Substance Abuse Program: Philadelphia

Philadelphia is one of the cities where drug and substance abuse has been quite rampant throughout the second half of the twentieth century and the current twenty first century. As a result, various organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, have established various drug and substance abuse programs. The main roles of these programs are to educate the people across the city concerning the impacts of drugs and substance abuse, which should encourage people, especially the young generation, on the dangers of these drugs. At the same time, they seek to rehabilitate the people who already suffer from drug and substance abuse. Lastly, from a statistical perspective, these programs and institutions collect data and information on the city’s statistics in drug and substance abuse.

Some of the most vocal and active drug and substance abuse programs in Philadelphia include Bridge Street Counseling Centre, Belmont Center of Comprehensive Treatment, Caton Village Philadelphia, Livengrin Counseling Center, Minsek and Shalom Inc, among others. One of the most essential aspects to note concerning drug and substance abuse in Philadelphia is the fact that it is one of the most rampant challenges that has affected many young people across the city. As a result, the city is not zero-proof towards drugs and substance abuse. However, even with the challenges, these organizations, through their respective programs, have made several breakthroughs which include individual counseling, group and family therapy, victims’ medication management as well as social education across specific age groups concerning drug and substance abuse. As a result, they have managed to make a lot of progress in the field. For example, there was a reported 34% increase in drug and substance abuse in the city between the years 1990 and 2000. However, this figure dropped to 6% between the years 2000 and 2010, which is a positive progress in drug abuse reduction in the city (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011).