April 2011

April is Alcohol Awareness Month
According to SAMHSA’s 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), about 10.4 million young people ages 12-20 reported drinking alcohol in the past month and the Survey estimates 19.3 million individuals 12 or older needed treatment for an alcohol use problem. During the month of April, communities across the Nation are hosting events to raise public awareness of alcohol misuse. SAMHSA also provides information on many resources available to providers, consumers and family members.

• April 7th was National Alcohol Screening Day, when SAMHSA encouraged individuals who use alcohol to consider their drinking patterns to determine if they have an alcohol use problem.
• Visitors to the National Alcohol Screening Day website can take part in a self-assessment of their drinking behaviors and related problems, such as depression.
• Individuals who have an alcohol use problem can find help through SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator.
• StopAlcoholAbuse.gov provides research and resources on the prevention of underage drinking. 15 Federal agencies provide materials through this portal as part of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Underage Drinking Prevention.

Resources and Reminders

National Council Salary Survey: Addiction Professionals Generally Paid Less
The 2011 Behavioral Health Salary Survey released by the National Council found that addiction treatment and mental health professionals are paid lower salaries than their counterparts in other healthcare arenas. More than 850 mental health and addictions treatments organizations responded to the call for information. The survey found that social workers employed in mental health-addictions treatment organizations make less than social workers in general healthcare agencies.  The survey was conducted in partnership with the National Association of Addiction Treatment Professionals and includes salary data for executives, administrators, clinicians, direct care and support staff in public and private behavioral healthcare organizations. Please refer to the National Council website for additional information.

National Council Webinar: Healing the Addicted Brain
On April 5th, the National Council conducted a webinar entitled “Healing the Addicted Brain: A Science-based Approach”. Dr. Harold Urschel, author of the New York Times bestseller Health the Addicted Brain: The Revolutionary, Science-Based Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery Program described what happens inside the brain of an addict and how to improve recovery rates for persons with addictions disorders. He also discussed how to create effective programs that combine proven therapies with the latest medicines. This webinar looked at the successful integration of scientific research findings which have been translated into a real-life clinical practice of alcohol and drug addiction treatment across a full continuum of treatments.  Please refer to the National Council website for a recording of this webinar.

Visit the National Council’s website for more information and to register for upcoming webinars.

Additionally, please refer to the National Council website for recordings on previous Webinars that provide useful information on healthcare reform, client outcomes and Medicaid as well as other issues.

National Council Announces March Advocacy Challenge Winners
The National Council is pleased to announce the winners of our March Advocacy Challenge:

• Ralph Provenza of United Counseling Service in Bennington, Vermont
• Ben Sher of Institute for Community Living in New York, New York
• Abby Swatsworth of CenterPointe in Lincoln, Nebraska
• Michelle Taylor of NRI Community Services in North Smithfield, Rhode Island
• Don Thacker of Shawnee Mental Health Center in Portsmouth, Ohio
• Christina VanRegenmorter of Centerstone in Nashville, Tennessee

Congratulations to our winners for their dedication and commitment to advocacy on behalf of addictions and mental health treatment! The National Council encourages all of our members to help build support in Congress for a strong behavioral health safety net by participating in the monthly advocacy challenge. Click for more information.

2011 Outstanding Clinicians Nominations Sought
Addiction Professional has announced that for the third year in a row they will be honoring clinicians who overcome professional challenges to provide effective care for persons with substance use problems. The 2011 Outstanding Clinicians Awards recognize clinical professionals at three levels (counselor, clinical supervisor, medical director) either in organizations or in private practice who are making a difference in their programs and communities. Addiction Professional is now seeking nominations. To nominate an outstanding clinician from your agency, please fill out and submit the form available here by May 13, 2011. Winners will be featured in the July/August 2011 issue of Addiction Professional.
   
