Preventing substance abuse involves developing numerous strategic partnerships. Substance abuse is a multidisciplinary issue, and requires a correspondingly multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach. The strategy for drug abuse prevention must begin with segmenting the market, or analyzing the needs of the community. Is the greatest proportion of abusers in the community youth? If so, what kinds of drugs are most commonly used in the community? Are seniors in the community abusing prescription medications? The strategy will be more effective when there is a better idea of the demographics of the target population. Beginning with the assumption that substance abuse will be a problem in community schools, it is important to engage educators, school administrators, school board representatives, and parents. Community organizations, including recreational facilities, and also local businesses, will also be involved in promoting strategies that prevent substance use and abuse. Regarding school board and school administration, curriculum needs to reflect the goal of substance abuse prevention. Teaching prevention in schools must be done with a concerted effort that involves parents. Moreover, changing the minds of students about drugs would require the involvement of young role models that can steer at risk youth away from drugs. At-risk youth need to be better identified early, so that their substance use issues never fester into substance abuse problems. In addition to
Throughout schools in the United States, there is a growing issue in our elementary through highschool aged students. Drugs and alcohol have begun to overtake childrens lives as young as twelve years old. There are many types of drugs involved from prescription drugs, which is the number one drug, to alcohol, marijuana, meth, cocaine, heroine, or inhalents.
There are some barriers or weaknesses common to most interventions that target addictive behaviors in the community. Heterogeneity in the population and cultural barriers has contributed to the lack of knowledge regarding substance use and its effects. Issues related to taboo, denial and loss of face mask understanding of the extent of the problem. Institutional barriers and lack of community infrastructure make treatment efforts difficult in serving a diverse population (Ja, 1993). In addition to the psychological barriers, other physical problems also exist. Most primary care physicians do not feel competent to treat alcohol and drug related disorders. Physicians generally do not like to work with patients with these disorders and do not find treating them rewarding. There is substantial evidence that physicians fail even to identify a large percentage of patients with these disorders (Miller, Sheppard, Colenda, & Magen, 2001). Financial barriers include inability to access treatment services by addicted individuals as indicated in various studies. There is also a competition for resources that has to be considered. Local governments allocate some part of their funding for specific issues and there is a competition among several stakeholders to ensure that their cause is represented. Research shows that prevention programs in the community on the issues of substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, school failure, juvenile delinquency and violence have to be
There is no doubt that there is a prevalence of substance abuse throughout several age groups. To a certain extent, a society is faced with the reality of controlling substance abuse. Or allow it run rampant throughout the community. Often times, we hear and read about the level of substance abuse among teen, young adults and mid-aged
As a counselor in training and an advocate for individuals’ mental health and wellness, I chose to become an official member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and create an advocacy project to enhance adolescent mental health and wellness by advocating for more available protective factor to reduce substance use and abuse among this population. The purpose of this paper/project is to address and improve the rate of substance use and abuse among adolescents in Pitt County, more specifically in Greenville, North Carolina. This paper goes into great detail of the description of the population (adolescents), providing statistical evidence of adolescents’ use of drugs in Greenville. An increase in youth involved community activities, community service work and parental involvement will be discussed as ways to create a healthy, anti-drug, and stable environment for adolescents in Greenville, North Carolina.
These numbers reveal that teenagers face an apparent exposure to drugs, and have little trouble getting a hold of some if desired. This article concludes that drug use and its consequences are not stressed enough in the current high school curriculum. The statistics prove that more needs to be done to identify and educate students at risk for drug use.
This paper mentions about the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) which focuses on addressing the problems by empowering community coalitions, through a network of 17 funded organizing agencies noted as Regional Prevention Coordinators (RPCs), throughout the state. The Framework follows a public health way to substance abuse prevention and comprises of an ordered five-step process of assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation of evidence-based practices, and
Even the most severely addicted individuals can participate in treatment; in the hopes of reducing their drug and alcohol use. Treatment programs with the higher success rates offer a combination of treatments. I will explore substance abuse prevention programs in this paper. I will summarize their goals, funding, and effectiveness.
The primary prevention topic of this community healthy and population field experience is related to the Healthy People 2020 goal to “reduce substance abuse to protect the health, safety, and quality of life for all, especially children.” (Healthy People 2020, 2018). This topic correlates with the Roanoke Valley’s increase in fatal drug overdoses and the public health emergency that was declared by the Virginia state health commissioner in 2016, related to the opioid addiction crisis (Virginia Department of Health, 2016). While all members of the community are affected by this health concern, the primary focus of this assessment will be on the effects of and prevention of substance abuse within the areas youth.
The United States of America is a great nation, with many great opportunities for our country’s vastly diverse citizens. One of these opportunities is the provision of welfare for those citizens that need that little bit of extra help to keep going. However, this welfare is also a cause of great discontent among some of the other citizens of our country. These citizens opposing welfare may sound like they may be cruel or unsympathetic people, but they may have a solid basis for their disagreeing attitude. Some of the recipients of this welfare are not citizens unable to do work and provide for themselves. and many taxpayers do
The use of drug and substance abuse interventions have resulted in a decrease of relapses throughout the United States due to the amount of support each participant receives, the unique treatments each person gets, and those who receive treatment are automatically better off than those who do not receive treatment.
Substance abuse is one of the major issues affecting the community since many young people are either involved in the use of illicit drugs or the illicit use of legitimate drugs. As a result of this pressing issue, it's important for various stakeholders to be actively involved in helping young people involved in substance abuse. The involvement of community members and leaders in fighting substance abuse is also fueled by the fact that drug abuse is a problem that can be dealt with effectively at the community level. The involvement of these stakeholders is through developing and implementing substance abuse programs that are relevant.
Research efforts must focus on understanding how to improve the effectiveness of primary drug abuse prevention programs. Furthermore, these programs must become more prominent throughout the country to prevent the development of addiction. Although the goal is to completely prevent abuse of prescription drugs, treatment services must be available to those who have abused or are currently abusing these drugs. Therefore, demand reduction strategies must ensure that there is an adequate supply of substance abuse treatment programs and mental health professionals to provide these services (American Public Health Association, 2015).
As a group, we decided we wanted to incorporate the preventive strategies listed in the health promotion textbook because it is essential for people to understand. The question is how can we prevent drug and alcohol abuse? It starts with primary prevention which is defined as “prevention for those who have not used tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. The goal is to prevent exposure to and experimenting with drugs.” (Maville & Huerta, 401). The textbook presents information about how many programs in school are taught from any early age to keep young people away from drugs and alcohol. (Maville & Huerta, 401).This prevention strategy is targeting the kids who have never tried any drug, and the goal is to keep it that way. Secondary prevention
Prevention Principles are intended to assist communities in developing substance abuse prevention programs. The risk factors of individuals battling addictions can vary based on their socioeconomic status. Younger children are effected most by the risk factors involving drugs and alcohol. Early intervention is the best way to correct any negative behaviors and hopefully increase positive behaviors. Prevention programs would be beneficial to have in communities. People should have a better understanding of drugs and the effects on the body. By making communities aware of any drug related activities, they can tailor their programs to meet the needs of individuals who are involved with drug activity.
The national bills introduced this legislative session focused on primary prevention of substance abuse and providing grants from national stakeholders to create individual state treatments. Numerous bills introduced at the national level were bills that amended other previously passed substance abuse bills. The two substances focused in these bills were general substances and opioids. By “general substance” this category refers to the abuse of multiple drugs, which includes opioids. The opioid abuse bills focus specifically on opioids and heroin.