Substance use prevention and early intervention: Key steps to reduce harm and prevent use before it starts  

Close up of two people holding each others hands in comfort

Substance use disorders continue to impact people from all walks of life. As the understanding and science of addiction evolves, so too does our understanding of ways to prevent substance use disorder and increase support for communities. As a follow up to the blog post on substance use disorder treatment, we are taking a closer look at prevention. 

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Providing support and care for people with substance use disorder: Treatment access in King County

Photo of two people sitting facing each other and holding hands. Their faces are not shown.

In 2021, there were over 106,600 deaths due to drug overdose in the U.S.—the highest on record. This reality is felt across the country, including here in King County, where we’ve seen a rise in substance use and overdose deaths. In the face of these tragic impacts, it is important to know where to get help and how to support someone in your community.

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Celebrating the opening of a new school-based health center at Highline High School

School-based health centers offer a broad range of health care supports for students that may otherwise be difficult to access in their communities. At the health centers, overseen by Public Health—Seattle & King County, students can get mental health care, immunizations, family planning, and other care in the context of a school environment.

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Poison is so 1980s: How to protect your children and pets from rodent poisons

Family washing dog outside with hose

Wild rats and mice living too close to humans threaten our health. They can contaminate food, spread disease, damage property, and cause electrical fires. It makes good sense to keep rodents away from our homes. However, there are safe – and less safe ways – to get rid of them.

Many people’s first instinct is to use rodenticides – also known as rat or mouse bait – to poison the intruders. Unfortunately, misuse and overuse of these poisons are common and can harm children and pets.

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How did COVID-19 impact people living with disabilities?

Two young women with masks speak in sign language

The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to slow its spread brought a number of social, economic and overall health impacts for communities throughout King County. Public Health – Seattle & King County, in partnership with the Disability Empowerment Center and Lifelong Aging And Disabilities Services, interviewed and listened to local people from disability communities to shed light on how these impacts were experienced by people living with disabilities in King County.

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Partnerships in the Black community during COVID-19 can help address other health disparities: A video story

We interviewed AARTH staff and their partner organizations to hear about the ways systemic racism had an impact on vaccination efforts in the Black community and the approaches that community-based organizations took to reach the community. The partnership between AARTH and many other organizations resulted in more than 8000 community members getting vaccinated, many within the Black community.

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