through
Alcohol Addiction Prevention: Signing Ceremony and Training
Session for the MOU on Referral Cooperation for Alcohol Treatment
of Drunk-Driving Obligors.” Representatives from the Ministry of
Justice (MOJ), the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the
Highway Bureau, MOTC, and the Taiwan Alcohol Abstinence and
Addiction Prevention Center (TAAAPC) attended the event. The
MOU was jointly signed by the MOJ, MOHW, AEA, and TAAAPC
to establish an alcohol treatment referral platform through
cooperation between the AEA and the TAAAPC, which was
commissioned by the MOHW and founded by Mackay Memorial
Hospital. This initiative highlights the strong commitment of the
MOJ and MOHW to the “Zero Tolerance for Drunk Driving” and
“Alcohol Addiction Treatment” policies.
In his remarks, Administrative Deputy Minister Huang Mou-Hsin
stated that addiction treatment is a key policy of the MOJ. Drawing
from the MOJ’s experience in drug addiction rehabilitation,
empirical evidence has shown that addiction treatment can
effectively reduce the recidivism rate among drug offenders.
Therefore, the MOJ has been actively promoting strengthened
rehabilitation programs for drug users through prosecutors’ offices
nationwide. Deputy Minister Huang further emphasized that alcohol
addiction treatment is also a key policy of the MOJ in addressing the
issue of drunk driving. Compared with drug addiction, where
rehabilitation resources are relatively abundant, there is still room for
improvement in the availability of alcohol addiction treatment
resources. He expressed gratitude to the MOHW and the TAAAPC
for providing treatment resources, as well as to the AEA for
facilitating this collaboration through the signing of the MOU. He
also encouraged colleagues from all enforcement branches to
properly inform drunk-driving obligors about the available alcohol
addiction treatment resources during enforcement procedures,
helping them understand alcohol addiction correctly, increasing their
willingness to receive treatment, and providing opportunities for
referral—thereby demonstrating the public interest role of the
administrative enforcement authorities.
In his remarks, Administrative Deputy Minister Chuang JenHsiang of the MOHW stated that drunk driving concerns not only
public safety but also the physical and mental health of offenders,
making it an important cross-ministerial issue. Research has shown
that more than half of first-time drunk-driving offenders have alcohol
use problems, with over 30% suffering from alcohol addiction.
Among repeat offenders, more than 60% struggle with alcohol
addiction. However, continuous participation in alcohol addiction
treatment can significantly reduce the rate of repeat drunk-driving
offenses, demonstrating that medical intervention for offenders with
alcohol addiction can effectively help mitigate the problem of drunk
driving. Deputy Minister Chuang further noted that according to the
results of the MOHW’s past Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Enhancement Program, individuals with alcohol addiction or
problematic drinking behavior can experience significant
improvement when they receive treatment at an early stage. In 2023,
the MOHW commissioned Mackay Memorial Hospital to establish
the TAAAPC and has since continued to increase its funding support.
To encourage individuals with drinking problems or alcohol
addiction to seek medical help, the MOHW launched a subsidy
program covering up to NT$40,000 per person per year for alcohol
addiction treatment. As of now, a total of 123 designated treatment
institutions have been established nationwide, with the goal of
ensuring that everyone in need can access appropriate assistance.
Deputy Minister Chuang expressed appreciation to the AEA for
taking the initiative to establish this collaboration. By proactively
providing information on alcohol addiction treatment and facilitating
contact and assessment through the TAAAPC, the AEA helps
increase public access to treatment opportunities, enabling
individuals to receive appropriate medical assistance earlier. This
joint effort contributes to improving public health and preventing the
threats to public safety caused by problematic drinking.
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The event held today (October 31) by the AEA included not only
the signing ceremony of the MOU but also an educational training
session for personnel from all enforcement branches. Fang Chun-Kai,
Director of the TAAAPC, was invited as the keynote speaker to
present on topics related to alcohol addiction treatment and
rehabilitation, enhancing participants’ understanding and
strengthening their referral capabilities. In addition to the in-person
attendance of staff members from the Shilin Branch, the other twelve
branches joined the session via video conference. Director Fang’s
lecture was humorous and engaging, featuring lively interaction with
enforcement personnel both onsite and via video conference, which
received enthusiastic responses from participants across all branches.
Through the signing of this MOU, the AEA has established an
alcohol treatment referral platform in collaboration with the
TAAAPC, which was commissioned by the MOHW and founded
by Mackay Memorial Hospital. Executor from each branch will
make use of every opportunity during enforcement procedures that
involve contact with drunk-driving obligors to provide information
on alcohol addiction prevention. With the obligor’s consent, they
may be referred to the TAAAPC for professional medical
assessment and follow-up treatment. It is hoped that this referral
mechanism will help prevent drunk driving and reduce repeat
offenses. Members of the public who have questions related to
alcohol addiction treatment may call the TAAAPC’s toll-free
hotline at 0800-25-5959, visit its official website at
https://www.mmh.org.tw/departmain3.php?id=244, or follow its
Facebook page “Journey to Sobriety: Restarting Life” for answers
and the latest information.