Kentucky’s opioid settlement funds came at great cost. Too many families lost loved ones when pharmaceutical companies immorally pushed opioids that were known to cause addiction. We as adults have an obligation to Kentucky children, especially those who have been harmed by opioid use in their families. We must support youth so they grow up healthy and strong and create experiences and environments that bolster their development. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – like parental substance use, parental incarceration, and abuse or neglect – can stand in the way of a healthy future and puts kids at higher risk of substance misuse.

When youth have experienced ACEs, they are more likely to use substances and more likely to develop a substance use disorder. Substance use can help mask the pain they feel from traumatic experiences. When youth try substances, it can heat up and boil over into a bigger problem, especially when youth have limited alternatives to coping with life’s challenges. 

Communities can “lower the heat” and create environments that reduce the likelihood that youth will engage in substances by creating positive childhood experiences such as creating opportunities for connection, engagement, and outlets for emotional development. These types of experiences can prevent adolescent experimentation from boiling over. 

Ways to Lower the Heat

• Invest in positive childhood experiences These can include community activities, participation in sports, arts, or faith-based activities. 
• Assess and ensure access to school-wide prevention programs that are evidence-based and teach young people healthy strategies for dealing with stress and big emotions.
• Equip and develop community members to recognize trauma and how to respond when children and youth show signs. The Bounce Coalition offers a variety of trainings with tangible strategies on how to help bolster resilience in community members and youth. 

Leaders can use the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families to identify your community’s recipe for lowering the heat. You can use the dashboard to identify areas that warrant attention and impact. The Dashboard also features Change over Time Progress Reports, which can help communities “check the temperature” and measure the impact they are having.

Together, we can turn down the heat and create an environment where youth can grow up healthy and strong.