Tennessee hospital creates team to fight drug abuse among troubled teens

By Staff Writer

Many organizations are receiving state and federal grants to help curb drug use in their area. Specifically, communities are being tasked with combating alcohol and prescription medication abuse, which are among the most used substances affecting children today.

For instance, Blount Memorial Hospital recently announced that they have received a grant to address substance abuse among troubled teens, The Blount County Daily Times reports.

The hospital will form the Blount County Substance Abuse Prevention Action Team, which will receive $125,000 in grants from Drug Free Communities for a potential of 10 years. Officials from the group told the news source that teens who abuse drugs often do not begin with illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Instead, alcohol and over-the-counter medication may be the main culprits.

The team will also host an annual town hall meeting to develop awareness of drug abuse. One aspect of the session will touch on how family communication can help troubled teens from using illegal substances.

According to the National Institute on Mental Health, approximately 15 percent of students between grades 8 and 12 abused prescription medications in the past years.