Drug Abuse Action Plan - Case Study Example

DRUG ABUSE ACTION PLAN By (Student Name) Code + Course Name Class Professor Name University Name City, State Date Drug Abuse Action Plan Introduction Apparently, the use of illicit drugs is the most worrying behavior relating to drug abuse among the Australian youth (Scott et al., 2015, p. 120). Research shows that a vast majority of the Australian population, both adults and the youth, take caffeine, a mild stimulant, by consuming chocolate, coffee, tea, and cola beverages (Scott et al., 2015, p. 120; Yusuf and Leeder, 2015, p. 129). For example, regular tobacco consumption in Australia stands at three out of four and two out of five persons, respectively (Scott et al., 2015, p. 122). On a weekly basis, alcohol is consumed by 41 percent of Australians aged 14 and above, and daily consumption of the same stands at nine percent of the populace (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013, p. 3). As far as tobacco consumption is concerned, 17 percent of Australians do it on a daily basis (Scott et al., 2015, p. 120). On the other hand, approximately a third (38 percent) of the entire Australian population has admitted to using a substance categorized as illicit by the government (Scott et al., 2015, p. 122). Among these substances, Cannabis stands out as the most commonly used, where 34 percent of the national population has admitted having used it at one time in their lives (Nicholas et al., 2013, p. 4). Moreover, 11 percent of the sample has confessed having abused it within the previous 12 months. Apart from cannabis, the use of analgesics (painkillers) for non-medical reasons is another serious problem categorized as drug and substance abuse. In this regard, six percent of Australians have reported having abused painkillers at some point in their lives (Holliday et al., 2015, p. 1722; Dietze, Laslatt, & Rumbold, 2004, p. 36). Moreover, approximately 10 percent of the Australian youths in secondary schools have reported using amphetamines, while eight percent have reported using ecstasy at some point (White and Bariola, 2012, p. 7). This paper outlines an action plan on drug abuse in Melbourne, Australia, which comprises six sections, including the objectives of the action plan, proposed action points, anticipated outcomes, timelines and resources, key risks, and plan evaluation. A table summarizing the action plan is also attached as an appendix. Objectives of the Action Plan I. To identify and set the most effective and appropriate drug abuse prevention measures; II. To develop and implement effective early drug abuse intervention measures; III. To develop and avail effective and appropriate treatment services for those affected by drug use, misuse, and abuse; and IV. To avail the most effective rehabilitation and recovery programs for persons dependent on drugs, alcohol, and other chemical substances. Proposed Action Points To meet the objectives identified in the foregoing section, the workgroup will undertake various steps and actions. The workgroup will define the specific action points for each objective as below: Preventing Drug Abuse Identifying the most common illicit drugs and the most abused analgesics and prescription drugs; Identifying the sources of the drugs; Entering into collaboration with local health care and law enforcement agencies; Identifying the method of control, for example, the destruction of illicit drugs; Collaborating with learning institutions as far as educating learners on dangers of drug abuse is concerned. Developing Early Interventions Initiating community awareness campaigns on the social ills of drug and alcohol abuse; Identifying the most vulnerable groups in the society; Identifying clinical interventions of drug and alcohol abuse. Availing Treatment Services Identifying community health centers that treat drug-related disorders; Collecting statistics on the frequency of drug-related admissions at emergency units; Identifying the most common drug abuse disorders. Facilitating Recovery Programs Identifying the available public and private rehabilitation centers in the surrounding community; Collecting statistics on the success rates of drug recovery programs available in those centers. Anticipated Outcomes Objective: Prevention of Drug Abuse Action Point 1: Identification of the illicit drugs, analgesics, and prescription drugs abused by the youth Expected outcomes: The workgroup should approach various clinical settings to identify drug related disorders and the drugs associated with the same. According to national statistics on drug abuse, these visits should clearly indicate whether cocaine, heroin, tobacco, cannabis, various classes of opioids, and amphetamines are the most common drugs abused by patients admitted due to drug-related health issues. Similarly, the group, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, should categorically indicate whether cocaine, heroin, and cannabis are the most common illicit drugs possessed by those incarcerated on account of drug-related charges. Action Point 2: Identification of sources of abused drugs Expected outcomes: The workgroup should collect data from law enforcement records to reveal whether pharmacies were the main sources of pain relievers and amphetamines abused by the youth in Melbourne. Likewise, the date should indicate the role that unethical pharmacists play in the distribution and supply of the drugs. Similarly, in collaboration with families and the Melbourne community in general, the workgroup should indicate how relatives and friends influence young people as far as the abuse of prescription drugs is concerned. Action point 3: Collaborating with local health care and law enforcement agencies. Expected outcome: To collaborate with law and health care agencies, the workgroup should develop a memorandum of understanding that clearly shows the importance of the current undertaking as far as the development of preventive, intervention, treatment, and recovery initiatives for drug addicts is concerned. This is expected to persuade health care practitioners and law enforcement authorities to provide critical data relating to drug and substance abuse. Action