Addiction Policy Forum

ADDICTION POLICY FORUM'S MISSION IS TO END ADDICTION AS A MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM IN AMERICA.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE: TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, THE APF WORKS TO IMPROVE THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE FIELD. APF TRANSLATES AND DISSEMINATES RESEARCH FINDINGS INTO EASY-TO-CONSUME AND PERSUASIVE FORMATS TAILORED FOR DISTINCT AUDIENCES, INCLUDING POLICYMAKERS, PRACTITIONERS, CAREGIVERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. TO DATE, WE HAVE PROVIDED TRAINING TO OVER 58,000 PRACTITIONERS NATIONWIDE.

STIGMA INITIATIVE: PROJECTS IN APF'S ANTI-STIGMA INITIATIVE INCLUDE SCIENCE TRANSLATION, AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, A STIGMA RESEARCH PORTFOLIO, DISTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND TOOLKITS, COMMUNITY TRAINING AND DEPLOYMENT OF A FREE, ONLINE ADDICTION SCHOOL. TO DATE, WE HAVE TAKEN ANTI-STIGMA PROJECTS TO 4,738,610 INDIVIDUALS WORLDWIDE.PREVENTION INITIATIVE: APF'S PREVENTION PROJECTS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING-HELPING CHILDREN IMPACTED BY PARENTAL SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER: THE TOOLKIT IS DESIGNED FOR ADULTS WHO COME INTO CONTACT WITH CHILDREN IMPACTED BY A PARENT'S ADDICTION AND PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO HELP. -OPIOID PREVENTION CAMPAIGN: THE OPIOID PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IS A PUBLIC HEALTH MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO HELP PREVENT ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE

CRISIS SERVICES: APF HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE TO 157,116 FAMILIES AND PATIENTS SINCE OUR LAUNCH IN 2015. CALLS AND TEXTS TO APF'S HELPLINE COME IN FROM PROFESSIONALS, LOVED ONES OF SOMEONE WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, AND PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR SUBSTANCE USE AND ARE ANSWERED BY SOCIAL WORKERS AND PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. IN EFFORTS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX WORLD OF ADDICTION AND HELP LOVED ONES ACHIEVE RECOVERY, APF HAS PROVIDED ENCOMPASS: A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING ON NAVIGATING ADDICTION.

RESEARCH INITIATIVES: APF CONDUCTS ORIGINAL RESEARCH ON EMERGING ISSUES, OFTEN BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTS FROM MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES TO COLLABORATE ON COMPLEX CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. MEASURING LEVELS OF STIGMA IN COMMUNITIES AND THE EFFECTS OF NEW INTERVENTIONS ARE KEY PRIORITIES FOR APF. STIGMA-FOCUSED RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS TO DATE INCLUDE: STIGMA SURVEY REPORT: FINDINGS ON ATTITUDES, PATIENT JOURNEY MAP, LEVELS OF STIGMA AND SUPPORT OF KEY POLICIES AROUND ADDICTION. THE PATIENT JOURNEY MAP WAS DEVELOPED BY APF THROUGH THE INPUT OF PATIENTS IN TREATMENT AND RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE QUALITATIVE STUDY INCLUDED 60 LIFE COURSE HISTORY INTERVIEWS OF INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY FROM A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) FROM 22 STATES AND CANADA. THE APF WAS NAMED ONE OF THE WINNERS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE "MAPPING PATIENT JOURNEYS IN DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CHALLENGE."