Salvation Army Harbor Light program in Michigan appropriations bill

On April 22, the Michigan House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill that included funding for The Salvation Army's Harbor Light program, as it has annually for several years.

The program has been in existence in the Detroit area since 1939, and has expanded across the country. It provides rehabilitation services for substance abuse and programs for the homeless.

While the program itself does not appear to involve proselytizing, the continued state funding for the activities of The Salvation Army and those of other religious charities, such as those run by the Catholics, provides stability, assets, and PR for religious organizations.

The question raised in my mind about this program is this: what does this program offer that a secular alternative cannot? If money is to be appropriated for substance abuse, as with this appropriation, then why not choose a secular non-profit or have a state-managed operation? Does the state take bids on this sort of service?

I will be exploring this issue in depth, since I have seen funding for this program on appropriations bills since 2001, when I began following legislation in Michigan. In the meantime, read more about it here.