point 4: Identification of drug control methods. Expected outcome: In order to succeed in eliminating the scourge of drug abuse in Melbourne, the workgroup should design drug control measures. In particular, the workgroup, in collaboration with law enforcement and local drug agencies, should identify drug incineration points. Furthermore, while working with the same agencies, the workgroup should identify unethical pharmacists and unlicensed pharmacies that enhance the supply of prescription drugs. Objective: Development of early interventions Action point 5: Initiation of community awareness Expected outcomes: through collaboration with stakeholders (teacher-parent associations, faith-based and civil society organizations, law enforcement and drug control agencies among others), the workgroup should help in the development of drug education curriculums that educate learners in the early levels of education on the dangers associated with drug abuse. Members of the workgroup should volunteer to educate young people in their neighborhoods on the same. Action point 6: Identification of the most vulnerable groups. Expected outcomes: through community collaborations, the workgroup should identify the age group most likely to experiment with various drugs, including painkillers, stimulants, and other illicit substances. According to national statistics, the 12 to 21 age group is the most vulnerable to drug abuse. Action point 7: Identification of clinical interventions Expected outcomes: The workgroup should identify the available clinical programs aimed at drug addicts. Objective: Treatment services Action point 8: Identification of community health centers. Expected outcomes: the workgroup should locate health centers in the Melbourne community that treat drug-related disorders. Action point 9: Collection of admission statistics. Expected outcomes: The workgroup, in collaboration with the local health care delivery system, should identify the number of times individuals with drug-related complication are admitted in emergency units each day, week, and month. Action point 10: Identification of common drug abuse disorders Expected outcomes: In collaboration with local health care facilities and personnel, the workgroup should identify the common health complications suffered by drug addicts. Objective: Facilitation of recovery programs Action point 11: Identification of the available public and private rehabilitation centers. Expected outcomes: The workgroup should develop a list of all the available drug rehabilitation centers in Melbourne. Action point 12: Collection of success statistics. Expected outcomes: The workgroup should identify rehabilitation programs that help addicts to recover fully from drug dependence and those that do not work. It should also identify those that restore maximum body and mind functionality and those that fail on the same. Timelines and Resources The identification of illicit drugs, analgesics, and prescription drugs abused by the youth in Melbourne should take two working days. The only resources needed for this task are the workgroup, the health care facilities and practitioners, and law enforcement agencies. The same applies to the identification of sources of abused drugs. To develop collaborations with local health care and law enforcement agencies, the workgroup should take a maximum of one week to overcome any expected bureaucracies. The only resources needed for this to happen are the workgroup itself and the relevant law and health care personnel. The identification of drug control methods should take one day, and incineration tanks are needed for the safe destruction of the seized illicit drugs. The initiation of community awareness should be an ongoing exercise and key resources required for that to happen include the community stakeholders- teacher-parent associations, faith-based and civil society organizations, and law enforcement and drug control agencies, including their physical and financial resources. The same applies to the identification of the most vulnerable groups in society; it should be a continuous exercise supported by all community stakeholders and their combined resources. To identify the available clinical interventions, the workgroup should take a maximum of two weeks. This will allow them to visit Melbourne extensively to identify the clinics providing drug-related interventions. Community health centers and health care practitioners will be the most appropriate resources for this activity. The same applies to the identification of community health centers. With regard to collecting admission statistics, the workgroup should take a maximum of two weeks to cover the entire Melbourne health care community. Community health centers would be sufficient resources for this endeavor. The same case applies in the identification of common drug abuse disorders among the Melbourne youth. To identify the available public and private rehabilitation centers, the work group should equally allocate two weeks for the same and use the Internet, health care maps, and the local department of health statistics. Key Risks Executing the action points for each objective portends certain risks and downsides as far as controlling drug abuse among the youths in Melbourne and Australia is concerned. In identifying the various types of illicit drugs, analgesics, and prescription drugs prevalent among Australian youths, the current workgroup, and any other entity must be prepared to face opposition from certain parties. For example, bureaucracy in law enforcement and drug control agencies is a real threat to the prompt and successful identification of drugs abused by young people in any geographical region. The same case applies to any attempts to identify the main sources of the drugs. In particular, rogue pharmacists and compromised drug enforcement officials present a real obstacle in this endeavor. The issue of bureaucracy is also a real threat to workgroup efforts to initiate collaboration with local health care and law enforcement agencies. Since drug abuse is a real threat to the social stability of Melbourne and Australia, the agencies might feel that any efforts to