9 young people overdosed last year while under DCF’s watch
“Three youths under the watch of the state’s Department of Children and Families died of overdoses last year, and six others suffered nonfatal overdoses — the most since state officials declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency five years ago.”
Substance abuse is preventable. The most common substance used by teens is alcohol and marijuana. The younger an individual is the first time they use alcohol or drugs, the more likely they are to struggle with addiction later in life. MSPCC through The Children’s Mental Health Campaign is working to expand prevention and early intervention of unhealthy substance use by youth.
