Drug and alcohol abuse affects men and women of all colors, religions, backgrounds and ages in every corner of our country. We will cover statistics on drug and alcohol addictions and how certain drugs affect a person. We will also cover how substance abuse affects a person's family and community. Most importantly we will cover substance abuse treatment and prevention. Drug and Alcohol Addiction Statistics In the United States, 2,500 youth between the ages of 12 and 17 will try a prescription drug for the first time. In the United States, more than 15 million people abuse prescription drugs, more than the combined number of people reported to have abused cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants and heroin. Prescription drug abuse causes the highest percentage of overdose deaths. Opioid painkillers were the most common drug, accounting for 38.2% of overdose deaths. (World, 2006-2013) According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 23.5 million people ages 12 and older needed treatment for an abuse problem in 2009 of illicit drugs or alcohol. In 2009, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Survey reported that the rate of illicit drug addiction had reached its highest level in eight years in the United States. (Centers, 2013) In America, since 1980, the number of deaths related to drug overdoses has increased by more than 540%. Baltimore, Maryland has more individuals per capita living with a heroin addiction than any other state in the United States. Since 1990, the number of people taking prescription drugs illegally is believed to have increased by more than 50... half of paper... while also being designed to meet the needs of women who are pregnant or have children. The main goal of therapeutic communities is to focus on resocializing the patient towards a drug- and crime-free lifestyle. The individual's progress through drug addiction treatment at various levels prohibits creating a specific time frame for how long a client must remain in treatment. The appropriate time varies depending on the severity of the addiction. The steps to recovery are a long-term process and may require more than one attempt at seeking help. Within a treatment program, successful clinicians can establish a positive therapeutic relationship with their patients. The clinician should ensure that a treatment plan is developed in collaboration with the person seeking treatment, that the plan is followed, and that treatment expectations are clearly understood.