Albuquerque Treatment Centers

Albuquerque, NM, has a very significant problem in terms of drug and alcohol abuse. Consistently, it has ranked as one of the worst areas of drug-related deaths. Furthermore, admission rates to treatment centers as a result of opioid addictions continue to rise. This is a positive development as it means that more and more people are realizing that detox and rehab services are available, but it does mean there is still a serious problem. Of particular concern is the fact that young people are at the greatest risk of developing substance abuse disorders in Albuquerque. There are higher rates of non-medical use of prescription medication among those who are under 25 than those who are over 25. They are also more likely than youths across the country to have experimented with heroin, and the proportion of young people who die as a result of heroin overdoses is growing. Statistics on Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Albuquerque Statistics relating to Bernalillo County, of which the city of Albuquerque is a part of, have shown that:

• There has been an increase in both drug and alcohol abuse since 2011.
• There has been a dramatic increase in the availability of synthetic cannabinoids (spice).
• There has been a significant increase in the number of naloxone overdose reversals.

Government Response In response to this growing threat, New Mexico has established the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Section (SAES) of the New Mexico Department of Health, which is responsible for collecting data on substance abuse in the area, analyzing it, and sharing this with stakeholders in the community, including policy makers, health providers, community groups, educators, and more. The SAES looks at a variety of data, including:

• Naloxone distribution
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Drug overdose deaths
• Alcohol related deaths

The Department of Health has also implemented a number of other intervention programs. The combined goal is to stop the various negative consequences of substance abuse. One element that has been created through integrated working and information sharing is the Prescription Opioid Safety program, which aims to teach people how to prevent overdoses on prescription opioids. Another element that has been created is Harm Reduction, where people can find out about naloxone distribution, as well as syringe services. Treatment in Albuquerque There has been a significant piece of research completed that showed more and more young people now seek detox and rehab treatment for opioid addiction. Additionally, nonmedical use of prescription opioids continues to rise. A particular concern that came out of the piece of research was that it was difficult for young people to find age-appropriate services to get help, and particularly to gain access to buprenorphine, a recognized form of treatment for opioid addiction. Unfortunately, there was also a significant lack of funding, and this made it particularly difficult for people suffering from an addiction to access treatment quickly. The conclusions of this research were that Albuquerque and New Mexico should invest heavily in creating treatment programs that are specifically targeted at young people. These should include intervention efforts in order to make sure young people understand the dangers of opioid abuse. At the same time, a resource guide for those looking for treatment should be made available, and detox and rehab should become more widely available.