83 - Substance Abuse In America- The Public Health Approach To Treatment. Finally.

The heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic continue to impact the lives of families throughout the country. No longer confined to inner cities, the heroin epidemic, specifically, now impacts suburban and rural communities throughout the country. The public health response is proactive and forward thinking from a medical perspective. A stark difference is visible in the public outcry, public health concern, and political response to the current heroin epidemic vs the crack epidemic seen in the 1980's.Simplistic slogans and calls for mass incarceration are now replaced with funding and a focus on rehabilitation and education. Integral to this public health response is the Affordable Care Act: a lifeline that requires private insurance plans to cover substance abuse services and expands access to substance abuse services to millions of Americans.