Heroin Epidemic Substance Abuse in Dayton, Ohio – Evidence-Based Solution

Dayton substance abuse is tragic, epidemic, and requires a lot of solutions. While the treatments may vary, the government has provided the area residents with facilities and physicians who are dedicated to addiction free living and wellness. Some of the drugs or substances which are mostly abused included marijuana, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, depressants used for treating anxiety, opioids derivatives for pain relief and stimulants such as prescribed for ADHD.

Ohio’s model for drug fighting can be perhaps the most comprehensive in the entire nation. Almost billion dollars are being are being invested annually in helping the society to address the prevention, recovery, law enforcement and treatment. In addition to the funding, the leaders invest a lot of energy and time in order to create tools which can help in battling the epidemic.  The State has made huge progress in the fight against the deadly heroin epidemic and which largely has been responsible for a large number of deaths as a result of drug overdose. Due to the availability of the drug, there is a big challenge in the fight and this has to put strained the county’s capacity to provide recovery and detox services, and rehab (Ekeh, Akpofure  & et al, 2014).

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In response to the community need, the state has already launched a new drug prevention programs which put their emphasize on adding the capacity for the recovery housing, medication assisted treatments, and putting in place innovative interdiction models based on the connectivity of people with the addiction treatment.

However, the region must go further to address the community needs and address them at the local level. Ohio must ensure that all the citizens are educated, especially the youth, so they can make responsible and healthy choices and avoid the risks of engaging into drugs and other substance abuse. If families and individuals are not aware of the powerful substances in their medicine cabinets, addictions and misuse may occur.

Helping parents and caregivers to start conversations with kids

To prevent drug use among the children in Ohio, a simple tool can be helpful; like a conversation. Parents who engage into talks with their kids on drugs are less likely to engage in substance abuse (Carlson, Robert & et al, 2014).

Deploying prevention programming in schools

Although, many schools already are using the evidence based prevention programs, the Ohio legislation should engage the education board of every local school district for the selection of healthy curriculum which includes the instructions on the dangers of substance abuse. Beyond the K-12 environments, Universities and colleges also have the mandate to promote the awareness.

Setting up local prevention coalition program with youth-led focus

The communities living within the Dayton region should develop an active drug prevention coalition. Having a youth peer to peer component can show kids that by choosing to be drug free, they are in the majority.

Developing a culturally relevant, age-appropriate communications

Whether the community requires reaching rural families, urban youth, or the returning veterans, a population segment must be identified which there is a need to reach and tailor messages and incorporate audience’s values and beliefs.

Promoting best practices and continuing education

The science which relates to medication has always been evolving. The provider may keep his knowledge current about evidence-based practices for opioid usage analgesics for pain management, as well as certain steps for preventing and managing opioid overdoses, through free federally funded continuing medical education.

Staying informed on prescribing guidelines

These are processes for avoiding contribution to opioid addiction through adjusting the pain management formularies especially used by the Bureau of works compensation and in the prisons. In assisting the prescribers in improving patient care, opioid prescribing guidelines must be developed to put the limits on the amounts which can be prescribed.

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The community needs to decide and act on what possibly can be done in containing the epidemic. Unnecessary deaths may be averted and people can do better in protecting their community, personal and economic devastation where addiction wreaks in the community. For the success to happen, overdose deaths will be minimized by providing an easy access to naloxone available as a nasal spray and which is used against heroin by immediately blocking the deadly respiratory suppression caused by the drug.  Identifying and cracking down on prescribers and who provide a large number of quantity of narcotics in the pill mills, using TV, social media, and other channels in educating families on the prevention of substance abuse. Establishing and implementing medical guidelines for the chronic pain treatment. It can be done through quality technique improvement and the strategies for the performance improvement strategy.

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Individuals who are going through the heroin and other substance abuse can recover. This takes hard work, good treatment, the ongoing support. People facing addictions do get on the recovery path. For others it may be early, even after one rehabilitation program while others it may take up to ten rehabilitation programs. The people who are affected, their clinical providers and families need to sustain hope that recovery is possible in which can be protracted and the darkest time (Falck, Russel & et al, 2014).

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