Substance Abuse Mentors for Primary Care Professionals
The Physician Clinical Support System for Primary Care (PCSS-P) provides free peer-to-peer mentorships and resources to help primary care providers looking for assistance in identifying and advising substance-abusing patients. Providers who register with the service are linked with a mentor who can be contacted for assistance directly or by phone.  Mentors specialize in screening, brief intervention, treatment and referral for patients who have substance abuse problems. PCSS-P is a project of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. In addition to the mentoring system for primary care physicians, there are also peer support systems for health care providers who are prescribing Buprenorphine (PCSS-B) and physicians who are using methadone (PCSS-M) to treat opioid dependence or manage chronic pain.  This service grew out of the NIDAMED initiative which was reported on last month in Addictions News Now.

Online Database of Alcohol-Related State and Federal Policies Available
The Alcohol Policy Information System provides detailed information on Federal and State alcohol-related policies. Currently, information is available across 29 policy areas. This database, sponsored by The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health, provides information on policy related to the reduction of underage drinking, alcohol-related deaths, and parity for alcohol-related treatment. Individuals can visit the website and get information about what their state or others are doing in regards to these issues as well as see what changes have occurred. For more information, please visit:  http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/

Fight for Our Future at Hill Day, July 19-20
On July 19-20, 2011, join hundreds of your colleagues in Washington, D.C. for our field’s premiere public policy and networking event! The National Council’s Annual Public Policy Institute and Hill Day brings together addictions and mental health providers, administrators, board members, consumers, and community stakeholders from across the country. Participants come to D.C. for a full day of sessions and workshops on federal behavioral health policy – followed by visits with their elected officials on Capitol Hill to advocate for our field’s priorities.

This year, Congress is under intense pressure to slash the Federal discretionary funding that is so vital to supporting mental health and addictions services. There’s no more important time to fight for our future! Hill Day gives you the opportunity to influence policy and make your voice heard on Capitol Hill. Click here to see how last year’s attendees made a difference.

Free Registration is now open for the 7th Annual Public Policy Institute and Hill Day. Thanks to the feedback we received from last year’s attendees, the National Council is planning several enhancements and improvements to our Hill Day 2011 events – stay tuned to learn the details.

Participating in Hill Day is easy. Visit our website to learn the details and view a tentative schedule of events. Questions? Contact Rebecca Farley at RebeccaF@thenationalcouncil.org or 202-684-7457, ext 235.

On the Hill

Congress, White House Strike Deal on 2011 Budget; Includes Reduced Cuts to SAMHSA
Last week, Congressional negotiators struck a deal on the budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 that narrowly averted a government shutdown. The deal makes a total of $38 billion in cuts for the remainder of the year, significantly less than the $61 billion originally passed by the House. The cuts include a $52 million reduction in funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, far less than the over $200 million approved by the House. The legislation does not identify specific SAMHSA programs that must be cut, meaning that SAMHSA will have to determine where to make the spending reductions in its budget.

These 2011 reductions are just the beginning of the ongoing budget battles that will take place over the coming months. As Congress begins to debate the 2012 budget and the national debt limit, mental health and addictions programs continue to be at risk! If you have not already done so, please take a moment to write a message to your members of Congress urging them to fight against cuts to behavioral healthcare. In addition, the National Council encourages you to invite your Members of Congress to visit your agency while they are on recess from April 18-29. This is a perfect opportunity for you to educate your legislators about the importance of the services your organization provides and show them the need for fully funding the behavioral health safety net.

Sen. Whitehouse Introduces Behavioral Health IT Bill; Ask Your Senators to Show Their Support!    
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) re-introduced the Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011, a bill that would expand federal health information technology payments to previously ineligible community behavioral health providers and organizations. This legislation was originally introduced in 2010 by Sen. Whitehouse and cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 12 Senators; however, it did not make it through the legislative process before Congress adjourned.

S. 539 would expand federal incentive payments for the adoption of health information to behavioral and mental health professionals, psychiatric hospitals, mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities. By expanding HIT incentive payments to behavioral health providers, this legislation will provide much needed funding for community behavioral health organizations as they seek to implement electronic health records and improve care quality.

Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) is seeking additional cosponsors so as to build support for the legislation. Please reach out to your Senators today and urge them to sign on to S. 539.

