Substance Abuse in Great Falls, Montana Prevented With Programs

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - March 30, 2018 - PRLog -- Several substance abuse programs have been placed in Great Falls, Montana to stop the cycle of people heading towards drug abuse.

Montana has had a growing substance abuse issue over the last few years.

There were 119 people who died in 2016 in Montana, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention.

There were also over 64,000 people that allegedly had a substance abuse disorder in 2017, based on a report from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

A licensed addiction counselor at Great Falls Public Schools helps students who are affected by substance abuse. Linda Blankenship is part of the Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) CARE Program which was formed to stop students from falling to substance abuse.

The GFPS began in 1982 and educates students and teachers on the effects of substance abuse. It also warns them about the factors that could lead to substance abuse.

Jody Murray was one of the people who started the program and she is also a GFPS prevention specialist.

Her job entails creating communication with students, parents and agencies from the community.

Alliance For Youth is one of the organizations that is illustrating the importance of drug prevention. They seek to inform adolescents on substance abuse with viewings of the documentary "Chasing the Dragon, The Life of an Opiate Addict" which shows the effects of substance abuse.

She thinks that the documentary has opened up eyes and has helped prevent substance abuse. The film and its content originally shocked her but she understood that it just meant that they needed to focus more on educating about the topic.

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/03/30/substance-abu...