As Opioid Epidemic Rages On, Children Are Hidden Casualty

Before COVID-19, Americans were fighting another public health crisis: opioid abuse and addiction. Often pushed off the front pages by the pandemic, the opioid crisis didn’t go away. Millions of Americans continue to struggle with the ripple effect on their families, friends and communities. But the profound challenges facing one very important group are often hidden from view: the children caught in the middle. With signs that the stress associated with the COVID pandemic may be fueling a new surge in drug use, it’s time for a closer look at this growing national problem.

BY THE NUMBERS

50%

Nearly half of all U.S. mothers were prescribed opioid painkillers over the past decade following their birth experience.

VIDEO BOOKMARK

Addicted Parents, Absent Caregivers, Lost Kids

Thousands of children are in foster care or living with other family after parents lose their battle with opioids.

TALKING TO TEENS ABOUT OPIOIDS

This guide can help your protect teens from opioid abuse now and as they transition into adulthood.