“There is a link between homelessness and substance abuse in this city. Creating access to resources that give people the assistance they need facing substance abuse addiction. This gives people a chance to turn their lives around and live a better life.”
Types of Substance Abuse Resources
Emergency Medical Treatment – Before anyone can focus on recovery, safety must be prioritized. People cannot recover from an addiction if they do not survive it, and the overdose crisis is particularly strenuous in Las Vegas. Access to emergency treatment such as Narcan is critical for taking a step towards sustainable and long-lasting recovery.
MAT – MAT or Medication-Assisted Treatment is a method of treatment for individuals suffering from Substance-Use Disorder that uses low-risk drugs such as Buprenorphine, Suboxone, Vivitrol, and Methadone to reduce both cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Therapy – As we heard in the interview Jackie had with Ms. Cecchini, one of the biggest struggles with MAT systems is that they can be wrongfully mistaken as replacements for traditional counseling. Especially for situations as isolating as addiction, it’s incredibly important that individuals have access to therapy in one form or another. Groups like Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous offer a great opportunity for individuals struggling with substance abuse to support each other and encourage vulnerability.
Resource Support – Resources non-specific to Substance Abuse are essential to treating it as well. If a person does not have the means to travel to a Rehabilitation facility or the access to use their services, they cannot make good use of it at all.
Safety-Net – Most addicts will relapse at least once; both David from Vegas Strong and Ms. Cecchini from Health Care Partners reported that they often see a patient return to the facility, but they each emphasized the importance of not giving up on a person. It is important that communities can support each other all together in their struggles so that they may be able to celebrate together in their successes.
Support Network – Finally, whether or not someone has access to a strong Support Network is one of the deciding factors in a person’s success with recovery. Family and friends are just as vital to the process of recovery as any other resource.
– Sources –
- Jennie Stephens. 2020. Introduction Introduction – Alternative Formats . Diversifying Power: Why We Need Antiracist, Feminist Leadership on Climate and Energy. Island Press
- Author(s) Beth M. Huebner Ph.D. “Drug Abuse, Treatment, and Probationer Recidivism.” Drug Abuse, Treatment, and Probationer Recidivism | Office of Justice Programs, 2006, https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/drug-abuse-treatment-and-probationer-recidivism.
- “Federal Bureau of Prisons.” BOP Statistics: Inmate Offenses, 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_offenses.jsp.
- “Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System:” Samhsa.gov, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/pep19-matbriefcjs_0.pdf.