Research
Addiction Issues Among Persons with Disabilities
West is a leading scholar on substance abuse treatment access for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Along with colleagues at Virginia Commonwealth University, West pioneered the self-report assessment of the impact of access barriers to substance abuse treatment in two studies considering persons spinal cord injury, or SCI, and a number of other disabilities. In the first of these efforts, service denials based on physical inaccessibility to individuals with SCI and traumatic brain injury (TBI), were explored in a sample of 144 substance abuse treatment providers in the Mid-Atlantic region. [9] Self-report surveys to these counselors asked about the number of individuals with these two types of disabilities who sought but who were denied services due to the presence of physical barriers in the respondent's treatment location. Although the number of individuals with these types of disabilities who presented for treatment was relatively small, the percentage of denials was notable. In sum, 55% of individuals with SCI and 42% of individuals with TBI who presented for treatment were declined services due to physical barriers in the respondents’ treatment locations. The denial of services based on physical barriers was not related to practice affiliation (private or public) or practice type (outpatient, non-medical residential, or hospital-based).
He extended these findings by assessing treatment denials experienced by individuals with a variety of disabilities including persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), non-paralytic mobility impairment, SCI, and TBI. [10] As in their first treatment denial study, West and colleagues mailed surveys to licensed treatment professionals (n = 200), this time in a single state, asking about the number of individuals with one of the target disabilities who sought but were denied services due to barriers in the respondent’s treatment location. A total of 800 individuals with one of the target disabilities sought treatment from these providers, of whom 527 (66%) were denied care due to the presence of barriers. Denial rates across all disability groups were: 87% for MS, 75% for MD, 65% for non-paralytic mobility impairments, 67% for SCI, and 68% for TBI. Alternately, when viewed from the perspective of treatment providers, generally high rates of service denials were also evidenced. A total of 51 respondents were approached by someone with TBI seeking services; 37 of these respondents (73%) declined services to at least one such individual. Overall denial rates from this perspective ranged from a low of 67% for individuals with MD to a high of 91% for those with MS, with an overall denial rate of 72%. West and his colleagues conducted the first such evaluation of treatment denials in the United Kingdom and found denial rates based on disability status to be equal to or greater than those found in U.S. substance abuse treatment facilities.
West has also been instrumental in developing a body of research to indicate that the number of barriers to access in substance abuse treatment facilities is numerous. In a national self-report survey of treatment centers in the United States, he and his colleagues found rates of access barriers to be commonplace. [11] 33 Using a self-report survey, respondents were queried not only about the physical accessibility of their facilities, but also about the programmatic accessibility of their services. Substantial numbers of barriers to physical access were found. Some 20% of respondents reported that they did not have accessible restrooms, about 25% did not have accessible entrances, and 26% of residential centers did not have accessible bathing facilities. The vast majority (84%) of all facilities did not have anyone on staff that could use American Sign Language (ASL) or signed English. Similarly, most (95%) could not produce materials in Braille, nor did the majority maintain Braille or other accessible format materials (88%). The respondents also overwhelmingly acknowledged that they were uncertain as to how to obtain interpreter services or alternate format materials. He and his colleagues replicated such findings with samples of treatment providers in Great Britain and Canada as well. [12] [13]
He was awarded the Young Investigator Award by the American Society of Addiction Medicine in 2005. [14] [15]
A therapist is a person who offers any kinds of therapy. Therapists are trained professionals in the field of any types of services like psychologists, social workers, counsellors, etc. They are helpful in counseling individuals for various mental and physical issues.
Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. The general intent is to enable the patient to confront substance dependence, if present, and stop substance misuse to avoid the psychological, legal, financial, social, and medical consequences that can be caused.
The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities.
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one or many people – usually family and friends – to get someone to seek professional help with a substance use disorder or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. Intervention can also refer to the act of using a similar technique within a therapy session.
Substance dependence, also known as drug dependence, is a biopsychological situation whereby an individual's functionality is dependent on the necessitated re-consumption of a psychoactive substance because of an adaptive state that has developed within the individual from psychoactive substance consumption that results in the experience of withdrawal and that necessitates the re-consumption of the drug. A drug addiction, a distinct concept from substance dependence, is defined as compulsive, out-of-control drug use, despite negative consequences. An addictive drug is a drug which is both rewarding and reinforcing. ΔFosB, a gene transcription factor, is now known to be a critical component and common factor in the development of virtually all forms of behavioral and drug addictions, but not dependence.
Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, especially in "language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living". Developmental disabilities can be detected early on and persist throughout an individual's lifespan. Developmental disability that affects all areas of a child's development is sometimes referred to as global developmental delay.
A methadone clinic is a medical facility where medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are dispensed-—historically and most commonly methadone, although buprenorphine is also increasingly prescribed. Medically assisted drug therapy treatment is indicated in patients who are opioid-dependent or have a history of opioid dependence. Methadone is a schedule II (USA) opioid analgesic, that is also prescribed for pain management. It is a long-acting opioid that can delay the opioid withdrawal symptoms that patients experience from taking short-acting opioids, like heroin, and allow time for withdrawal management. In the United States, by law, patients must receive methadone under the supervision of a physician, and dispensed through the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Recovered is a behavioral health organization focused on alcoholism, drug addiction and the consequences of alcohol and other drug use.
