Raleigh Treatment Centers

Raleigh, North Carolina, like any other part of the country, has its own fair share of substance abuse problems. However, the city is being incredibly proactive in trying to resolve these problems, which is why they have set up the Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. What makes this so unique - and so effective - is that the task force, as evidenced by its name, recognizes that addiction is a mental health disease, and one for which treatment exists.

The Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Abuse (TFMHSA)

The TFMHSA was set up by Governor Pat McCrory, and has members from the justice system (private and public), the health care system, nongovernmental entities, county leaders, and private sector employers. It has charged itself with making recommendations to make it easier for residents of Raleigh who suffer from a mental illness, including substance abuse disorders, to get the treatment that they need.

One of the key tasks of the TFMHSA is to break through the stigma on mental health problems. Through various intervention efforts, they have ensured that addiction and mental health disorders are things that can be talked about, so that people do not reach a crisis point and end up in a hospital, in jail, or dead. They have created various early intervention efforts, as well as investing heavily in detox and rehab treatment.

The TFMHSA is a strategic body that makes recommendations in order to improve the lives of people in the community. Specifically:

• They investigate how different stakeholders can share information and work in an integrated way to improve treatment outcomes.
• They determine how drug and mental health courts can best offer their services in order to avoid judicial punishments but provide treatment instead.
• They create outreach programs in which success stories can be shared, so that the stigma on addiction and mental health is reduced.
• They look at how the community as a whole can best support young people to steer them away from substance abuse, so that they are able to reach their full potential.
• They support teenagers in the foster care system by linking them to mental health and substance abuse services.

The TFMHSA has existed for some time now, and they have made great progress in terms of reaching their strategic goals. They have been able to deliver programs for adults, children, families, and youths. Additionally, they have placed an emphasis on the growing problem of opioid abuse, both for heroin and prescription medication. Furthermore, they have put initiatives in place to avoid relapse for those who seek drug and alcohol treatment through the various detox and rehab centers that exist in and around Raleigh. This has been a particularly effective intervention, as it has ensured those who have made the difficult decision to seek help are supported on the path to recovery after they have completed their intensive rehab. In so doing, they are not left to their own device only to return to their previous toxic environment where the chance of relapse is greatly heightened. The TFMHSA has served as an example of best practice for many other parts of the country.