Substance misuse within families is a significant and growing concern within the child welfare system. The challenges are multifaceted and deeply entrenched, often leading to devastating outcomes for both parents and their children. According to recent data, parental substance use is a contributing factor in approximately 26% of substantiated cases of child maltreatment and plays a role in over one-third of cases where a child is removed from the home. 

In Fiscal Year 2021 alone, there were 3.3 million maltreatment referrals, with 18% resulting in findings of victimization, totaling 586,554 children. These alarming statistics highlight the ongoing issues within the system. 

MST Services, renowned for its evidence-based programs for at-risk youth, is at the forefront of addressing these challenges through innovative, inclusive, and effective interventions tailored to the unique needs of vulnerable families and children. 

The opioid crisis has left an indelible mark on countless families across the United States. With over 108,000 drug overdose deaths, the majority involving opioids, the epidemic has profound implications not only for public health but also for child welfare systems. 

Vaping, the new way to smoke, is becoming increasingly popular among teens. It may be hard to believe, but electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were first introduced in 2007 and have since become a public health epidemic, contributing to youth substance abuse. The Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, VADM Jerome Adams, stated that “The recent surge in e-cigarette use among youth, which has been fueled by new types of e-cigarettes that have recently entered the market, is a cause for great concern. We must take action now to protect the health of our nation’s young people.”

2020, unlike past years, has proven to be a difficult year for all ages. Similar to the pandemic the world is facing, the epidemic of substance abuse among teens is not slowing down. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) explains prescription medications, along with other drugs, are one of the fastest-growing substance abuse problems within the United States specifically affecting the lives of teenagers. Moreover, countries around the world have seen a similar trend – 35 million people globally suffered from drug misuse in 2019. The more adults and adolescents understand the signs and dangers of using, the bigger the chance of reducing the problem within communities.

There are many factors that can affect a teenager’s decision to smoke or drink alcohol. In the last few decades, however, the rapid growth of advertising and consumerism has begun to have an enormous influence on teens.

Originally created with the intention of aiding adults in quitting traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes have been finding their way into the hands of teenagers in recent years with an ever-increasing frequency. In 2011, less than five percent of teenagers reported using e-cigarettes; by 2018, that number had jumped to more than 37 percent. Despite being touted as a “safe” and even “healthy” alternative to traditional tar-and-chemical-laden cigarettes, most e-cigarettes still contain nicotine, which has long been known as an addictive substance. And that’s at the heart of the issue of teen e-cigarette use, says Nora D. Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “It is urgent that teens understand the possible effects of vaping on overall health, the development of the teen brain and the potential for addiction.”

Growing up is a difficult process for many teens across the U.S., as developing a positive self-image can be a daunting task in the face of society's ever-changing landscape. Teens feel pressure from different areas of their lives: from one's parents, friends, school, job, and even from interactions on social media. It is no wonder, then, that a lot of teens suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety. But when teenagers are struggling with a mental health problem and have no healthy outlet to deal with painful or difficult emotions, they can instead end up turning to alcohol or drug use as a form of self-medication. It is a scenario many are familiar with in adults, but with teenagers the risks are much higher because their brains are still developing. At this critical point in their development, drug and alcohol use can be far more problematic.

Providing students with a safe and healthy learning environment is the goal of school administrators across the nation, and in the last few decades this goal has grown to include preventing students from using tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. One of the first programs to address this issue was D.A.R.E., which began in Los Angeles in the early 1980s. Studies on the program’s efficacy, however, have shown the results to be mixed at best, and in some cases, the prevalence of drug use in teens increased. In response to this, school administrators began looking elsewhere to find solutions to this issue. Some administrators drew inspiration from workplace drug testing policies, the result of which has been the implementation of random drug testing programs for students in schools across the nation. Such policies have left both parents and students alike uneasy about the process, and experts unconvinced of such a policy’s effectiveness to curb youth substance use. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol is still the most commonly used and abused drug of choice for youth under the age of 21. In fact, the CDC estimates that 11 percent of alcohol consumed in the United States each year is consumed by youths between 12 and 20 years of age, and 90 percent of that occurs in the form of binge drinking. Despite being viewed as not carrying a great risk by roughly 50 percent of teenagers, the ramifications of underage drinking can lead to lifelong mental and physical issues. From sexual assaults to car accidents, stories of the negative impact drinking can have on youth are frequent in the news and pose a serious public health concern across the country.