Short Assignment

Early intervention can prove useful to set in motion a country wide campaign to encourage prevention and early intervention methods for individuals with alcohol and drug abuse and mental health disorders. This will require additional funding directed towards states and even smaller communities to identify and act in response to mental health disorders. Fresh measures aimed at the risk of alcoholism will need to be taken; including the initiation of local early prevention programs. The State government will be required to back incentives to sanction ignition interlock policies for individuals charged with drunk driving to aid in the reduction of numbers of repeat offenders (Midgley).

Increasing access to treatment and recovery facilities by ensuring there are more beds in mental health and substance use treatment facilities, backing public as well as non-profit bodies, expanding treatment centers, encouraging investment in treatment centers and setting into motion an rigorous country-wide awareness campaign to counter stigma affiliated with pursuing treatment for alcohol and substance abuse (Plummer, 2014).

Mental health is as crucial as physical health and it is necessary to initiate a health care scheme that amalgamates mental and physical health. It is important to preserve mental health and alcohol and drug abuse coverage as crucial health care benefits and implement laws such as the Affordable Care Act that guarantee health insurance organizations cover every mental illness and substance abuse condition in a similar manner as they would for physical disorders.

Research is crucial to our triumph not only in comprehending the realities of mental disorders as well as addiction. Regardless of some significant advances in research, there still exists a gap in our comprehension of the association between the mind and substance use conditions. Federal investment is crucial for research on the effect of substance abuse on the mind as well as the body and the advancement of safe treatment. Investment in the public health surveillance research is necessary to aid in the development of successful treatment.

Trade-offs

Many people have different ideas about how to tackle the alcohol and substance abuse problem. Some believe that it would be easier, in the case of alcohol abuse, to hike the prices of alcohol in an attempt to reduce the ability to purchase thus reducing consumption. This could prove to work, but ultimately it is a quick fix to a larger problem. The rise in prices will reduce the rate of alcohol consumption but eventually the individuals will find a way to get their “fix”. With higher prices, they might have to sacrifice other amenities in order to sustain their addiction and this will lead to a lower standard of living. Some might even take matter to the extreme in order to get the money require; they might even break the law to sustain their urges and this creates an even bigger problem.

Though prevention seems like the best way to tackle the problem, it is important to realize the reality alcohol and substance use will affect some. It is then necessary to ensure that there are enough facilities and treatment methods to help addicts overcome their addiction. This ensures that even in the off chance that one develops a problem, it can be handled appropriately.

References

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series. Chapter 8.

Midgley, J. &. he handbook of social policy (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Chapter 6: “The Impact of Social Policy” (pp.83-100) (PDF).