control the vice should not be left to a group of university students. This type of attitude could very well frustrate efforts of any collaboration and, by extension, any successful prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery initiatives. With regard to the identification of drug control methods, the main risks include obtaining authorization from the concerned authorities, which could delay the fight against drug and substance abuse. For example, identifying incineration tanks and using them to destroy illicit drugs could require inspection and authorization by health and safety agencies in Melbourne. Lack of social will from such authorities could severely undermine any efforts of destroying these types of drugs. In creating community awareness about the dangers of drug use, misuse, and abuse among the youth and even by adults, the likelihood of the existence of sections that do not support such initiatives is a real risk. This possibility arises from the fact that drug cartels have a tendency to penetrate, either by intimidation or corruption, certain sections of the community. Research indicates that corruption among drug enforcement officials and their counterparts from other agencies dealing with the prevention and control of drug abuse is the most entrenched tradition enforced by drug traffickers and cartels (Nicholas et al., 2013, p. 6). Consequently, efforts to identify the most vulnerable groups in society rely heavily on the level of community openness and expression. The presence of community associations in any locality helps in tackling social problems that pose various risks to social stability and safety. Thus, the absence of such associations or systems in Melbourne might severely frustrate the efforts to arrest drug abuse menace affecting the region’s youthful population. With regard to the identification of clinical interventions and community health care centers, the lack of physical and digital mobility is another issue that might affect the endeavors. Undoubtedly, the Internet is probably the most effective resource that can be used to locate health institutions and the services they offer in various locations. The same case applies to the most common disorders afflicting drug addicts as well as the number of drug rehabilitation centers in any region, such as Melbourne. In collecting admission statistics relating to persons admitted to emergency rooms with drug-related complications, the goodwill of health care practitioners is an important resource. In contrast, the lack of such goodwill might frustrate the efforts of accessing such records in health care facilities in Melbourne or any other locality. Evaluation of Objectives and Related Action Points and Expected Outcomes To determine the progress of each action point relative to the stated objective, doing an evaluation is necessary and critical. The action plan evaluation stage will be in the next 90 days, which will be after the implementation of the outlined action points relating to the four stated objectives. Objective: Prevention Action Point 1: Identification of drugs abused by the youth in Melbourne Evaluation: The evaluation method to be used in determining the success of this action point will be the examination of collected statistics. It is expected that these statistics will identify drugs abused by the youth by name, type or class; that is, if illicit, it will classify them into cocaine, heroin or both, and if prescription drugs, pain-relievers or stimulants. This will be at the level of the expected outcome, which is to identify the drugs abused by the youth of Melbourne by name and type. Action Point 2: Identification of drug sources Evaluation: The method of evaluation will be the examination of the collected statistics, which are expected to name the exact channels through which the youth access illicit and prescription drugs. This will indicate whether the expected outcome of identifying unethical personnel and compromised systems that facilitate the supply and distribution of drugs abused in Melbourne has been attained. Action point 3: Collaborating with health care, law, and drug enforcement agencies. Evaluation: This will involve the examination of the existence of a memorandum of understanding or any other documentation indicating the existence of collaborative work between such agencies and the current workgroup. Indeed, this is the very outcome expected from this action point. Action point 4: Identification of drug control and elimination methods. Evaluation: The success of this action point will be determined by the quantities of illicit drugs destroyed by incinerators and the number of the same allocated for the task. Notably, the expected outcome of this action point was to identify the ways of destroying illicit drugs where the use of incinerators was highly considered. Objective: Early Interventions Action point 5: Creating community awareness Evaluation: This action will be evaluated through observation; that is, the level of community initiatives, such as public gatherings, advertisements in the local media, and school-based drug education programs, that address prevention, intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation initiatives targeting drug abusers. Notably, the expected outcome of this action point was to identify local stakeholders that come together to address the drug abuse threat in their midst. Action point 6: Identification of vulnerable groups Evaluation: An examination of population-specific drug abuse programs will indicate the success of this action point. Indeed, this will go in line with the expected outcome, which was to identify the specific age group most vulnerable to drug abuse in Melbourne. Action point 7: Identification of clinical interventions. Evaluation: Examination of collected statistics. This will show the number and location of clinics and local health centers with drug abuse intervention clinical programs just as elaborated by the expected outcome. Objective: Treatment Action point 8: Identification of health centers in the community. Evaluation: Examination of the collected statistics. These statistics will indicate the location and number of