This toolkit provides a wealth of resources and strategies to communities to help prevent opioid overdose deaths. Some of these strategies include ensuring access to treatment and to naloxone, and assisting providers in preventing overdose. It includes five essential steps for first responders, as well as guidance for those who prescribe opioids. Finally, it provides recovery resources for communities, families, and individuals.

This study assessed the relationship between the stage of breast cancer diagnosis and the area-level poverty in which the women lived when mammography screening was offered at no cost (author abstract). The conclusions showed that women who had more access to free screenings mitigated the stage of breast cancer at diagnosis.

This resource highlights six strategies and practical steps faith-based organizations can take when helping their communities prevent and heal from the effects of the opioid crisis. These strategies include opening doors and offering space for recovery programs and support groups, as well as increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging compassion through understanding of the condition. Additionally, building and restoring community capacity and the presence of faith-based organizations at the table are key. Getting ahead of the problem is especially important, as prescription opioid exposure remains a path to heroin use. The resource also encourages connecting and collaborating between community organizations and utilizing federal resources.

This National Consortium of Breast Centers resource provides a list of websites and organizations that provide breast cancer information and resources. The list includes the name, contact information, and a short summary of each organization. This resource also provides information on how to access free breast cancer screenings for those with financial constraints.

This interactive map from the Centers for Disease Control, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program allows users to find resources for getting free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings. Users can search by state or American Indian/Alaska Native Organization to find local hotlines for affordable screenings, information about state screening programs, and state-specific cancer statistics.

On Tuesday, October 10, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) hosted an event on the state of safety-net programs under the Trump administration to include the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The discussion was moderated by AEI’s Robert Doar with a panel of Wade Horn, the former assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families; Robert Rector from the Heritage Foundation; and Ron Haskins from the Brookings Institution.

This blog post from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse provides information on opioid abuse among older adults ages 55 to 64. Older adults have experienced the greatest increase in drug-related deaths. A pattern of opioid misuse often begins with a life change, such as a divorce, an empty nest, or the death of a parent or spouse. Health care providers also tend to over-prescribe opioids to this age group due to the chronic pain they can experience. The author provides resources from the Centers for Disease Control for health care providers, and a guide to finding quality addiction treatment for older adults who are struggling with opioid addiction.

This Urban Institute brief examines the experiences of clients applying for work supports, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, and child care assistance. Applying for these benefits can be a daunting process for low-income families, so six states participated in the Work Support Strategies initiative to streamline and improve the application and service delivery process. The authors describe the experiences of families applying for work supports, then they identify three areas where the process could be improved. Those areas include minimizing wait times so families can receive their benefits sooner, improving customer service so families applying for benefits are treated with respect, and providing clearer information about the process of applying for benefits. The authors recommend that states provide a range of options for applying for benefits and aim for providing benefits on the same day that a client applies.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine wrote this report at the request of the Food and Drug Administration to characterize the opioid epidemic, describe the evidence on strategies for addressing it, and identify actions that government agencies can pursue to respond to the epidemic. A committee of 18 experts wrote this report, and they recommended that opioid abuse become a public health priority. Other recommendations included enhancing education on opioid abuse for health professionals and the public, collecting better data on pain and opioid use, implementing state laws to increase the availability of naloxone, and investing in evidence-based treatment for opioid abuse in multiple settings, such as prisons and hospitals.

Mental Health America created this Back to School Toolkit to help students and parents learn the self-regulation and coping skills that lead to better mental health as an adult. Children face a variety of stressors at school and home, and if they do not learn how to manage their emotions, they can have behavior issues. This toolkit includes a variety of materials that explain the relationship between emotions and behavior, and also provides resources for finding treatment when students are in crisis. Toolkit materials include handouts, classroom activities, and media and social media materials aimed at both parents and students.