Description
The role of rehab centers in Boston
For a growing number of Bostonians, the high relapse rates of short-term programs are an indication of the failure to rehabilitate individuals with substance use disorder.
Today, it’s more widely understood that treating substance misuse as a long-term public health issue rather than a short-term law enforcement or morality problem may be the key to addressing it. Drug distribution, crimes, and misuse continue to remain a problem despite city-wide law enforcement initiatives to stem the opioid epidemic.
Local officials are especially concerned that heroin users who do not access treatment early increase their risk of dying each day that they continue to use drugs. A knock-on effect of the opioid issue is the spread of drug-related illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV among intravenous heroin users.
As a result, rehab facilities have started to take on multiple responsibilities that go beyond their original scope. A more holistic approach to the different issues involved in substance use recovery is already starting to be commonplace in Massachusetts rehab centers. While detox and therapy remain the main focus in the Greater Boston Area, education is starting to become a more important role as well.
For a growing number of Bostonians, the high relapse rates of short-term programs are an indication of the failure to rehabilitate individuals with substance use disorder.
Today, it’s more widely understood that treating substance misuse as a long-term public health issue rather than a short-term law enforcement or morality problem may be the key to addressing it. Drug distribution, crimes, and misuse continue to remain a problem despite city-wide law enforcement initiatives to stem the opioid epidemic.
Local officials are especially concerned that heroin users who do not access treatment early increase their risk of dying each day that they continue to use drugs. A knock-on effect of the opioid issue is the spread of drug-related illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV among intravenous heroin users.
As a result, rehab facilities have started to take on multiple responsibilities that go beyond their original scope. A more holistic approach to the different issues involved in substance use recovery is already starting to be commonplace in Massachusetts rehab centers. While detox and therapy remain the main focus in the Greater Boston Area, education is starting to become a more important role as well.
