The Council on Chemical Abuse (the Council) was established after a group of concerned citizens met in 1971 to address the problem of chemical dependency in the Reading and Berks County areas.

Following the passage of Act 63 and the creation of the Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the Council on Chemical Abuse began to function as the primary agency for chemical-abuse-related services. The Council is governed by a board of directors who are appointed by the Berks County Commissioners and represent the community.

As a private, nonprofit corporation, the Council serves as the coordinating agency for alcohol and other drug services supported through public funds. These services are commonly separated into Administration, Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment.

The Council on Chemical Abuse is the Single County Authority (SCA) for Berks County, PA and is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating publicly supported drug and alcohol programs in this county. A primary piece of this administrative function is to develop a plan that delineates the problem in our community, present a means to address the problem and identify resources needed to support the plan.

The Council provides alcohol and other drug services to Berks County residents mostly via contractual arrangements with appropriately credentialed community agencies.

For more information on the Council’s programs and services, please visit www.councilonchemicalabuse.org or contact the Council at

Council on Chemical Abuse
601 Penn Street, Suite 600, Reading, PA 19601

Email: drugfree@talon.net 
Phone 610-376-8669