320,000+ US children lost a parent to drug overdose between 2011-2021, with rates doubling.

320,000+ US children lost a parent to drug overdose between 2011-2021, with the rate of children experiencing this loss doubling during this period. The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that 649,599 people aged 18-64 died from drug overdoses during the same period, leaving an estimated 321,566 children behind. This study emphasizes the need for whole-person health care that treats substance use disorder as a parent or family member, provides prevention resources, and incorporates culturally-informed approaches to break generational cycles of substance use and address racial and ethnic inequities in access to services.

May 08, 2024
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