Do We Still Care About Them?
“There is no easy solution to the problem of the stigma associated with drug addiction and its treatment. The sense of stigma is most likely to diminish as a result of public education and broader acceptance of addiction as a treatable disease.” – The Institute of Medicine

According to the study made by The Harvard School of Public Health, Drug Abuse is one of the major public health problems of America, which directly links this crisis to cancer, heart diseases, HIV/AIDS. Substance abuse is also the culprit of the major social problems such as drugged driving, violence, stress and child abuse.

Anyone and everyone in the community is affected by this dilemma of America, not only the individual involved, but also each member of the family, and the entire community. According to the NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), this is a stigmatizing case for anyone as many “users” don’t get the appropriate treatment and care, they are experiencing discrimination with medical treatments, and some drug companies won’t cooperate toward treatment medicines for them.

In the 2013 NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) Survey conducted by SAMHSA (National Survey on Drug Use and Health), nearly a quarter of a billion Americans, which is almost 10% of the US population, had used an illegal substance, as per the 12 years or older respondents. This is an alarming result, as the numbers are continuously crawling up the ladder.

There is Still Hope

NIDA’s Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment confirms that there is still hope left for those who have been buried in this addiction, only if we are able to reach out more effectively to them. It is believed that the treatments should be tailor-fit for each individual, must meet the multiple needs and underlying issues brought about by the abuse, and consistency and continuity of the treatment for a period of time are highly critical. It is also believed that a combination of behavior-based therapies and medications should be done to improve the probability of success over the addiction.

One major focus of all states is to utilize several programs that promote substance abuse treatment. The Federal Bureau of Prisons is one of the major believers of the effectivity of the treatment programs, and its strategy has evolved with more advancements like maintaining the staff’s treatment expertise by continuous study, monitoring, implementing constant improvements, research, and evidence-based methods.

For the past two decades, the BOP has been firmly committed to helping the offenders prevent self-destructing practices like substance abuse, by understanding the offender’s feelings, thoughts, and the root causes.

Programs That Are Determined to Help

Drug Abuse Education – It a classroom setting program that creates awareness to everyone in understanding the causes of the abuse and its horrifying effect to the offenders

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Nonresidential Drug Abuse Treatment – typically a three-month program in a group setting, that are usually being offered to offenders who are the expected to be transitioning back to the community, providing them with opportunities to re-build their skills especially in rational thinking, communication, and community adjustments.

Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) – This is the most intensive program being offered by BOP for offenders, which is typically a nine-month program that involves half day programming and the remainder of the day for work, school, and vocational activities. RDAP is a modified therapeutic treatment that let offenders experience living in a pro-social community, that is segregated from the population.

Community Treatment Services (CTS) – Also known as Transitional Drug Abuse Treatment (TDAT), that primarily provides continuous care and monitoring of the offenders in home confinements and re-entry centers. According to the researches made, this is the most vulnerable stage for an offender to return to substance abuse. This is a vital step of the treatment to gain high probability of winning over the abuse.

Local State Treatment Centers

Multiple programs have been launched by the local states for those offenders that stay in local state correctional facilities and centers, to show support in the belief that substance abuse can be treated through therapies, classes, workshops, activities, and social awareness.

The complete listing is specifically segregated from the generally offered treatment programs and are more focused on the treatment of substance issues.