Community Participation May Help Prevent Further Drug Abuse

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on May 17, 2015 under AZ Drug Rehab News | Comments are off for this article

Keeping drug abuse a secret has proven not to help anybody. The addict suffers because they are able to continue using the substances that are killing them. Families suffer because they oftentimes feel that they have no one to talk to or anyone to provide advice for how to deal with their loved ones. Members of the community suffer because they are not aware that the drug problem is infiltrating their towns, schools and neighborhoods. In order to bring communities together, some areas are conducting surveys. The surveys are intended to provide a truer, deeper look into the drug activities of residents. Understanding this information will better help law enforcement and public officials monitor the drug scene and create better, more effective programing.

“It is extremely important for individuals to participate in this survey. The results of this survey will give us a glimpse into the needs of the community as we work on prevention and treatment efforts,” explained Kirsty Nichols, a coordinator that is working with communities to better handle the drug crisis.

One particular survey that is being administered in New Mexico by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation is geared towards finding out about the drug use and perceptions about drugs and alcohol in the community. The survey asks questions regarding drinking and driving, mental health, specific questions regarding past drug and alcohol use and how survey takers feel about narcotics. Understanding these types of topics will help to create more tailor-made programming for community members. The goal is to make drug and alcohol abuse something that people feel comfortable discussing and getting out in the open.

New Mexico, in particular, is a state that has an extreme problem with drug and alcohol abuse. However, it is not the only state that is suffering from the drug epidemic that is sweeping throughout the country. The hope is that other states will agree to become more involved with their residents and find out how drug and alcohol abuse is affecting families throughout the country.

Maybe parts of Arizona can emulate similar practices to help reduce the drug problem in our communities as well.