Mental Health Resource Roundup, Installment 1
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act remarking that "those of us called upon to lead this country have a duty" to stand by the families and communities struggling with addiction. The significant funding included in the bill will help fight the ongoing opioid crisis, authorizing $1 billion in grants to states over the next two years. The National Council applauds Congress for the addiction and mental health provisions that will support community behavioral health providers in expanding access and looks to Congress to act quickly and include full funding for these provisions in the FY2017 appropriations package.
Read the National Council’s full statement on the signing and learn more about the 21st Century Cures Act on the Capitol Connector Blog.
Integration & Clinical Practices
State Initiatives Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
National Council’s new interactive map highlights the governor-led initiatives addressing this issue while also supporting initiatives produced by state agencies and legislatures. Learn more.
New Tools to Advance Parity Implementation
In the next few weeks, the National Council will be releasing two new tools to advance implementation of the federal parity law in states. Be on the lookout for contracting tools to help states and providers use their contracts with managed care companies to improve parity compliance in the Medicaid system. Stay tuned for model state parity legislation, developed in collaboration with national partners, and accompanying advocacy tools that members can use with the state legislators.
Connecting Pregnant Women to Addiction Treatment
180 Health, a Nashville startup, is working to identify women who are at risk for having babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome and connect them with peer advocates who can link them to multidisciplinary care. Read more.
Learning Opportunities
The Conversation on Addiction at NatCon17
The 2017 National Council Conference focuses on addictions with a faculty of leading minds — from the worlds of government and policy; research and treatment; education and criminal justice; purchasers and payers; prevention and recovery; and entertainment and journalism. Learn more about the conference and register here.
Addressing Opioid Overdose and Opioid Use Disorder in Hospitals
Join Michael Botticelli, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and an expert panel on Tuesday, December 20 at 4:00 pm ET to learn how hospitals are aiding individuals who have opioid use disorder and guided individuals who have suffered overdose to treatment. Register here. Register here.
Incorporate Key Findings from the Surgeon General’s Report into Your Practice
Join this CIHS webinar on Thursday, January 5 at 3:00 pm ET to hear from one of the author's of the Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health as she discusses the efforts needed to support integrating screening, assessments, interventions, use of medications and care coordination to address substance use. Register here.
Data and Research
Heroin Deaths Surpass Gun Homicides for the First Time
In a grim milestone, more people died from heroin-related causes than from gun homicides in 2015, figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. As recently as 2007, gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths by more than 5 to 1. Read more.
How Fitness Fights Addiction
A new study by the University of Sydney put a group of dependent cannabis users on a program of aerobic exercise to discover if exercise can help tame the cravings and symptoms of withdrawal that can make it hard to quit any addictive drug. Read more.
Studying the Effectiveness of Vivitrol in Prison Population
In a study sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 300 offenders — most of them heroin users on probation or parole — were randomly assigned to receive either Vivitrol or brief counseling and referral to a treatment program. After six months, the Vivitrol group had a lower rate of relapse. Read more.
Fighting Opioid Abuse in Tribal Communities
The overdose death rate among Native Americans is three times the rate in the general population. As the opioid epidemic surges, many tribes are investing in treatment and specialized housing on the reservation. Read more.
MAT Improves Outcomes for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder
New study shows that MAT is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder. Improving awareness of how MAT works, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all services and expanding access to eligible providers will be key to curbing the opioid epidemic. Read more.
(Blog content from National Council)