Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force and Collaborative Action Plan

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Prescription drugs are easy to get and often times end up in the hands of teens and young adults who use them to get high. Unfortunately, they can also be highly addictive and their abuse has the potential to absolutely destroy families, and disable and kill people caught in their grip. Recognizing the emerging threat that this type of drug abuse poses to its region, the San Diego County Supervisor partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration, District Attorney, Sheriff, and Health and Human Services Agency t launch the Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force in 2008. The Task Force embarked on a series of efforts to fight the problem. IN august 2010, community leaders and individuals convened for a one-day summit to develop specific strategies that would come together in a comprehensive plan to drive targeted efforts throughout the County and produce measurable results. The resulting Prescription Drug Abuse Plan promotes coordinated efforts by federal, state, and local partners throughout the region, and provides the public with a clear description of how prescription drug abuse will be addressed to prevent the related issues from escalating. The plan also supports potential funding requests to increase resources to halt the devastation of prescription drug use.