NASADAD
F R A M I N G T H E I S S U E S
LONGSTANDING AND EMERGING ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORKFORCE CRISIS
The substance use field has historically faced a workforce crisis including significant staff shortages, high-turnover rates, and inadequate training for general healthcare and specialty substance use providers. Further compounding this problem has been the dual crises of opioid overdose deaths and the COVID-19 pandemic. The opioid crisis has taken a large toll on individuals and communities across the nation with more than 80,000 people a year dying from an opioid overdose. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. population was further impacted by the grief, isolation, job loss, and policy changes that made substances more accessible. The pandemic has been associated with a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in adults and a 50% increase in the national overdose death rate. The highest drug overdose death rates were among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), and Black populations. Alcohol-induced death rates also increased by 38% during the pandemic, with rates highest among AIAN people, followed by Hispanic and Black people. These crises have created an even greater need for substance use services and have exacerbated burnout and psychological stress among healthcare workers due to insufficient support.