The article addresses their being multiple treatment and recovery services needed for opioid addiction,which made me wonder if that may be the reason there are gaps for care in the state.The blue section covers four types of services in the area, the red indicating there is no access to any services, and the yellow providing only one type of service. The author explains, "The state's problem is not the worst in the nation --actually the state ranks in the middle of the pack -- but significant gaps in prevention and treatment for drug addiction remain, according to experts." (Frank)
Going back to my first blog, the article explained that the federal and state funding was not enough to keep the facility from closing down.The author stated that it was due to funding, so If I compare my first source with my second, the question that I'm debating is,would the gaps in care be because the cost is too high for treatment? Or do we have limitations on how we use the funding? I need to search more on the topic, and find out what exactly Colorado receives for funding yearly, and how it is distributed. Finding out how much Colorado receives, and what the funding is spent on, might explain why their are large gaps in care for drug treatment services.
Frank, John."Colorado opioid epidemic explained in 10
graphics". "The Denver Post." 6. Nov. 2017.URL.
That map is illuminating, as it appears that the most access to services exists along the Front Range, which does correspond with the highest population (and Mesa county where Grand Junction is, a fairly large town). Then, the more suburban and rural areas have increasingly fewer services. Does this distribution simply match population and need, OR are these counties with fewer resources actually just poorer and less able to get the services they do need?
ReplyDeleteAnd, then this gets me wondering about referrals across counties. Let's say I live in a yellow county like Weld. Can I be referred to services in a blue county like Larimer or Boulder? Or, are people pretty much stuck with the services in their geographic area?
My thoughts and opinions on this topic is just what made you want to do this topic? I can say I agree with you based off of the information you provided. I personally have no personal experience with this particular topic. Even though I can’t personally relate to this topic I remember discussing them in my health class through high school. I know it gets abused a lot. My question is why that is. What is so special about opioid and what makes people get addicted. Is there a way to get them help?
ReplyDelete