Webthe opioid epidemic affects families in many ways. To begin to illuminate the magnitude of the “ripple effect,” and the challenges facing family members, united hospital fund. The impact of the opioid epidemic on children and families, the report draws on lessons learned from the hiv/aids and crack/cocaine epidemics,. Webbeyond the individual, these challenges ripple out through our families, our communities, and our world. People with serious mental illness have an increased risk for chronic.