Additional aid designed for kids from households impacted by substance abuse - Expanded assistance for kids from families struggling with substance abuse to be implemented
In an effort to provide better support for children affected by their parents' substance abuse and mental health issues, the state of Brandenburg has initiated a prevention project. Three model regions in the state will be selected for the implementation of these projects.
Municipalities in Brandenburg can now apply for the prevention project, which is overseen by the Brandenburg State Office for Drug-Related Issues. The goal of the project is to support affected children and prevent them from developing substance abuse disorders or mental health problems later on.
Health Minister Britta Müller, an independent, stated that the goal is to ensure these children are not left alone with their worries or challenges. According to Müller, approximately 56,000 children in Brandenburg up to the age of 14 are affected by a parent's substance abuse disorder or mental illness.
To achieve this goal, specialists in Brandenburg will be trained to identify and support children affected by substance abuse and mental health issues. The training will involve educators, childcare workers, and sports trainers.
The discussions regarding the cooperation of actors in the municipalities took place in Potsdam, with the aim of improving the cooperation between these actors. This cooperation is also part of the project, as it is essential for providing comprehensive support to affected children.
The project could start this year and is funded by the GKV alliance for health, the Auridis Foundation, and the health ministry of the state of Brandenburg. It is important to note that there are no direct search results detailing a specific support plan for children from affected families in Brandenburg, Germany, focused on substance abuse and mental health issues. However, relevant context can be drawn from the work of the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, which conducts population-based research on prevention and health promotion, including substance use and mental health.
Despite the lack of specific official program details or policies exclusive to Brandenburg, it can be inferred that support plans in Brandenburg may be aligned with evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies developed or evaluated by institutions such as the Leibniz Institute. These strategies emphasize early intervention, health promotion in social environments, and mental health support for vulnerable groups including children.
However, it is crucial to consult local Brandenburg health authorities or social services for more precise information on governmental or NGO programs directly targeting children from affected families regarding substance abuse or mental health. It is also worth noting that these diseases are stigmatized, and there is little open discussion about them, according to Hardeling. Specialist staff in kindergartens, schools, and other facilities in Brandenburg sometimes lack ideas and knowledge on how to deal with children and families affected by substance abuse and mental health issues, as Hardeling noted.
Two-thirds of children from families affected by substance abuse and mental health issues have a risk of developing the same issues later on, according to Hardeling. It is hoped that the new projects aimed at providing better support for these children will help mitigate this risk and improve the overall wellbeing of affected children in Brandenburg.
- The state of Brandenburg's prevention project, focused on children affected by their parents' substance abuse and mental health issues, is not only implementing projects in selected model regions but also training specialists in various fields, such as educators, childcare workers, and sports trainers, to identify and support these children.
- As part of the project, the Brandenburg State Office for Drug-Related Issues aims to prevent affected children from developing substance abuse disorders or mental health problems later on, aligning their goals with evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies that emphasize early intervention, health promotion in social environments, and mental health support for vulnerable groups, as supported by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology.
