ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: SAN DIEGO COUNTY’S DRUG AND ALCOHOL INITIATIVES

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By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

May 6, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- One of the questions I get from community members I work alongside in East County is “How do you determine the most important drug, alcohol and mental health issues to focus on?” The answer is that in addition to listening to the needs of the community, our priorities are also established through a framework established by the County of San Diego. The Behavioral Health Services Division of the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency is designated with addressing these issues and working to promote recovery, discovery, resiliency and well-being through prevention, treatment and intervention. Integrated services are available from BHS for those who may be experiencing mental illness along with substance misuse.

The County’s substance misuse prevention strategy focuses on four countywide initiatives, including the Binge and Underage Drinking Initiative (BUDI), Marijuana Prevention Initiative (MPI),  Methamphetamine Strike Force (MSF) and the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force (PDATF). All are administered by local nonprofits like the Institute for Public Strategies, through federal, state and county funding. These provide excellent examples of your tax dollars at work to help our communities at the local level. 

Binge and Underage Drinking Initiative

 

The Binge and Underage Drinking Initiative, along with theAlcohol Policy Panel (APPof San Diego County and the Responsible Hospitality Coalitionis a strategic, collaborative, multiagency prevention effort that aims toencourage, support, promote healthy behaviors and social and community conditions that reduce alcohol-related harmsSome of the initiative’s accomplishments include advancing Social Host Ordinances that have been approved in all 18 cities within the county and the unincorporated areas to reduce youth drinkingestablishing and allocating funds for Responsible Beverage Service training to reduce binge drinking in bars and restaurants; working with community members to pass permanent alcohol-free beaches; and providing RBS training to more than 1,000 people annually and training more than 700 volunteers to serve alcohol responsibly at special events around the county.

 

“We work to reduce the harms caused by alcohol such as drunk drivers killing people on our roads, which is an all too common occurrence in our county, Craig Reed, regional director of BUDI saidMost people with alcohol-related problems as an adult started drinking when they were a teenager or child, so most of our work is focused on the factors that will make it less likely they’ll experiment with alcohol until they’re 21.”

 

Marijuana Prevention Initiative

 

The San Diego County Marijuana Prevention Initiative was established in 2005 to educate the community about harm to public and youth safety caused by the use of cannabis. It has become even more important recently with the legalization of cannabis for recreational use and the increase of access through legal cannabis retailers. MPI recently introduced the International Academy on the Science and Impact of Cannabis (IASIC)We reported on it here in our July 2021 column. MPI works to reduce youth access by increasing public awareness regarding the adverse effects resulting from youth cannabis use. The aim is to decrease community acceptance and tolerance of cannabis use and access among youth living in San Diego County between the ages of 12-25. These years are crucial both academically and developmentally. MPI uses research-based strategies for all community interventions and ensures that efforts are SMART — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.

 

Meth Strike Force

 

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors authorized the formation of a multidisciplinary Methamphetamine Strike Force in 1996. MSF is composed of about 70 member organizations and agencies, including local, state, and federal representatives from public health, law enforcement, judiciary, education, treatment, prevention and intervention agencies. It’s responsible with issuing the Methamphetamine Report Card annually, in an effort to keep track of statistics regarding the manufacture and use of meth throughout the county. It also established the Meth Hotline at 1-877-No-2-METH where callers can go for help with addiction or to report a lab in their neighborhood.

 

Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force

 

Misuse of prescription drugs in San Diego County continues to be a growing problem. The majority of prescription-related overdose deaths are unintentional. The Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force is comprised of key stakeholders, community members, and local experts working together to decrease the harms associated with the misuse of prescription drugs in San Diego County.PDATF created the Safe Pain Medication Prescribing in Emergency Departments guidelines; developed a Prescription Drug Abuse plan; annually issues the Prescription Drug Report Card; and promotes the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Take Back Day each April and October. Both PDATF and MSF have developed anti-stigma campaigns and voices of hope video series and promote recovery is possible and treatment is available.

 

Help is Available

 

Substance use disorders are a major public health and safety problem impacting children, youth, families and communities. Treatment programs provide an integrated system of community-based substance use disorder prevention, intervention, and treatment and recovery services throughout the county. The County of San Diego HHSS provides a range of programs and services to address substance use across the life span, including specialized programs to address the needs of pregnant and parenting women; youth and adolescents; and individuals involved with the justice system. Everyone receiving services through County-operated or contracted programs are treated with equality, in a welcoming and non-discriminatory manner, consistent with applicable state and federal law. The best part about it is no services will be refused due to a client’s inability to pay. More information is available through the County’s Access and Crisis Line at 1 (888) 724-7240 or online at up2sd.org.

 

IPS works alongside communities to build power, challenge systems of inequity, protect health and improve quality of life. IPS has a vision for safe, secure, vibrant and healthy communities where everyone can thrive. To find out more about IPS East County, follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/IPSEastCounty or by clicking on the links to our social media platforms: IPS East County Facebook, IPS East County Twitter, East County Youth Coalition Instagram.

 

East County is funded by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Services


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