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In this Issue:
- National Alcohol Awareness Month
- Resources for the Prevention Professional
- National Women's Health Week, May 14-20
- How to Find Help
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Epi Corner: Substance Use Disorders in People with Disabilities
- What's Happening Around the Region?
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Webinar: Substance Misuse Among Students with Disabilities, A 2-part series, April 26 and May 18
- Free Online Courses through HealtheKnowledge
- SAMHSA's National Prevention Week, May 7-13
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National Alcohol Awareness Month |
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Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of unhealthy alcohol use. The program was started in April 1987 with the intention of addressing binge drinking among college-aged students. It has since become a national movement to draw more attention to the causes and effects of alcohol use disorder as well as how to help families and communities deal with drinking problems.
Anyone who is interested in raising awareness about the risks of alcohol use disorder is invited to take part. Encouraging participation from your community partners, comprising various sectors such as schools, healthcare facilities, general practitioners, community coalitions, faith-based organizations, and law enforcement etc., can help create initiatives that educate communities about unhealthy alcohol use and invite them to take part in campaigns and activities that are inclusive to all.
Educational resources are included in this newsletter for help developing your coalition initiatives.
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Alcohol Facts and Statistics
NIAAA
Check out the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) major update to Alcohol Facts and Statistics. The content of this popular online resource has been expanded and is now presented on separate web pages for improved readability and navigability. Click here for information.
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“Talk, They Hear You” Campaign
SAMHSA
“Talk. They Hear You” is an underage drinking prevention campaign with talking points and tools for coalitions, parents, and caregivers so they can start talking to their children early—as soon as 9 years old—about the dangers of alcohol. Click here for more information.
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Alcohol Awareness Toolkit
Northwest PTTC
To raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of alcohol policy safeguards, the Northwest PTTC has launched the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit.
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May 14-20 is National Women's Health Week |
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The annual National Women's Health Week begins Mother's Day and encourages women and girls to make their health a priority. The theme for this year is, “Women’s Health, Whole Health: Prevention, Care, and Wellbeing.” |
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The two resources below show alarming data trends among women and girls. Within each are evidence based practices that we can apply to our work as prevention professionals and educators in our communities. |
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Women and Alcohol: Drinking to Cope in a Pandemic World
The South Southwest PTTC Evaluation Team has developed a research product brief titled, “Women and Alcohol: Drinking to Cope in a Pandemic World.” In this brief, we discuss how certain biological and environmental factors laid the groundwork for a burgeoning public health crisis for women, especially women of child-bearing age, and recommend strategies that prevention professionals can implement to curb this crisis.
We also examine the epidemiological trends both nationally and in the SSW PTTC region and offer practical solutions for prevention professionals to address these concerning trends for women.
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Overdose Is Now a Leading Cause of Death During or Shortly After Pregnancy
The addiction and overdose crisis shows little sign of abating, and emerging data highlight its startling impact on pregnant people, writes NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow in STAT.
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Drug overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum people increased by 81% between 2017 and 2020.
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Deaths related to mental health conditions, including substance use disorders, accounted for 23% of deaths during pregnancy or in the year following it.
These stunning data highlight just how important it is to ensure access to substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum patients, including the need to eliminate barriers to treatment.
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Your Words Matter to Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorders who feel stigmatized may be less willing to seek care for substance use problems, prenatal needs, basic primary health, or mental health. Learn about the impact of stigma on pregnant and postpartum patients and words to use and avoid when discussing addiction.
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Remind your communities this month that help is available and recovery is possible. |
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The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text, and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
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Substance Use Disorders in People with Disabilities
By Iris Smith, Ph.D.
Research has indicated that people with disabilities have an increased risk for substance use disorders (SUDs). However, research on the patterns of use, treatment access, and outcomes is limited. A growing body of research has found individuals with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder are overrepresented in substance abuse treatment programs.1,2,3 A recent study estimated that 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. lives with a disability.4 Read more of this article...
To continue learning more about the effects of substance use disorders in people with disabilities and how to address them as a prevention professional, register for the two South Southwest PTTC training events below.
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What's Happening Around the Region |
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Substance Misuse Among Students with Disabilities, a 2-Part Series |
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Part 1: Substance Misuse Among Students with Disabilities-Identifying Promising Equitable Approaches
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
1:30-3 p.m. MT / 2:30-4 p.m. CT / 3:30– 5 p.m. ET
Students with disabilities are at higher risk of substance misuse. Although many health and mental health disorders are potentially considered disabilities under education law, substance use disorder is not. Therefore, it is important that prevention professionals have the appropriate knowledge and skills to equitably include students with emotional or behavioral problems when delivering prevention services in schools. During this webinar a school psychologist, a parent of a child with a disability, and a well-seasoned preventionist will discuss the unique challenge of delivering substance misuse prevention services to students with disabilities and promising approaches to improve delivery.
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Free Online Prevention Courses |
Home: All courses
Take advantage of the PTTC's free online HealtheKnowledge courses. These trainings offer certificates of completion that can be used toward prevention certification requirements. New courses are added continually.
Read more
healtheknowledge.org
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Part 2: Substance Misuse Among Students with Disabilities-Guidance for Prevention Professionals |
Thursday, May 18, 2023
1:30-3 p.m. MT / 2:30-4 p.m. CT / 3:30– 5 p.m. ET
Even before the pandemic, demand for mental health and substance use services was increasing, especially for our nation’s young people. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the situation more challenging, subjecting many young Americans to social isolation, loss of routines, and traumatic grief. Even though students with disabilities are at higher risk for substance abuse, in some states, a student cannot qualify for the Emotional Disturbance category of special education if drug abuse is the primary cause of the emotional or behavioral problems. It is important that preventionists have the appropriate knowledge and skills to include students with emotional or behavioral problems when delivering prevention services in schools. During this webinar we will discuss inclusive strategies that schools, parents, youth, and preventionists can use when delivering substance misuse prevention services for students with disabilities in a system where they have been overlooked or written off.
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National Prevention Week
National Prevention Week is a national public education platform showcasing the work of communities and organizations across the country dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of substance misuse prevention and positive mental...
Read more
www.samhsa.gov
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