Addressing Opioid Use in Pennsylvania

Goal Statement: This social change portfolio will discuss the scope and consequences of this issue, apply the social-ecological model to this problem, address theories for prevention, discuss any diversity and ethical considerations as well as how to advocate regarding addiction. Significant Findings: According to Pennsylvania Opioids, the rate of drug related overdoses has increased steadily over the last three years averaging at about 4,500 deaths per year. The opioid issue in Pennsylvania has the most effect regarding white and black males ages 12-25 years old. The Counselors Care program (CARE) is a high-school based intervention for students at a high risk for suicide and/or dropping out of school as well as reducing drug and alcohol consumption. Utilizing this information addressing this issue with a proper prevention technique as well as advocating for this population could lead to promising results. Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps: Advocating for this client population is a good way to make progress. Utilizing Person-Centered theory would be an effective method of assisting people with the opioid issue. Realizing that having a positive impact on any of the levels of the socio-ecological model is beneficial overall as opposed to no progress at all. It is important to consider specific ethical and diversity considerations such as working with minors