Turning Insight into Action: The “Seatbelt Moment” for Substance Use Crisis Tools

Community Service Board of Middle Georgia

As Behavioral Health Link (2025) notes, “seatbelts existed long before people used them.” The same is true for many evidence-based tools in substance use crisis care—proven methods that too often go unused. From medication-assisted treatment and harm reduction kits to recovery coaching, these approaches already save lives, yet adoption remains slow.

The reasons vary—stigma, limited training, and fear of change—but the message is clear: behavioral health systems must move from awareness to activation. Building workforce confidence, promoting collaboration, and embedding these tools in policy and practice are essential next steps.

At CSBMG, this perspective aligns with our ongoing efforts to expand harm reduction, integrate peer-led initiatives, and close the gap between what we know works and what we consistently apply in the field.

Reference
Behavioral Health Link. (2025). The seatbelt moment: Substance use crisis tools we need to use. Five Lanes Crisis Partners.