Author: Alexandra Plante

Eliminating Inequities for Black Mothers With Substance Use Disorder

~ Alexandra Plante ~ 2 Comments

Between 2010 and 2017, the U.S. saw a 131% increase in maternal opioid use disorder at delivery. There also was an 83% rise in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to prenatal opioid exposure. Additionally, between 2016 and 2020, there was a 3.6% increase in prenatal substance exposure, including alcohol, with significant variation across states. The rising rates of … Continue reading Eliminating Inequities for Black Mothers With Substance Use Disorder

The Hollow Villain: How Stigma Distracts Us from Action 

~ Alexandra Plante

In the world of addiction, “stigma” often gets cast as the ultimate villain—the big bad wolf of public health narratives. It’s the term we throw around when we talk about shame, isolation, and the barriers people face when seeking treatment. The problem with the term stigma is that it's broad and elusive, seeming to apply … Continue reading The Hollow Villain: How Stigma Distracts Us from Action 

Unanswered Questions Around the Evolving Role of Lived Experience 

~ Alexandra Plante

Lived experience has long been a significant component of addiction treatment and recovery. In recent years, its prominence has only grown as mainstream medicine seeks to infuse lived experience into the standard of care for not only substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, but across the larger behavioral health field. However, as the field evolves, determining … Continue reading Unanswered Questions Around the Evolving Role of Lived Experience 

The 3 Ripple Effects of Harm Reductions’ Historical Exclusion from the Addiction Continuum of Care

~ Alexandra Plante

Digging into the consequences that the historical exclusion of drug-related harm reduction has had on those with and at-risk for substance use disorder in America. The U.S. approach to substance use disorders has historically been marked by a conspicuous gap: the exclusion of harm reduction from its continuum of care. This omission has set into … Continue reading The 3 Ripple Effects of Harm Reductions’ Historical Exclusion from the Addiction Continuum of Care

From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

~ Alexandra Plante

There is a private club, known only as the “Substance Use Continuum of Care.” Membership in the club is by invitation only, and all addiction interventions in the club are legal and have federal funding. You want to be in the club, but like with any exclusive club, there are rules for members and strings … Continue reading From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

How Artificial Intelligence Will Get More Americans to the Summit of Sustained Recovery

~ Alexandra Plante

Navigating the realm of addiction treatment and recovery is akin to ascending Mount Everest, marked by a labyrinth of services and providers resembling the treacherous terrains of the Khumbu Icefall. While the U.S. has undeniably advanced in the realm of treatment and recovery, there remain significant gaps in the continuum of care, reminiscent of the … Continue reading How Artificial Intelligence Will Get More Americans to the Summit of Sustained Recovery

Harm Reduction: The Warmth and Chill of Mainstream Acceptance

~ Alexandra Plante ~ 1 Comment

For decades, drug-related harm reduction has existed in relative isolation, often navigating legal gray zones because of strict state and federal regulations. These laws banned not only harm reduction programs, but also the basic supplies they needed to prevent overdoses and the spread of disease. However, with recent changes to these regulations and the removal of restrictions on federal funding, harm reduction stands on the brink of becoming a mainstream facet of the nation’s response to alcohol and other drug use. And as might be expected with any change of this size, the harm reduction community has met this monumental shift with both applause and apprehension.