Public Health Presentation – Opioid Abuse

Public Health Presentation – Opioid Abuse

Substance abuse, particularly opioid abuse, is a public health concern widespread in the community. In many areas around the nation, including Houston, Texas, substance abuse has elevated to a serious public health issue, particularly the abuse and overuse of opioids. This problem severely affects people, families, and the larger community. Understanding the structures, roles, and coordination processes within local, state, and federal levels of government is essential to properly addressing this issue.

The type of Structures Within the Local, State, and National Levels of Government

Local Level

Local health departments, law enforcement agencies, and community-based organizations are some of the local government bodies working to combat the opioid abuse problem in Houston. Local health departments are crucial in the monitoring, treatment, and education surrounding substance misuse. They collaborate with law enforcement agencies to enforce laws and prevent illegal drug activity.

State Level

In Texas, the state government has a big part to play in combating the opioid abuse problem. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is in charge of several public health-related duties, including detecting and treating drug usage (Siddiqi et al., 2022). Programs to prevent substance addiction, provide early intervention, and provide recovery support services are implemented and managed by DSHS.

National Level

To solve the national opioid misuse problem, the federal government is also essential. The central government organization responsible for promoting behavioral health and combating substance misuse is the Substance Misuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA supports prevention, treatment, and recovery services for those battling opioid abuse by providing financing, resources, and technical help to states and local communities (Fishbein & Sloboda, 2022). Opioids are included in the category of restricted narcotics under federal law, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is in charge of upholding those regulations.

The Functions of Each Level of Government

Local Level

Government organizations at the local level have unique duties to combat the opioid misuse problem. To track trends and patterns of opioid addiction within the community, local health departments are critical sources of surveillance and data collecting. To spread the word about the dangers of opioid misuse, they also create and carry out preventative programs, educational campaigns, and community outreach projects. Furthermore, Local health departments work with medical professionals, community groups, and law enforcement organizations to make it easier for those battling opioid addiction to access options for treatment and recovery.

State Level

The state government has a variety of responsibilities for the opioid misuse problem. The formulation of policies, the distribution of resources, and the execution of programs to combat opioid abuse are under the purview of state agencies, such as the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). They conduct thorough needs assessments to find service gaps and create strategic strategies to close them. In addition to overseeing prescription drug databases, putting prescribing guidelines into place, and improving prescription monitoring programs, state agencies also regulate and enforce laws about prescription opioids (Kharasch et al., 2021). To ensure a coordinated response to opioid misuse, the state government also funds and supports treatment programs and initiatives throughout its territory.

How the Levels of Government Coordinate with each other to Address Public Health Issues

Governmental levels work together to solve public health challenges by forming cooperative partnerships, sharing knowledge and resources, and coordinating goals and tactics. Consistently, local health departments interact with state agencies, sharing information and analysis on the local public health problem that helps shape state-level initiatives and policies (Tsai et al., 2022). In turn, local governments receive direction, financing, and technical support from state agencies to support their efforts. On the other hand, Federal agencies work with state and municipal governments nationally, providing funding, knowledge, and direction to address public health challenges on a bigger scale.

Conclusion

Cooperation and coordination between local, state, and federal levels of government are necessary to combat the widespread problem of substance misuse, particularly opioid abuse. Monitoring, treating, and educating the community about substance misuse are critical tasks for local health departments, law enforcement, and community-based organizations. State governments adopt programs and regulations to combat addiction and offer recovery support services, such as the Texas Department of State Health Services. To tackle opioid abuse nationally, agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offer funding, resources, and technical support.

References

Fishbein, D. H., & Sloboda, Z. (2022). A National Strategy for Preventing Substance and Opioid Use Disorders Through Evidence-Based Prevention Programming that Fosters Healthy Outcomes in Our Youth. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00420-5

Kharasch, E. D., Clark, J. D., & Adams, J. M. (2021). Opioids and Public Health: The Prescription Opioid Ecosystem and Need for Improved Management. Anesthesiology, 136(1), 10–30. https://doi.org/10.1097/aln.0000000000004065

Siddiqi, A. D., Britton, M., Chen, T. A., Carter, B. J., Wang, C., Martinez Leal, I., Rogova, A., Kyburz, B., Williams, T., Patel, M., & Reitzel, L. R. (2022). Tobacco Screening Practices and Perceived Barriers to Offering Tobacco Cessation Services among Texas Health Care Centers Providing Behavioral Health Treatment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9647. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159647

Tsai, E., Allen, P., Saliba, L. F., & Brownson, R. C. (2022). The power of partnerships: state public health department multisector collaborations in major chronic disease programme areas in the United States. Health Research Policy and Systems, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-021-00765-3

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As a public health analyst, your leadership team has identified a public health issue in your community. You have been tasked with creating a research summary to provide the leadership team with more information to make an informed plan.
Preparing for This Assignment:
The PERIE (Problem Etiology Recommendations Implementation & Evaluation) model is a process to solve problems.

Choose 1 public health issue prevalent in your community. You will also use this issue for the Week 2 – Summative Assessment: Public Health Presentation.

Research state, local, and national government health agency websites for information on your chosen public health issue.

Assignment Directions:
Write a 350- to 700-word summary of your findings in which you detail how different government agencies address your chosen public health issue at local, state, and national levels. In your summary, identify the following as it relates to your chosen public health issue:

The type of structures within the local, state, and national levels of government
The functions of each level of government (focus on the local and state levels)
How the levels of government coordinate with each other to address public health issues

Cite specific examples from your research to validate your points.

Format your citations according to APA guidelines.