Among the many important objectives within Healthy People 2030, three that are highly relevant to my community in South Florida are (1) increasing access to mental health services, (2) reducing the rate of drug overdose deaths, and (3) reducing the proportion of people living with untreated substance use disorder (SUD). Of these, the most pressing health problem in my region is the untreated substance use disorder, particularly opioid use disorder (OUD), which has been steadily increasing due to easy access to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, social stressors, and lack of integrated care systems.
Health Promotion Proposal, Part 1
Health Promotion Proposal, Part 1
Description
Over the duration of this course, you will submit a scholarly PowerPoint “Health Promotion Program Proposal,”
addressing existing nursing knowledge related to health promotion and a written proposal.
In the written proposal, you will also develop a health promotion program to meet the health needs of a vulnerable
population in your potential concentration area or community. The PowerPoint portion is your presentation of that proposal
Full Answer Section
Introduction and Problem Statement
The healthcare landscape of South Florida, while diverse and dynamic, grapples with a pressing public health crisis: the escalating rates of untreated Substance Use Disorder (SUD), particularly Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This challenge directly contravenes the vital objectives outlined in Healthy People 2030, specifically the goals of
increasing access to mental health services (MH-01),
reducing the rate of drug overdose deaths (SU-02), and crucially,
reducing the proportion of people living with untreated substance use disorder (SU-01).
The pervasive nature of OUD in our region is driven by a confluence of factors, including the readily available and highly potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl, compounding social stressors such as economic insecurity and housing instability, and a critical lack of integrated care systems that bridge behavioral health with primary care. The tragic consequence is a steady rise in overdose deaths and a burgeoning population living with chronic, unaddressed addiction.
For this health promotion program, the
vulnerable population identified is
individuals experiencing homelessness in urban and peri-urban areas of South Florida. This population faces magnified barriers to care, including extreme poverty, lack of stable housing and transportation, stigma, complex co-occurring mental health disorders, and limited trust in traditional healthcare systems, making them disproportionately affected by untreated OUD and highly susceptible to overdose fatalities. Their immediate survival needs often overshadow the pursuit of long-term health solutions like SUD treatment.
II. Program Goal
The overarching goal of this health promotion program is to
significantly reduce the proportion of untreated Opioid Use Disorder among individuals experiencing homelessness in South Florida, thereby decreasing opioid overdose deaths and increasing access to integrated substance use and mental health services within this vulnerable population.
This program aims to align directly with Healthy People 2030 targets by not only identifying a critical gap in care but also proposing a targeted intervention designed to:
- Improve access to comprehensive SUD treatment: By addressing the unique barriers faced by individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Integrate mental health support: Recognizing the high comorbidity of SUD and mental health conditions.
- Implement overdose prevention strategies: To directly impact the rising mortality rates in the community.