Resources for Effective Management of Substance Abuse Disorders In The Tarrant County.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is defined as "the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs." In this particular study, the substances referenced are marijuana, illicit drugs, and certain controlled prescription medications. The purpose of this study is to identify the resources available in Tarrant County for those who suffer from substance abuse as well as the barriers they have in accessing these resources. For many individuals' suffering from SUD in Tarrant County, there are numerous obstacles faced including socioeconomic challenges, environmental impacts, psychosocial influence and comorbidities associated with other mental disorders. Through literature and website review, six resources were identified, all with onsite services of different varieties. It was conclusively found that there are significant gaps in the preventative measures taken against SUD in the Tarrant County area. Additionally, due to the community impact of SUD, there are several challenges in addressing the barriers of accessing effective treatment, including cost and difficulty of chronic disease management. In turn, this leads to increased premiums for health care plans and higher burdens on hospitals and clinics in Tarrant County. Collectively, these negative prospects lend to a very high incentive to create an efficient system in which SUDs may be properly managed and prevented. While Tarrant County has some available services that are outlined in this study, there are specific areas which necessitate improvement in order to achieve an ideal patient outcome and prime community health from a local perspective and a more broad, national scope.