Rehabilitation counseling is focused on helping people who have disabilities achieve their personal, career, and independent living goals through a counseling process.
Phoenix House Foundation was a national nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization operating in ten states with 150 programs throughout the United States. Programs served individuals, families, and communities affected by substance abuse and dependency.
A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a name for community personnel who worked in the new community mental health agencies begun in the 1970s to assist individuals moving from state hospitals, to prevent admissions, and to provide support in homes, jobs, education, and community. These individuals were the forefront brigade to develop the community programs, which today may be referred to by names such as supported housing, psychiatric rehabilitation, supported or transitional employment, sheltered workshops, supported education, daily living skills, affirmative industries, dual diagnosis treatment, individual and family psychoeducation, adult day care, foster care, family services and mental health counseling.
Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) are a series of best-practice manuals for the treatment of substance use and other related disorders. The TIP series is published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an operational division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Supported employment refers to service provisions wherein people with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, mental health, and traumatic brain injury, among others, are assisted with obtaining and maintaining employment. Supported employment is considered to be one form of employment in which wages are expected, together with benefits from an employer in a competitive workplace, though some versions refer to disability agency paid employment. Companies such as Skilcraft in the United States are an example of "supported employment" which is defined in law for state and federal reimbursements.
Services for mental health disorders provide treatment, support, or advocacy to people who have psychiatric illnesses. These may include medical, behavioral, social, and legal services.
Research published from 2000 to 2020 illustrates increased prevalence rates of sexual violence against people with intellectual disabilities, compared to the general population.:61 The World Health Organization (WHO) funded a study which concluded that 15% of the adult population worldwide in 2012 had a disability, putting them at increased risk of physical, sexual, and intimate partner violence. Of that 15%, 6.1% had intellectual disability with 5.5% experiencing sexual violence. In another 2012 report, the WHO found that worldwide, children with intellectual disabilities experienced a 4.6 times greater risk of sexual violence than those without disability.
Substance use disorder (SUD) is the persistent use of drugs despite the substantial harm and adverse consequences to one's own self and others, as a result of their use. In perspective, the effects of the wrong use of substances that are capable of causing harm to the user or others, have been extensively described in different studies using a variety of terms such as substance use problems, problematic drugs or alcohol use, and substance use disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that "Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person's brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD". Substance use disorders (SUD) are considered to be a serious mental illness that fluctuates with the age that symptoms first start appearing in an individual, the time during which it exists and the type of substance that is used. It is not uncommon for those who have SUD to also have other mental health disorders. Substance use disorders are characterized by an array of mental/emotional, physical, and behavioral problems such as chronic guilt; an inability to reduce or stop consuming the substance(s) despite repeated attempts; operating vehicles while intoxicated; and physiological withdrawal symptoms. Drug classes that are commonly involved in SUD include: alcohol (alcoholism); cannabis; opioids; stimulants such as nicotine, cocaine and amphetamines; benzodiazepines; barbiturates; and other substances.
About 1 in 7 Americans suffer from active addiction to a particular substance. Addiction can cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm to those who are affected by it. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as "a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences." In the world of psychology and medicine, there are two models that are commonly used in understanding the psychology behind addiction itself. One model is referred to as the disease model of addiction. The disease model suggests that addiction is a diagnosable disease similar to cancer or diabetes. This model attributes addiction to a chemical imbalance in an individual's brain that could be caused by genetics or environmental factors. The second model is the choice model of addiction, which holds that addiction is a result of voluntary actions rather than some dysfunction of the brain. Through this model, addiction is viewed as a choice and is studied through components of the brain such as reward, stress, and memory. Substance addictions relate to drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Process addictions relate to non-substance-related behaviors such as gambling, spending money, sexual activity, gaming, spending time on the internet, and eating.
Clinical mental health counseling is a healthcare profession addressing issues such as substance abuse, addiction, relational problems, stress management, as well as more serious conditions such as suicidal ideation and acute behavioral disorders. Practitioners may also assist with occupational growth in neurodivergent populations and behavioral and educational development. Clinical mental health (CMH) counselors include psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health technicians, marriage counselors, social workers, and family therapists.
Discrimination against drug addicts is a form of discrimination against people who suffer from a drug addiction.
Drug addiction is defined as out of control use of drugs despite their negative effects. In recent years Jammu and Kashmir in India has seen an exponential increase in the drug use. According to official data shared by the Central Government in Parliament, the number of people affected by drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir has reached nearly 10 lakh, which is around 8% of the total population of Jammu and Kashmir. On 4 August 2023 the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has conveyed to the Parliament of India that approximately 13.50 lakh drug users are estimated to be in Jammu and Kashmir, with the majority falling within the age range of 18 to 75 years.
