Substance use and abuse have become a thorn in the flesh of the society. It accounts for a significant number of criminal cases both juvenile and adult. In a bid to address such a challenge, various institutions have established resources that will help deal with and treat substance use and abuse. Such resources contribute to solving the challenges faced by the victims of substance use and abuse by providing treatment, counseling and support services. To determine their effectiveness as far delivering their mandate is concerned, three such resources will be analyzed concerning the standard benchmarks of best practices as put forward by Dr. Robin Mann at the Business Excellence Global Conference in Singapore (2009). The criteria primarily focus on the indicators that translate to best business practices that include; leadership, client and market focus, workforce, success and sustainability strategy, process management and results. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service (SAMHSA), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and Halton Adapt are some of the sites that provide services to the victims of substance use and abuse. Each of the above resources will be analyzed in detail to ascertain their effectiveness regarding performance and best practices.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service (SAMHSA)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service (SAMHSA) is a resource established by the US government to help those affected by the use and abuse of substances. It is a noble initiative by the government to help alleviate problems associated with the vice. Although the facility is not accredited, it has partnered with various public institutions such as schools, prisons, community-based organizations and hospitals in the US in a bid to reach the public. The services involve individual and group counseling, medication and supportive services. The counseling services are aimed at changing behaviors, thoughts, emotions and the people's general view of life. The drugs offered include antidepressants and antipsychotic prescriptions along with medication-assisted treatments. The supportive services provided include housing, job placement, and education that are meant to make the victims independent and settled. This further restores their self-esteem. Since SAMHSA has a vast network, it can reach too many people as its services are easily accessible. Additionally, the services offered are integrated to meet the various needs of the beneficiaries. Moreover, trained clinicians, psychiatrists, social workers, doctors, and counselors provide services that are above average. From the analysis, it is important to acknowledge the fact that various benchmark standards of best performance are satisfied. Among them is the availability of outlined services, qualified personnel and the accessibility of the services offered to the victims of substance use and abuse. SAMHSA conducts annual surveys to establish its effectiveness regarding delivery and quality.
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National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute on drug abuse (NIDA) is another resource in the United States that provides professional moral support to the victims of substance use and abuse. The site is aimed to serve as a resource for healthcare practitioners, family members, and other stakeholders trying to address the innumerable problems faced by patients in need of treatment for drug abuse or addiction. The site is also designed to capture new research which are heralding the development of personalized treatment. The NIDA is also tasked with two key objectives. One of the objective of NIDA is to support and conduct research across a broad range of disciplines. The second objective is to ensure the rapid and effective distribution and use of research results to improve practice and inform policy. The institute provides various services which include; long and short-term residential treatment, outpatient treatment programs, individualized and group drug counseling and treatment of criminal justice-involved drug abusers and addicted individuals. The workforce involved are trained clinicians, psychiatrists, and counselors who provide the necessary help and support to the broad network of clientele. The programs target convicts of drug related offenses and the working class grappling with challenges of drug and substance use and abuse victims. The resource is sponsored by the US government. This move shows the commitment by the government to help assist those affected by substance use and abuse. The available services are relatively costly and may not be afforded by the majority of the public. The high cost affects its effectiveness as far as reaching to the public is concerned as the programs are intensive and therefore costly. The medication offered by NIDA are approved by US Food and Drug Administration agency (FDA). NIDA has exemplified excellent service delivery processes as far as the benchmark standards are concerned. The workforce involved in the provision of services are qualified and therefore meet the expectations of the stakeholders. The strategies employed to ensure the sustainability of the objective of NIDA.
Halton ADAPT
Halton ADAPT is another resource that is involved in providing medication, counseling and supportive services for those affected by substance use and abuse. One of the drugs primarily addressed by the institution is Opioid. Institution has founded a program called Opioid outreach and treatment program to help in solving issues related to opium use. The services offered by Halton Adapt include assessment, treatment and referral services for adults struggling with substance use and abuse. Moreover, issues such as problem gambling, community justice programs and psycho-educational programs for the youth and adults have been factored in the programs offered. The services are provided by specialist counselors and psychiatrists. The resource is sponsored by Ontario, United Way and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Additionally, this particular resource is accredited by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation. The accreditation inspires confidence in the programs it runs. Halton ADAPT meets various benchmark standards regarding accreditation, process management and the strategy development and execution. To better its services, it has in place a strategic alliance with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The strategic alliance has helped it to develop best practices by making a comparison of performance data possible.
Conclusion
Based on the above analysis, all the resources are acknowledged by the respective governments. Furthermore, the medications offered by NIDA are approved by the Food and Drug Administration agency of the United States of America. Likewise, Halton ADAPT is an accredited resource by the Canadian Centre for Accreditation. It is important to point out that the resources boast of a wealth of specialists in the field of substance use and abuse. It is necessary to note that as much as the resources strive to meet the expectations of the public, many factors that are beyond their control may affect the effectiveness of their service delivery processes. To complement the efforts made by the above resources, employers, and law enforcement officers should be actively involved in the course of dealing with substance use, and abuse among individuals and groups.
References
Adapt Halton, (2012). Halton ADAPT. Retrieved from: http://haltonadapt.org/
NIDA (2016). National Institute on Drug Abuse . Retrieved from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/
SAMHSA (2016). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service . Retrieved from: http://www.samhsa.gov/
