Hotline Provides Key Insights Into Needs Of People With Substance Abuse
When a person calls because of a substance abuse problem, they also often seek help for other issues such as housing and mental health services.
KPBS Public Media:
Calls To 2-1-1 San Diego Reveal Drug Abusers’ Many Needs
San Diegans suffering from drug and alcohol addiction face a number of other needs, particularly housing and mental health care. One of the ways drug users look for help is through 2-1-1 San Diego, a nonprofit that connects callers countywide with social service providers. Last fiscal year, it received calls from almost 3,200 individuals seeking help with substance abuse. (Castaneda, 9/26)
In other public health news —
Orange County Register:
7-Year-Old Girl Loses Some Teeth, Part Of Jaw Bone, After Dental Infection Outbreak
Mimi Morales, 7, seemed to recover from a July root canal in only a few days, so her family expected no further treatment when they brought her back to Children’s Dental Group in Anaheim last week after learning of an outbreak of serious dental infections there. Instead, on Sunday, her father and grandparents waited anxiously at Children’s Hospital of Orange County as the second-grader from Orange underwent surgery to remove infected jaw bone and three permanent teeth that had yet to grow in. (Perkes, 9/26)
The Desert Sun:
Tracking Asthma Threats In The Imperial Valley's Hazy Air
A network of 40 air monitoring devices is being installed in the region between the U.S.-Mexico border and the Salton Sea and is about to begin churning out a wealth of real-time data. “Having this system will really help everyone,” Herrera said. “Not only will it help by documenting all of the contamination outside, but I think it could bring more awareness.” (James, 9/26)