In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid misuse and addiction continue to devastate communities around the US. And as many schools shift to remote learning, researchers at National Health Promotion Associates (NHPA) are testing a new online program to prevent drug abuse in high schools students.

Jackson County is among 10 Indiana counties targeted for a program to battle the opioid issue.

Health Resources and Services Administration recently awarded Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana Inc., or ASPIN, $2.4 million over four years to prepare paraprofessionals to work with families who are impacted by opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders in high-need areas.

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is seeking additional funding in next year’s county budget to expand its newly-launched jail drug addiction treatment program.

Jail addiction treatment coordinator Theresa Patton is calling for increasing the participation of female inmates in her programs by 25% to 50% above current levels next year. If her proposal is approved, there will be 18 to 21 women in each treatment group next year.

For the men, Patton’s proposal calls for a 50% to 100% increase, so between 12 to 30 male inmates could receive treatment as a group.

While there’s no good national data for the year yet, local and state jurisdictions have reported increases in overdose deaths. According to the American Medical Association, as of July 20, more than 35 states have reported increases in drug-related deaths and other concerns with drug use and mental illness. Some municipalities reported overdose deaths increasing by 20, 40, or 60 percent — or more.

Untreated drug and alcohol use contributes to tens of thousands of deaths every year and affects the lives of many more people. We have effective treatments, including medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders, that could prevent a significant number of these deaths, but they are not being utilized widely enough, and people who could benefit often do not even seek them out. One important reason is the stigma around those with addiction.

We already know that environmental stressors, traumatizing experiences, are already risk factors for drug use and addiction. So we as a society really need to work harder to make sure that these vulnerable men and women get the care that they need and deserve.

Centerstone is preparing to open a recovery home on the north side of Columbus later this month for men seeking help for substance use disorders, the latest in a series of efforts in the Columbus community to provide housing for those in treatment.

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), more than 35 states have “reported increases in opioid-related mortality” since the pandemic began.

For mothers Lisa Mahoney and Amy Sutton, the crisis hits close to home: They both lost their adult children to drug overdoses during the pandemic.

Centerstone recently received a Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Center grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration worth $3.4 million over the next four years.

Only one of two organizations nationwide to receive the federal grant, Centerstone plans to use the funds to establish the center, which will provide a full spectrum of treatment and recovery support services to those suffering with addiction, also known as substance use disorders.

There are periods when — even without a pandemic — recovery happens at a slower pace than you would like. That’s all right. Here’s three steps to find peace with the pace of your progress.