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State of Emergency declared in Pennsylvania due to opioid crisis

Pennsylvania has a very high opioid (especially heroin/fentanyl) overdose rate. Yesterday Governor Tom Wolf declared a state of emergency around the crisis, similar to what is done with weather emergencies.  Wow--I am hopeful this may bring some resources to the problem that have not yet been corralled. Thank you Governor Wolf. (http://abc27.com/2018/01/10/go...-13-new-initiatives/)

ACE related Population Attributable risk (PAR) for substance abuse is 50 % and for IV drug use is it 78%. (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/..._opening_plenary.pdf) This means that ACEs are responsible for 50 and 78% of the substance and IV drug use.  I believe this is a call to focus on ACE prevention and treatment in addition to the opioid crisis itself!. 

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LesliePeters RN posted:

Marybeth, I agree that most youth that abuse carious substances are doing so to numb some uncomfortable feeling. As the case with adults who like the feeling with pain meds post op or post injury I still believe there is an underlying issue that brings them to need that feeling instead of the occasional "uncomfortableness" of life. 

With that being said, I have seen Dr's prescribe Percocet and Tylenol with Codeine for a patient with a history of drug abuse. Crazy! With the patient's permission I have flushed Percocet on several occasions!

One of my passions in having recorded Conversations that Matter with everyday people to see how they deal with issues of the human condition, www.youtube.com/c/LesliePetersRNWomenNotAlone. In March, I will be conducting these Conversations with families of heroin addicts and I plan to take it to the streets to speak to the addicts themselves.  I am a one woman show and I would like to put it out to the community, if anyone knows of an individual or family who has been affected by the opioid crisis and would be willing to speak with me, off or on camera, could you please pass on my contact info to them? Thank you! 

With gratitude, Leslie

Leslie Peters RN

info@LesliePetersRN.com

610-506-8298

My comments are more than referencing a simple "I need to shield my emotions" explanation for the root of addiction.  It is proven statistically that children with parents who have addiction are more vulnerable to developing it, it is familial because of biology, not just environment. Add the environment, and add the cavalier attitude of prescribing narcotics, and you've got a recipe for tomorrow's addicts.  Providing services and support for children is two fold.  However it is not without the critical need for doctors to emphasize that meds that are addictive must be kept safe when in homes, and disposed of immediately when no longer needed.  Doctors need to screen for familial vulnerabilities and realize that when you are treating a patient who has a family history of addiction that it is important to consider other options first before prescribing addictive substances.  And when prescribing a medication that can be addictive, to tell the patient and to walk through how to safely manage the meds and what to do should addictive symptoms appear.  All of this needs to happen.  And I'm sad to say I see so little of it in practice.  A dear friend of mine, who lives outside of Baltimore, was just prescribed narcotics last week without a doctor even telling her it was one, absolutely no instruction of housing it, disposing it, or what to do.  "Take it until you feel better" he said.  She has three addicts (at various levels of recovery) in her home.  If he had asked, he'd have known.  Despite the surgeon general's letter that went out a year and a half ago, many doctors haven't seemed to have responded at all.  Alas, our national health epidemic continues.  And in our county, so too the overdoses which are staggering. 

Marybeth, I agree that most youth that abuse carious substances are doing so to numb some uncomfortable feeling. As the case with adults who like the feeling with pain meds post op or post injury I still believe there is an underlying issue that brings them to need that feeling instead of the occasional "uncomfortableness" of life. 

With that being said, I have seen Dr's prescribe Percocet and Tylenol with Codeine for a patient with a history of drug abuse. Crazy! With the patient's permission I have flushed Percocet on several occasions!

One of my passions in having recorded Conversations that Matter with everyday people to see how they deal with issues of the human condition, www.youtube.com/c/LesliePetersRNWomenNotAlone. In March, I will be conducting these Conversations with families of heroin addicts and I plan to take it to the streets to speak to the addicts themselves.  I am a one woman show and I would like to put it out to the community, if anyone knows of an individual or family who has been affected by the opioid crisis and would be willing to speak with me, off or on camera, could you please pass on my contact info to them? Thank you! 

With gratitude, Leslie

Leslie Peters RN

info@LesliePetersRN.com

610-506-8298

The question should be: what are the root causes of substance misuse--including prescription drugs, opioids and alcohol? Until leaders, the press and public answer that question, we are left running in circles. We lack a universal behavioral health care system, which means people live with untreated trauma in many communities. People also lack access to medical care, safe and stable housing, transport to work and services, parent supports, youth mentors, early childhood learning, job training and family-centered schools.

Last edited by Jane Stevens

This is a very big deal!  A fundamental shift in how public health emergencies are defined.  And, this allows significant resources be directed toward addressing this problem.  

Thank you Ellen for bringing into the conversation the ACEs data in a clear and understandable way - population attributable risk.  This really helps us understand the context in which the opioid epidemic is occurring. 

From a news article: 

HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared the escalating opioid crisis a public health emergency.

The move will allow his administration to use the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate efforts between agencies to respond to the crisis for at least three months, he said.

“I don’t take this action lightly,” Wolf said.

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