In The News

SAMHSA Announces Format Change for Block Grant Applications; Requests Comments
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has announced a new application approach for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG).  Currently, the two block grant programs are administered differently by separate SAMHSA centers, with different structures and timing for accepting and planning for the grants. In an effort to streamline the application and funding procedures, SAMHSA is proposing to create one consistent application process across both block grants. The new approach will allow states the option of submitting one coordinated plan for both grants.

For more detailed information about the proposed changes, refer to the SAMHSA website or to the Federal Register notice. Comments on the format changes can be submitted until June 5, 2011. The National Council is reviewing the SAMHSA proposal and developing model comments that may be used as a template for any member organizations interested in submitting comments to SAMHSA. Stay tuned for more details.

Obama Administration’s Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan Released
The Obama Administration’s action plan for addressing the national prescription drug abuse epidemic was released yesterday. The 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan-- Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis—builds upon the National Drug Control Strategy. The Prevention Plan focuses on four areas to reduce abuse of prescription drugs:  implement state-based prescription drug monitoring programs in an effort to reduce prescription drug diversion and abuse; provide recommendations for secure, convenient and responsible disposal methods to remove medications that are expired or no longer needed; provide education to patients and healthcare providers; and provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to take action. For more information on the Prevention Plan and what you can do to prevent prescription drug diversion and abuse in your community, please visit ONDCP’s Prescription Drug Webpage and Resource Guide.

Addiction and Trauma-Informed Services
Many individuals with substance abuse problems have personal or family histories of trauma which can result in emotional and physical suffering such as low self-esteem, anxiety, body pain and a sense of shame. Individuals may try to self-medicate with different substances in an attempt to manage these symptoms; however, people who present for substance abuse treatment may not initially mention the trauma or request treatment for trauma. Trauma-informed services are designed to consider and adjust to any potential vulnerabilities a traumatized consumer may have by taking into consideration different service delivery approaches that are supportive and will not cause re-traumatization. The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care proposes a change to the providers thought process from one that views the consumer as “what’s wrong with you?” to one that asks “What has happened to you?”.  Please refer to the SAMHSA webpage for more information on Trauma-Informed Care and Interventions.

Missouri “Citizen Soldier Assistance Program” Endorsed by SAMHSA
SAMHSA has endorsed a program conducted by Burrell Behavioral Health, a National Council member, which will help Missouri’s National Guard members with behavioral health problems through the newly developed “Citizen Soldier Assistance Program.”  Burrell is based out of Springfield, Missouri, and is working with the state and the state National Guard to determine how best to embed behavioral health workers in National Guard locations to provide behavioral health services.  Burrell counselors will attend trainings to be where there are needed and staff will be sent to the 62 meeting locations of the National Guard in Missouri in order to develop relationships with the citizen soldiers and their families. The collaboration between the National Guard and Burrell Behavioral Health is a good example of how community mental health centers can reach out to other groups in order to provide services to those in need.

Methamphetamine Use is on the Rise
According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), there have been significant increases in methamphetamine use from 2008 estimates in the number of new users. A new policy brief by Carnevale Associates explores the relationship between current trends and reviews the demand and supply data that suggest a methamphetamine epidemic may be “resurging”. The NSDUH data indicate that there was an increase in the number of people ages 12 and older who used methamphetamine in the past 30 days from 314,000 in 2008 to 502,000 in 2009 and the number of first time users increased from an estimated 95,000 to 154,000. Rural areas also appear to be experiencing greater increases in use. The policy brief can be viewed here and contains additional information and data regarding policy implications and current trends. 

Study Finds Increase in Teen Drug Use
The 22nd annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study indicates that teen drug and alcohol use is on the rise, with marked increases in teen use of marijuana and Ecstasy over the past three years. According to the Study, there was a 67% increase in the number of teens who reported using Ecstasy in the past year (from 6% in 2008 to 10% in 2010) and marijuana use increased by 22% (39% in 2010 up from 32% in 2008). The data in the study also highlight that teens view consuming alcohol as less risky than using other substances with 62% of teens indicating they had their first alcoholic drink by age 15. A full copy of the report is available on the Partnership at Drugfree website.