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Mental Health and Mental Retardation Problem Analysis: Substance Abuse Staffing and Service in Rural AreasGroup 8Tarleton State UniversityDefining the ProblemThe Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center is battling a problem of staffing and servicing in rural areas for substance abuse treatment due to the lack of resources. The term substance abuse refers to use of a mood- or behavior-altering substance resulting in significant impairment or distress (Rural Health Information Hub., n.d.). Substance abuse treatment is critical in addiction recovery (Treatment, C. for S. A., 1970, January 1). There are resources available for individuals struggling with substance abuse but most resources are centrally located in urban areas resulting in a massive disconnect to those facing addiction within the rural communities. Although primary focus of substance abuse is usually in urban areas, “rural adults have higher rates of alcohol abuse, tobacco use, and methamphetamine use” (Rural Health Information Hub., n.d.). The lack of resources is causing death, higher crime activity, and an increase in mental health related problems in rural communities (Rural Health Information Hub., n.d.).Prevalence of the ProblemThe margin between need and available service to address substance abuse in rural areas is of principle concern. (Road to Recovery, December 2016) In the United States, 42 million people live in non-metropolitan, rural communities, which represents about 14% of the nation’s population. According to the Treatment Episode Data Set report (TEDS Report), among those rural residents, 68% males and 32% females admit to substance abuse, comparable with the 70% males and 30% female in urban areas. The number of rural substance abusers is continuing to increase with data inclusive of those age 12 and older. Urbanization is believed to be responsible for the growing population of rural substance abusers and the growing pains are being felt on a national, state and local level (Pullen and Oser. 2014). Between 2014 and 2015 substance abuse was widely reported in Texas showing 60% both male and female being physically dependent on substance in some form (American Addiction Center, n.d.). The Community Health Needs Assessment conducted in 2016 shows 22% within McLennan County as substance abusers, while the city of Waco reported 7% of the county data supporting the need to provide services to those residing in rural communities. However, the lack of qualified workforce, client distance from treatment facilities and cost prohibits servicing. (J. Schmitt, Personal Communication. 2020, 19 March)Population AffectedSubstance abuse in rural areas is not isolated amid the adult population and every ethnicity is affected. According Table 1 on pg. 2 of the TEDS Report, 8% of the national’s substance abuse population are age 12-17, 26% age 18-25, 55% age 26-49, and 11% are 50 and older. The ethnicity of these user is 77% Non-Hispanic White, 9% Non-Hispanic Black, 7% Hispanic, 6% American Indian or Alaskan Native and 1% other (US Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA. 2018). As the second largest state in the country, when speaking in terms of population and land, Texas is also experiencing an increase in substance abuse believed to be the result of a shared border with Mexico making the transport into the United State more accessible (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2003). Higher percentages of substance in Texas is also being felt among children and adolescence with 34% of adolescents age 12-17 reported as substance users and the remaining 66% being 18 and older (Texas Adolescent Substance Abuse, n.d.). In Waco, substance abuse prevails, much like it does on the state level with 6.5% women and 13% men out of every 100,000 citizens admitting to substance abuse in (Waco Drug Rehab Centers and Addiction Treatment Programs, n.d.). This compares very closely to the state average of 6.4% women and 13.9% men out of 100,000 (Waco Drug Rehab Centers and Addiction Treatment Programs, n.d.). Overall, Waco suffers from a substance abuse problem that effects many different individuals at a significant munity Efforts to Address the ProblemOn the State level, the effort to address the problem of getting services in rural areas has been the implementation of a bill known as Texas Health and Human Services Bill. This bill provides satellite offices of outpatient chemical dependency treatment facilities in rural areas (Personal communication). This bill was issued February 3, 2020 to address barriers to receiving chemical dependency treatment services in rural communities. The importance of this bill is to allow expansion of substance abuse services and access to treatment in rural areas. Efforts from MHMR substance abuse center in Waco, TX have been made by reaching out to the Limestone County area, in efforts to use a church facility to offer local treatment facilities in rural areas (Personal Communication). In addition, SAMHSA, a national helpline, is a treatment referral routing service that provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups and community- based organizations. This National helpline offers individuals and family members who face mental and/or substance use disorders (US Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA. 2018). Current Available Agency ServiceThe substance abuse facility within MHMR, implement the Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC), ROSC is a network of community-based services that is person-centered and assists in building strengths and resilience within individuals, families and communities to achieve abstinence for those with or at risk of alcohol or substance abuse (Recovery Oriented Systems of Care. 2010). The establishment of ROSC is a new concept in the substance abuse field that many facilities are implementing to create an infrastructure to effectively address the full range of substance use disorder within communities (Recovery Oriented Systems of Care. 2010). In addition, MHMR substance abuse centers focus is providing access to services, to those who need it most. Therefore, a few current available services to address the problem of services in rural areas is by closely associating with OSAR, Outreach, Screening, and Referral and Cenikor. Outreach, Screening, and Referral is a state-funded program for substance abuse use disorder treatment services provide free screenings and other recovery options (The Council on Recovery. n.d.). Cenikor is a recovery treatment center that offer inpatient and outpatient detox program to those with a substance use disorder. The importance of these two facilities is the close relationship with MHMR, substance abuse center and the services OSAR and Cenikor offer MHMR agency.References American Addiction Center. (n.d.) Texas Substance Abuse Facts. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from . (2019) Waco Residential Treatment Center. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from Drug Intelligence Agency. (2003, October) Texas Drug Threat Assessment Overview, Retrieved March 20, 2020 from , E. & Oser, C. (2014) Barriers to Substance Abuse Treatment in Rural and Urban Communities: Counselor Perspectives. Substance Use & Misuse, 49(7), 891-901 Retrieved March 4, 2020 from Oriented Systems of Care Resource Guide. (2010) Retrieved March 19, 2020 Health Information Hub. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from Abuse/COPSD Program. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from Council On Recovery (n.d). Retrieved March 19, 2020 from , C. for S. A. (1970, January 1). 1 Groups and Substance Abuse Treatment. Retrieved from . S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.) Office of Population Affairs. Texas Adolescent Substance Abuse Facts. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from substance-abuse/texas/index.htmlU. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Substance Abuse and Mental Service Administration. Retrieved March 19, 2020 from Waco Drug Rehab Centers and Addiction Treatment Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2020, from ................
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