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Preventing and Responding to Substance Abuse Among Young People in Charlestown and Revere

Substance abuse has a devastating impact on health, the quality of community life, and the utilization and cost of health services. Early teen drinking is associated with later alcohol abuse and dependence. Nationally, at least 20 percent of hospital inpatients suffer alcohol use disorders, which often complicate their hospitalizations. Boston has one of the highest heroin use rates in the country and, according to the Boston Public Health Commission, Charlestown has death rates from heroin almost 50 percent higher than the rest of the City of Boston.

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In collaboration with the MGH Community Benefit, citizens of Charlestown and Revere have formed community coalitions to fight substance abuse among youth. These communities employ science-based strategies, including raising awareness, advocating for public policy changes, implementing prevention programs, and successfully developing additional treatment resources. These efforts are resulting in modest but steady improvements in measures of drug and alcohol use, as well as, in communities’ attitudes and beliefs about their abilities to affect the problem.

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Results include:

Publicly-funded substance abuse treatment admissions during 2005 indicate that 73 percent of admissions by Charlestown residents were for heroin and other opiates, 19 percent for alcohol related treatment, 7 percent for crack or cocaine and 1 percent for marijuana and other drugs, compared to 70 percent for heroin and other opiates in 2004 admission statistics.
More Charlestown residents are accessing treatment. Admission rates to publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs for Charlestown residents were 25.9 (per 1,000) in FY2004 and increased to 37.1 (per 1,000) in FY2006.
Emergency Medical Service responses to heroin overdose calls in Charlestown declined 17.7 percent between calendar year 2003 and FY2006.
While overdoses increased across the City of Boston by 29 percent from FY2005 to FY2006, Charlestown’s overdose numbers decreased by 11 percent during the same period.

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