ONDCP Blog

Watch: Webinar on the DEA’s Final Rule on Disposal of Control Substances

On November 6, the Office of National Drug Control Policy joined the Drug Enforcement Administration to host a webinar for community agencies looking to implement drug disposal programs. The safe, environmentally sound disposal of prescription drugs is one of the four pillars outlined in the 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan to reduce prescription drug misuse, and is critical to curbing the national opioid epidemic. Officials and disposal experts from Alameda County, California also joined to discuss how ordinances might define and fund programs at the county level. 

Watch the video: 

In Juvenile Justice, Community Involvement is Key to Substance Abuse Prevention

Local artists in Snohomish County, Washington, are contributing their time, tools, and studio space to mentor teens recently involved in their community’s juvenile justice system. For eight weeks, the youth will learn art and photography skills, then produce artwork documenting their lives, families, and communities. Some of their efforts will be featured in local art venues or the local newspaper.

The teens are participants in Promising Arts in Recovery (PAIR), part of Snohomish County’s local Reclaiming Futures program. The goal of PAIR is to establish social and job skills by connecting local artists with at-risk teens who are involved in the juvenile justice system and may be undergoing treatment for substance use or mental health issues. Through programs like PAIR that offer workshops, internships, or job-shadowing opportunities, local professionals are not only helping these young people develop skills necessary to be active citizens, they are helping to rebuild a community around prevention.

In recognition of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we reflect on the critical need for community involvement programs that create sustainable, long-term solutions to help prevent American teens from using drugs and alcohol. At Reclaiming Futures, a national model applied in 18 states to improve juvenile justice systems, we believe that community involvement helps create a culture of prevention.

The mission of Reclaiming Futures is to help teens trapped in the cycle of drugs, alcohol, and crime by improving access to resources through collaboration among court services, treatment service providers, educators, families, and communities. We focus on getting teens more treatment and better treatment. But equally important is connecting them with activities beyond treatment that, like PAIR, establish behaviors to help them stay drug- and crime-free. It is this beyond treatment element that has the potential to propel a new community identity around prevention. These programs help to build a network of caring individuals invested in teens’ success. Once established, the programs have the ability to reach young people early to counter peer pressure and adverse childhood experiences that may lead to substance use.

Devoting resources to community-rooted solutions and conversation about prevention can help America’s youth connect with support systems that will aid in the success of their futures.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is also championing community-rooted solutions through its Drug-Free Communities Support Program, which enables local community coalitions across the country establish and strengthen collaboration with public and private agencies to amplify youth substance abuse prevention efforts.

Susan Richardson is national executive director for Reclaiming Futures. Formerly, she was a senior program officer in the health care division of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in North Carolina, where she led a three-year effort involving the state’s juvenile justice and treatment leaders to adopt the Reclaiming Futures model by juvenile courts in six North Carolina counties. 

Why Academic Success Means More than Getting into College

Today marks the beginning of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). This national observance calls attention to the essential role substance use prevention plays in promoting safe and healthy communities.

The theme for this year’s observance is Prevent. Achieve. Succeed. We know that substance use can stand in the way of academic achievement and success. In addition, poor grades and disinterest in school increase the chances that a teen will use harmful substances. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), youth ages 12 to 17 who have a “D” or lower grade average are two-to-three times more likely to use illicit drugs and cigarettes, compared to their peers who have a grade average better than “D.” [1]

On the other hand, there are many benefits of strong academic performance, including knowledge gained in class, competitive advantage for getting into college, and better job opportunities in the future. Youth who do well academically and have a sense of belonging in school are less likely to use substances.

In honor of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we urge you to do something to encourage a young person’s positive growth and development, directly or indirectly. For example, you might decide to hold a potluck with neighbors to share resources on how to talk with children about alcohol use and discuss how to support each other in doing so. Or, you may focus on building your family’s resilience by spending time with your kids, listening to them, and encouraging their interest in constructive activities and hobbies. (Start early—see SAMHSA’s Building Blocks for a Healthy Future for resources and materials to help children ages 3-6 make decisions, gain confidence, and improve self-esteem.)

You can also start thinking ahead to SAMHSA's National Prevention Week—May 17-23, 2015—a time when people across the country come together to make a positive difference in the health and well-being of their community.

No matter how you choose to take part, know that you’re contributing to a positive, nationwide effort—an effort that will continue after October 31^st. Prevention efforts never end, and with good reason. With each generation comes the collective responsibility to keep young people out of harm’s way; to educate them about healthy choices; and to build their decision-making skills so that when they come to a fork in the road, they choose the path to a healthy, happy, and successful life.

Recovery at the White House: Celebrating 25 Years

Yesterday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) hosted an event in honor of National Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month, called “Recovery at the White House: Celebrating 25 years.”  Television journalist and recovery advocate Laurie Dhue moderated a panel of other recovery advocates who shared their personal stories about addiction, and participated in a discussion about their journeys to recovery.  

The panel consisted of Cris Carter, a former NFL football player and current ESPN announcer in recovery; Christina Huffington, a young person in recovery; Ruben Castaneda, a Washington Post reporter and author of the book that chronicles his own journey to recovery, S Street Rising; and Tim Wilson, mayor of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.  The panelists’ personal stories emphasized the fact that addiction is a disease—not a product of personal failings—and their accomplishments demonstrate the power of recovery in living a successful life.

“We are not bad people trying to get good—we are sick people trying to get well,” said moderator Laurie Dhue, opening the panel.  “We’re not in a basement somewhere.  We’re at the White House talking about addiction and recovery.”  Laurie’s poignant words served as a reminder of the power of candor and community, and bolstered the message that no one has to be alone when it comes to substance use disorders.

Three women from N Street Village, a community of empowerment and recovery for women, and Theatre Lab D.C. shared an inspirational performance about recovery.  “Not addicted to drugs—but addicted to life,” an evocative line during the trio’s amalgam of song and spoken-word poetry, highlighted the self-restoration that accompanies recovery.

Recovery Month, now in its 25^th year, celebrates prevention, treatment, and of course recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.   Recovery Month underscores the importance of mental health and addiction treatment services in promoting lives free of substance use disorders.  Through Recovery Month events, the Administration spreads the positive message that people can and do recover—recognizing the accomplishments of the millions of Americans currently in recovery, and encouraging those suffering with addiction to seek the treatment necessary for improving their own lives.

For more information on National Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month, visit recoverymonth.gov or check out the Americans in Recovery Facebook page. You can watch archived video of the event here and see a Storify from the entire day.