The Indiana Department of Health has released its findings form the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). The BRFSS is the largest continuously conducted health survey system in the world, with 400,000 Americans participating each year. The survey was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with 15 states, including Indiana. ISDH is responsible for collecting the information from across the entire state to better evaluate the health status of Hoosiers. The 2018 survey found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent among Indiana adults. ACEs are traumatic events, such as abuse, household dysfunction, and neglect, experienced before 18. Past research has shown that ACEs increase the likelihood of negative health behaviors and outcomes in adulthood. The survey found that 61.2 percent of Indiana adults have experienced at least one ACE, and about a quarter of the population have experienced three or more ACEs. The most commonly experienced ACE categories were parental separation of divorce, emotional abuse, and substance abuse in the household. Click here to learn more information from the report summary. Click here to view the entire report and its findings.
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released an issue brief on the significant impact the opioid epidemic has had on the Hispanic/Latino population. The United States has seen a demographic shift in the epidemic with increases in opioid misuse and overdose deaths among Hispanic/Latino, African American and American Indian/Alaska Native populations. As Hispanic/Latinos are one of the fastest growing minority populations, it becomes imperative to understand the sociocultural factors that influence drug use and access to prevention, treatment and recovery in this population. The report details the recent data on the prevalence of opioid misuse and death rates among the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States. It also discusses the contextual factors, such as access to early intervention and treatment, and highlighting tailored outreach/engagement strategies to aid this community. Click here to read the issue brief.
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced on Aug. 6 a new partnership between the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and the Addiction and Mental Health America of Indiana. This partnership is meant to expand access to peer recovery support recovery specialists throughout Indiana via the Indiana Recovery Network. The Indiana Recovery Network is a grassroots network that spans across the entire state with more than 60 recovery-based organizations that provide peer support. Peer recovery support specialists are individuals who have received training and have personal experience with mental health issues or substance use disorder. They are meant to work alongside patients and support them during recovery. The expansion, which is funded by a more than $1 million grant from SAMHSA, will result in the addition of at least 40 part and full-time peer recovery specialists at 16 of the recovery-based organizations across Indiana. Click here to view the full announcement and a full list of the recovery-based organizations across Indiana that will be adding peer recovery specialists.
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