ADCANP will hold an Opioid Prevention Summit on July 7 at Ross Bridge Resort. Keynote Speaker: Nic Sheff, Author, Recovering Addict, "Beautiful Boy" Movie.

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, UNITED STATES, June 7, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Research shows that ninety percent of those who have a substance use disorder started using drugs or alcohol before the age of 18. The earlier someone starts using substances, the greater their chances are of developing a substance use disorder. Prevention efforts are the first line of defense against risky or harmful substance abuse.

In Alabama, the opioid crisis is a public health and economic crisis that is eroding the quality of life for many of our residents. Minors and adults are dying, and families are being devastated. This epidemic discriminates against no one. It affects all demographics, and every sector of our economy is affected within urban settings to isolated rural communities. A large part of the youth and teen population are struggling with opioid use. Now, more than ever, it is important to educate Alabama youth, teens, and parents on how one becomes addicted to opioids, how to prevent becoming addicted, and what resources are available to provide hope and help.

To address these issues, the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention/Children’s Trust Fund (ADCANP) was awarded $1.5 million to “invest in reducing adverse childhood experiences driven by parental addiction to opioids,” according to the Attorney General’s office.

ADCANP will hold an Opioid Prevention Summit on July 7 at Ross Bridge Resort. Keynote speakers are Nic Sheff, Author, Recovering Addict and Subject of his father David Sheff’s memoir, "Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction;" Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, DFASAM, Chief Medical Officer of the Behavioral Health Division of Pathway Healthcare; and Jeff Davis, Co-Founder, Fowler Davis 4 Change.

Attorney General Steve Marshall will open the Summit with greetings and remarks. He states that while ADCANP is a relatively small agency, it is charged with a critical mission to strengthen families. “I firmly believe that strong families are the answer to nearly every societal ill that our state is wrestling with, not the least of which is the opioid crisis,” Marshall said. “Sallye and her team are passionate about what they do, and I am very pleased to be able to support their work in some small way.”

Sallye R. Longshore, Director of the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention/Children’s Trust Fund, states “Children are the invisible victims of the opioid epidemic. Not only does parental substance abuse often lead to the abuse and neglect of children, but abused and neglected children tend to grow up to be substance-dependent adults. Our goal at ADCANP is to break this cycle and we have developed the evidence-based programs to do just that. Attorney General Marshall believes in what we do, and we are grateful for his financial investment in our mission to strengthen Alabama’s families.”

ADCANP has awarded Fowler Davis 4 Change a grant to produce an Opioid Prevention Campaign with PSAs, videos, web site, social media campaign, educational posters, and more that will launch in January 2023. "We are honored to work with ADCANP and the Attorney General’s Office on this important campaign. Our goal is to provide prevention education and empower our youth to become better educated about the effects and dangers of opioid addiction" states Barbara Fowler, Co-Founder of Fowler Davis 4 Change, a (501(c)(3) nonprofit, whose vision is to change lives through visual storytelling to create Awareness, Empowerment and Action.

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