Opioid addiction is becoming a larger and larger problem throughout Appalachia. However, steps are being taken to combat this through a project by The Pediatric Research Subgroup of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Region III Opioid Overdose Prevention Collaborative.

SAMHSA was approved for an award of $15,000 by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for their project, which will focus on “engaging community partners to decrease addiction.”

“The purpose is to bring together different people in the community, health professionals, young people and families to take a look at the problem of pediatric substance abuse issues,” said Jo Dee Gottlieb, a member of the Research Leadership Team undergoing the project and director of Marshall University’s undergraduate social work program.

Gottlieb said the goal of this group is to find out what exactly to research in order to find an effective approach to stop drug abuse and, as more is learned on how to combat it, then the group will apply for more awards in order to implement their findings.

Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia are joining West Virginia in the SAMHSA Region III to participate in the project.

Gottlieb said most of the region’s social workers see the effects of drug addiction daily in their practice, with it reaching up to almost 90 percent of their caseload. She said she is passionate about the research project because the more they understand, the more they can help those people that they interact with in the field.

Gottlieb said some things that could assist in halting the addiction problems in Appalachia right now are stopping the over prescription of opioids and reducing the risk of addiction in adolescents by educating them earlier about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Gottlieb said that it is an honor to represent not only the school of medicine and pharmacy, but also Marshall on this research team. She said the research team is doing great things to combat substance abuse, not only at Marshall, but in the community.

Noah Gillispie can be contacted at [email protected].