The Addiction Crisis and COVID-19’s Continued Impact Will Require Diligent Work from Professionals, Says Marc Effron of Legacy Healing
Addiction treatment centers have learned a lot since the onset of the pandemic over a year ago. Most centers have implemented an incredible number of changes to keep their communities safe and supported, minimizing lapses in care wherever possible. This important work cannot be discounted, according to Marc Effron of Legacy Healing, but impact that the pandemic has had still requires a firm dedication from professionals across the board. Here, Marc Effron reflects on COVID-19 and our need to work together to best support vulnerable members of our communities.
Rising Substance Usage Rates
As of June 2020, 13% of American citizens had reported either starting or increasing substance use to cope with stresses associated with COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that overdoses have also spiked in the time since the pandemic’s start, with its earliest months brining an 18% increase in overdoes nationwide. The American Medical Association’s research shows that this trend continued through 2020, with over 40 states reporting increases in opioid -related mortality. In the same span of time, the pandemic has emphasized several weaknesses within the infrastructure of the health care system, both with treating and preventing addiction.
Removing Barriers to Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment
Marc Effron of Legacy Healing maintains that treatment therapies should be individualized to a patient’s specific needs. Still, even with this tailoring, treatment models will be most effective when they are consistent with accepted standards of care. Lack of standardization within addiction treatment can be a barrier to getting people the treatment that they need.
Even with high-quality addiction treatment, third-party payer policies can limit coverage or payments can prevent individuals from accessing services that would be greatly beneficial to their health. If we want to see sufferers of substance use achieve the pinnacle of care, we must evaluate the systems that we have in place for granting them access to the best treatment available.
What Can Addiction Centers Do to Mitigate Damage?
While it may sound simple, Marc Effron of Legacy Healing acknowledges that one of the most impactful things centers can do is maintain their dedication to substance use treatment. Some treatment centers faced obstacles with COVID-19 concerns earlier in the pandemic, but light appears to be at the end of the tunnel for some as vaccine rollouts improve. It is important to remember the importance of not growing complacent as things begin to look up. Centers need to do everything possible to mitigate risks and ensure the health and wellness of both team members and centers’ communities.
There are several ways that centers can continue to keep their communities safe through this period of the pandemic. Sticking with safety precautions, prevention plans, and screenings is one of the most powerful assets for keeping the community healthy. Sanitation is still of the utmost importance, and diligent cleanings remain an incredible safeguard measure for the community. When it comes to treatment, centers should not shy away from speaking on the impact that the pandemic has had on community members. Addressing feelings that individuals enrolled in centers have regarding the disease can serve as a crucial aspect of whole-person treatment.
