Launch of the Opioid Prevention Campaign to Help Prevent Adolescent Substance Use
Bethesda, Maryland -- December 2, 2020 – The Addiction Policy Forum announced today that it received a $70,000 grant from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community, that will enable the organization to help prevent youth opioid misuse as part of its Opioid Resource Grant Program.
The program features key information about opioids and guidance on how to stay safe from addiction and protect the adolescent brain. Materials are available for parents, teachers and communities, as well as PSAs, videos and social media content.
“The stress of COVID-19 has resulted in a rise in drug and alcohol use and an increase in opioid overdoses, even among adolescents. Youth are an easily overlooked population in the opioid crisis despite suffering some of its sharpest consequences. This Opioid Prevention Campaign provides evidence-based tools to communities to prevent opioid misuse among youth and make open-source resources available to all communities,” explained Jessica Hulsey, founder of the Addiction Policy Forum.
“The opioid epidemic is a complex, multi-faceted issue, and collaboration from all parties across the supply chain, on both a local and national level, is essential to drive sustained change,’” said Susan Lorenz-Fisher, AmerisourceBergen Foundation Program Officer. “In alliance with Addiction Policy Forum, we hope to positively impact the lives of youth nationwide through remaining steadfast in our commitment to providing the communities where we live and work with the critical resources needed to help combat the epidemic of opioid misuse.”
As part of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation’s comprehensive approach to this national issue, it has also distributed more than 1.2 million drug deactivation resources through its Safe Disposal Support Program to every state and over 250 organizations across the U.S.
The AmerisourceBergen Foundation identified and developed comprehensive opioid misuse and abuse initiatives, including the Opioid Resource Grant Program and the Safe Disposal Support Program, to redefine best practices and advance innovative ideas from nonprofits with the goal of improving the wellbeing of communities around the world. Since its establishment, the Opioid Resource Grant program has garnered significant interest from hundreds of nonprofit and grant-funded organizations seeking support to broaden current efforts toward curbing opioid abuse.
For more information about the AmerisourceBergen Foundation and its approach to end controlled substance misuse and abuse, please visit www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org.
###
About Addiction Policy Forum
The Addiction Policy Forum was created by families impacted by this disease. Founded in 2015, we are working in states and communities across the country to end stigma, help patients and families in crisis and translate the science around addiction. The vision of Addiction Policy Forum is to eliminate addiction as a major health problem and leads the fight against the deadly consequences of addiction and help patients, families, and communities affected by the disease. The Addiction Policy Forum is a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating addiction as a major health problem. Our national headquarters are located in Washington, DC with resources and services in every state. For more information, visit www.addictionpolicy.org.
About the AmerisourceBergen Foundation
The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization established by AmerisourceBergen Corporation to support health-related causes that enrich that global community. The Foundation aims to improve the health and well-being of its patient populations – both human and animal – by investing in its communities. Through strategic partnerships and community collaboration, the Foundation works to expand access to quality healthcare and provide resources to ensure prescription drug safety. For more information, visit www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org.
Francesca Gunning, AmerisourceBergen
610-727-7433 – Office
215-603-9264 – Mobile
MaryKate Dougherty, Tierney Communications 215-790-3094 – Office 484-366-5605 – Mobile mdougherty@tierneyagency.com
Shawn Rogers, Addiction Policy Forum 646-417-4100– Mobile srogers@addictionpolicy.org