Hiiraan Online
Wednesday November 4, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (HOL) –
Having seen the growing number of young men and women leaving the social life
and slipping further away from family, friends, schools or work, as the result
of of substance dependence, the Somali community have opened a treatment centre
that has seen early success.
The
South East Homes Inc is primarily focuses on substance abuse services.by
helping the substance abuse victims to overcome addictions or withdrawals.
Through
its work, the centre’s work has attracted the attention of the local
authorities who paid visit to the centre this week to learn about its
treatments of indivituals from East Africa.
The commissioner of
Health and Human Services, Lucinda Jesson, Deputy Director Brian Zorbes, As
well as Commissioner of MN Higher education, Larry Pogomiller have instituted a
community listening session designed to hear the voice of the community in
improving MN's service continuum for individuals with substance use disorders.
Abah Mohamed, the South
East Homes Executive Director says homelessness, lack of resources, lack of
sober support, stigmatization, family disconnections, social isolation and
ostracism, legal problems, hopelessness and depression are the main factors contributing
to the increase in numbers of drug dependence by many ML residents.
During their visit,
officials have credited the centre with developing to provide significant
services in response to all the challenges by undertaking a language and
cultural awareness, a move health officials say could overcoming the challenges
facing Somali/East African individuals struggling with addiction while living
in an alien country.
Briefing the visiting
officials, Ms. Mohamed has expressed hope in doing more to address the mental
illness problems by using resources compatible with the East African culture to
set off best practices in alcohol and drug addiction treatment.
According to a 2013
Minnesota Student Survey, 41 percent of metropolitan area 11th grade males and
42 percent of 11th grade females reported drug abuse. Less than one-half (44.2
percent) of primary admissions to addiction treatment programs for all ages
were for alcohol in the first half of 2013, compared with 46.5 percent of the
total in 2012 and 49.2 percent in 2011.