Mental Health & Substance Abuse NAICS 621420, 623220

Mar 10, 2025 - Deadliest Phase Of Fentanyl Crisis Eases

• All 50 states and the District of Columbia have seen fentanyl-related drug deaths decrease to levels not seen since 2020, according to an analysis of US overdose data conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Demand for substance abuse treatment may decrease if the decrease in fentanyl-related drug deaths is due at least in part to a decrease in fentanyl use. "We are on track to return to levels of [fatal] overdose before fentanyl emerged," said Nabarun Dasgupta, lead researcher on the project which examined overdose records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug deaths in the US are down roughly a quarter, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control data. That includes fentanyl and other illicit drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine.
• The incidence of substance use disorders among seniors has climbed steeply, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC data indicates that the rate of overdose deaths among seniors quadrupled from 2002 to 2021. Some older adults show long-term substance use, while others develop a harmful reliance later in life.

• Sociodemographic variables were the most robust predictors of substance use initiation, according to research published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers examined data on 420 variables for more than 6,800 youths (ages 9-10), following them over three years. Approximately 14.4% of the youths had initiated substance use by age 12. Among the sociodemographic factors predicting substance use initiation were religion, race, and income. Religion was a strong protective factor for Mormon youths, while Jewish youths were more likely than those from other religions to initiate substance use. Black youths were less likely to initiate substance use than white youths, and those from a lower-income background were more likely than others to initiate substance use. Prenatal exposure to substance use was among the top predictors, with prenatal exposure associated with a greater likelihood of initiation. Youth with a history of school detention and suspension were more likely than others to initiate substance use. Several modifiable risk factors also predicted greater likelihood of substance use initiation, including substance availability, peer use of alcohol and nicotine, and sensation seeking (need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and experiences).
• Mental health and substance abuse industry employment decreased slightly and wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first month of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Mental health and substance abuse hospitals increased prices slightly during 2024, according to the BLS.