What Happens when Substance Use Treatment Programs Can No Longer Stay Afloat? Emergency funding could be needed to keep substance use treatment programs in operation as some governments continue to shut down their communities. The Trump administration has repeatedly cited the possible rise of overdoses and suicides when calling for states and businesses to re-open. However, only a hundredth of one percent of the nearly $2.5 trillion was dedicated to mental health and substance use treatment.

 

Many treatment centers, drug courts, and recovery programs have been forced to close, or they had to scale back during the shutdown. Many of these programs rely on public funding, while others are private centers, and some are non-profit. Addiction is not going away in the country, and it continues throughout the pandemic.

 

Substance abuse treatment is a necessity for anyone struggling with addiction. When it becomes difficult to access any form of treatment or support, it causes a surge of fatal and non-fatal overdoses, and hospital admissions related to substance use. As the coronavirus pandemic prolongs, the number of overdoses—not all fatal—continues to increase. According to an Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program, drug-related overdose rates jumped 18% in March, 29% in April, and 42% in May of 2020, when compared to the same months in 2019. States across the country have been experiencing spikes in overdoses.

 

Many elected officials and health authorities, or the experts initially felt that when the pandemic hit, it would lead to a decrease in overdoses. When the borders closed and drug trafficking was supposedly disrupted, and cities shut down, fewer people would be dying from a drug overdose. Unfortunately, the complete opposite happened.

 

The overdose rate in New York City is about one death every six hours, and, recently, there have been more deaths from overdose in the Bronx than any other county. COVID-19 further complicates the Borough’s ability to help those struggling with addiction and makes it difficult for health officials to grasp the magnitude of the problem entirely.

 

Luckily for the Bronx, Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine have been awarded a $4 million grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This grant will train addiction professionals and help strengthen community relationships to aid in the battle against substance abuse. This funding appears to be happening at the right place at the right time, but it cannot stop there.

 

The kind of funding received by the Bronx cannot be a one-time occurrence. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services needs to continue to put money into programs and initiatives that are aimed at fighting addiction and empowering the community. There are always going to be other issues out there, but substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation cannot be pushed aside.

 

Americans are going to continue to struggle, especially as elected officials continue to impose more restrictions and regulations. Civil liberties are being trampled upon daily, and the most vulnerable, like substance users, along with every American, are being affected. If a percentage of treatment centers within the nation go belly-up because of continued lockdowns and government restrictions, it is going to be an all hands on deck scenario to get people the help they need.

 

Nickolaus Hayes is a healthcare professional in the field of substance abuse and addiction recovery. He utilizes his experience in his writing to provide an expert viewpoint. His primary focus is spreading awareness by educating individuals on the topics surrounding substance abuse. He is a featured author of the healthcare website Addicted.org.

 

Sources:

http://www.odmap.org/Content/docs/news/2020/ODMAP-Report-May-2020.pdf

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/addiction-medicine-fellowship-brings-more-133400356.html