Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim calls addictive drugs — with an emphasis on treatment —  his top issue, and he’s not alone.

Nerheim said he attended a National District Attorneys Association conference in Washington, DC. And their lobbying focused on the ACA’s requirement that insurance plans include coverage for substance-abuse treatment.

“It may seem strange to have a group of prosecutors talking about health care funding and health care reform,” he said. “But the reality is, we know because we’re on the streets: these people need treatment, and they’re willing to come forward and ask for it, but there has to be funding for treatment.”

Last year, Lake County started a program that allows addicts to request treatment at police stations, without being arrested.