October is National Substance Use Prevention Month. To provide a ray of light during this solemn commemoration it is appropriate to share some good (local) news on this front. In September, Maryland’s Department of Health announced a new program that will provide residential treatment for youth who have a substance use (including opioid) disorder.
And while it may appear surprising to some that adolescents would require and benefit from treatment for substance use disorder, the data are clear. Although we’ve noted a recent decrease in overdose deaths in 2024, kids are still dying in notable numbers from this disease.
One theory that may explain why youth who misuse drugs are often overlooked is likely due to a greater focus, and significantly more data, on adults who misuse drugs and die from overdoses. This is also often coupled with conventional wisdom and social stereotypes of what a “drug addict” looks like. Another theory that may contribute to youth with substance use disorder being overlooked is a paucity of knowledge about and availability of treatment modalities for them. Most drug treatment centers are only available once a patient is 18 or older.
That is what makes this announcement so significant. I have been personally frustrated by my failed attempts to get timely treatment for my patients with substance use disorder. And it is not for a lack of resources —I work as a pediatrician here in the most affluent county in one of the most affluent states in this country. Regardless of the reasons why there has been little focus on younger populations, a lack of timely access to proper treatment can be deadly.
And with all that is suboptimal in terms of the screening, diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder among youth, the announcement of a residential drug treatment program for youth should be celebrated.
Of note, people do not necessarily have to enter a residential drug program to effectively deal with substance use disorder. Prescribing medications such as methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone is another way that substance use disorders can be effectively treated. The additional benefits of medication-assisted treatment include but are not limited to improved survival, reducing the need for inpatient drug detox services and reducing the risk of contracting blood-borne diseases. Taking such medications also has been associated with a decrease in criminal activity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, less than a third of people eligible for such therapies actually receive it. The state is partnering with Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services to open what will be the first “high intensity residential treatment facility for minors” in the state. Although the program will start small (only 15 new beds), the services to be provided are extensive and include around-the-clock medical monitoring, drug abuse treatment services, family treatment, relapse prevention, recovery skills, supporting personal responsibility, and community reintegration.
Funding for this program will come from Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund and Montgomery County’s Opioid Abatement Fund. Once up and running, this program will reduce the time to receive treatment and thus save the lives of youth with substance use disorder. And for that, we should be grateful.
Rockville resident David Myles serves on Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council, is a board-certified general pediatrician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and an editorial board member of the journal Pediatrics.