these centers, which were identified as the expected outcome of this action point. Action point 9: Collection of admission statistics. Evaluation: Examination of collected statistics. This will show the frequency of admissions to the emergency wings of local health care centers for cases relating to drug use, misuse, and abuse. This is the expected outcome of this action point. Action point 10: Identification of drug use, misuse, and abuse disorders. Evaluation: Examination of collected statistics. The statistics will name the most common health complications caused by drug abuse and their symptoms. This will satisfy the expected outcome, which was to identify such complications observed in patients admitted with drug-related health issues. Objective: Recovery programs Action point 11: Identification of rehabilitation centers. Evaluation: Examination of collected statistics; they should show the total number of available rehabilitation centers, and whether they are public or private. This is the original intention of this action plan. Action point 12: Collection of success statistics. Evaluation: Examination of collected statistics. These statistics should indicate the types of programs administered in those centers and their success rate as far as restoring the maximum body and mental functionality of admitted addicts are concerned. This will be in line with the expected outcome, which was to measure the effectiveness of recovery programs in eliminating drug dependence and making recovering addicts useful members of society. Reference List Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2011/12. Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Dietze, P., Laslatt, A., & Rumbold, G., 2004. The epidemiology of Australian drug use. In M. Hamilton, T. King & A. Ritter. (Eds.), Drug use in Australia: preventing harm (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press, pp.33-52. Holliday, S., Morgan, S., Tapley, A., Dunlop, A., Henderson, K., van Driel, M., Spike, N., McArthur, L., Ball, J., Oldmeadow, C. and Magin, P., 2015. The pattern of opioid management by Australian general practice trainees. Pain Medicine, 16(9), pp.1720- 1731. Nicholas, R., Adams, V., Roche, A., White, M. and Battams, S., 2013. A literature review to support the development of Australia’s alcohol and other drug workforce development strategy. Adelaide, SA: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction and Flinders University. Scott, N., Caulkins, J.P., Ritter, A., Quinn, C. and Dietze, P., 2015. High‐frequency drug purity and price series as tools for explaining drug trends and harms in Victoria, Australia. Addiction, 110(1), pp.120-128. White, V.M. and Bariola, E., 2012. Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, and over-the-counter and illicit substances in 2011: Report. Canberra, ACT: National Drug Strategy, Department of Health and Ageing. Yusuf, F. and Leeder, S.R., 2015. Making sense of alcohol consumption data in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 203(3), pp.128-130. APPENDIXES Appendix 1: Social Action Plan Description of the issue: Drug abuse among youth in Melbourne, Australia. Objective 1: To identify and set the most effective and appropriate drug abuse prevention measures Action points: Common drugs Sources Collaborations Control Awareness Expected outcomes: List drugs by name, type, or class. List channels of supply. Existence of memorandum of understanding. Quantities of illicit drugs destroyed. Timelines and Resources: 2 working days for the first and second action points. Resources include health care facilities and practitioner, and law and drug enforcement agencies. One week for the third action point. Resources needed include the relevant law and health care personnel. One day for the fourth action point. Resources needed are incineration tanks. Risks: Bureaucracy Rogue pharmacists and compromised drug enforcement officials. Negative attitudes from drug and law enforcement personnel. Authorization from concerned authorities. Lack of social will. Objective 2: To develop and implement effective early drug abuse intervention measures Action points: Community awareness Vulnerable groups Clinical interventions Expected outcomes: The number of community awareness initiatives. The age group that is most vulnerable. The number and locations of the clinics. Timeline and Resources: Ongoing exercise for the first and second action points. Resources are community-based organizations. Two weeks for the third action point, resources are health clinics and health care practitioner. Risks: Lack of community support. Corruption of drug enforcement officials. Absence of community associations and/or systems. Lack of physical and digital mobility. Objective 3: to develop and avail effective and appropriate treatment services for those affected by drug use, misuse, and abuse. Action points: Community health centers treating drug-related disorders. The frequency of admissions. Common drug abuse disorders. Expected outcomes: Number and location of health centers and the disorders treated. Collect admission statistics. List common health complications caused by drug abuse and their symptoms. Timelines and Resources: Two weeks for the first action point. Resources needed are health clinics and health care practitioners. 2 weeks for the second and third action points. Resource needed is the local community health centers. Risks: Lack of physical and digital mobility. Lack of goodwill from health care practitioners. Lack of physical and digital mobility. Objective 4: To avail the most effective rehabilitation and recovery programs for persons dependent on drugs, alcohol, and other chemical substances. Action points: Available rehabilitation centers Success rates of drug recovery programs Expected outcomes: Total number of available rehabilitation centers. Types of programs and their success rate. Expected Outcomes: 1 day for the first action point and 2 weeks for the second action point. Resources needed include the Internet, health care maps, and the local department of health statistics. Risks: Lack of physical and digital mobility. Lack of goodwill from health care practitioners. Read More