According to the 2001 Census, there are 92,000 seniors (age 50 and older) in Washington DC - and as many as 17% are affected by substance abuse. This is called “The Silent Epidemic.” The Silent Epidemic impacts District seniors who abuse alcohol and prescription drugs.

APRA’s Office of Special Populations (OSPS) implemented Substance Abuse Awareness for Seniors (SAAS) to break this silence: a coordinating program specialized to implement ATOD prevention, education, advocacy and counseling services for seniors living with chemical dependency.

Substance Abuse Awareness for Seniors -- Department of Health
825 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Coordinator: Cassandra Hardison, Telephone: (202) 442-9171
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm

An alarming number of seniors in the metropolitan area are engaging in various self-destructive forms of substance abuse. In response to a need for action, SAAS was created to effectively address and eliminate this problem. Initially, SAAS grew from a desire for an extensive community outreach campaign. However, in recent months, APRA has actively expanded the scope of SAAS activities to include an ambitious plan for prevention and treatment of substance abusing seniors.

APRA hopes to inspire future collaborations to ensure seniors are educated, screened and referred to the appropriate services. The goal is to help provide practical recommendations for incorporating an understanding of this problem into practice.