Articles for the Topic "Topics"

2009 Recovery Month to Mark 20th Anniversary—TV and Radio Public Service Announcements Unveiled

2009-07-20T05:03:20

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month) will host its 20th anniversary observance in September 2009. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) unveiled materials developed to help communities plan and host Recovery Month events and activities and to publicize the SAMHSA’s 24/7 toll-free substance use disorder information and treatment referral Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP. The 2009 Recovery Month theme—“Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Learn, Together We Heal”—underscores the continued gains our Nation is making in addressing addiction treatment. It also supports the need to redouble efforts to reach those who still need to find and successfully complete addiction treatment services and join the ranks of those in long-term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC)

2009-01-26T02:00:02

The ATTC Network is a nationwide, multidisciplinary resource for professions in the addictions treatment and recovery services field. It is made up of 14 regional centers and a national office. Established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the ATTC Network is funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Many of the resources on the ATTC Web site have sections devoted specifically to underserved populations.

Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records—Final Rule (42 CFR Part 2)

2009-07-20T06:20:58

The Federal rules governing alcohol and drug abuse patient records are titled “Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records; Final Rule” otherwise referred to as “42 CFR Part 2” (Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 2). These regulations appear in the Tuesday, June 9, 1987, edition of the Federal Register. Unless expressly permitted by the regulations, these regulations apply to and restrict disclosure of information that identifies a patient as a person who abuses alcohol or drugs directly, by reference to other publicly available information, or through verification of such identification by another person. Programs may disclose patient-identifying information only under the following conditions: * With the prior written consent of the patient * To medical personnel to the extent necessary to meet a bona fide medical emergency * As authorized by court order granted after application showing “good cause” * To qualified personnel for conducting scientific research, management audits, financial audits, or program evaluation.

Drug Abuse Warning Network

2009-07-20T05:57:18

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments (and drug-related deaths investigated by medical examiners and coroners). In 2003, a new, redesigned DAWN expanded beyond drug abuse. New DAWN helps communities and member facilities identify emerging problems, improve patient care, and manage resources.

Drug and Alcohol Services Information System

2009-07-20T05:54:47

The Drug and Alcohol Services Information System (DASIS) is the primary source of national data on substance abuse treatment. DASIS has three components: 1. Inventory of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (I-SATS) is a list of all known public and private substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States and territories. Before 2000, I-SATS was known as the National Master Facility Inventory. 2. National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) is an annual survey that collects information on location, characteristics, services offered, and utilization of all facilities in I-SATS. 3. Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) is a compilation of data on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of admissions to substance abuse treatment.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996

2009-07-20T06:23:42

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) included Administrative Simplification provisions requiring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and for the security and privacy of health information. The Standards for Electronic Transactions regulation adopts standards for eight electronic transactions and for national code sets to be used in those transactions. In December 2000, HHS issued the Privacy Rule (Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information). This rule applies to health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers that submit health information electronically in connection with standardized transactions. State agencies that act in these capacities are considered covered by or subject to the Privacy Rule. This means that they must have contracts with their “business associates” that protect the privacy of individually identifiable health information held by the associates; this may be individuals or organizations. A business associate (1) creates/receives protected health information to perform a function or activity on behalf of the covered State or (2) creates/receives protected health information while providing services (legal, actuarial, accounting, management, consulting, financial services, data aggregation, and others) to the covered State. State agencies are not covered as health plans if they principally provide or pay the cost of health care or if they principally manage grants that fund the direct provision of health care, such as block grants.

Homeless Veteran Provider Technical Assistance Center

2009-07-20T04:11:41

The Homeless Veteran Provider Technical Assistance Center (TAC) helps nonprofit organizations and faith-based agencies create programs to help veterans who are homeless transition to independent living. TAC staff provides free training and consultation in writing successful grant applications to assist organizations in preparing their own grants from Federal, State, and/or private funding sources. Homeless veteran providers from all States and territories are invited to participate.

Majority of America’s 2 Million Adolescents Suffering From Depression Episodes Did Not Receive Treatment in the Past Year

2009-07-20T05:37:55

Adolescents without health insurance were less than half as likely to get treatment as those with Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program or private health insurance coverage. A new report that coincides with Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day reveals that 8.2 percent (2 million) of youth between ages 12 and 17 experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Only about two-fifths (38.9 percent) of these adolescents received treatment during this period according to the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services

2009-07-20T06:10:19

The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) is an annual survey of all facilities in the I-SATS that collects information on location, characteristics, services offered and utilization. Information from the N-SSATS is used to compile and update the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs and the on-line Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator. The N-SSATS includes a periodic survey of substance abuse treatment in adult and juvenile correctional facilities.

National Survey on Drug Use and Health

2009-07-20T06:06:33

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides the latest data on prevalence and correlates of substance use, serious mental illness, related problems, and treatment in the United States. Before 2002, the name of the survey was the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.

Nationwide Report Reveals that 1 in 13 Adults Experienced Major Depressive Episode in the Past Year

2009-07-20T05:34:20

An estimated 16.5 million people ages 18 and older experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year, and 64.5 percent of them received treatment, according to a new report released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). “Depression is a medical condition that should be treated with the same urgency as any other medical condition,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric B. Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H. “This study helps us gain better insight into how many people suffer from major depressive episodes, where they seek treatment, and why they don’t. This information is critical to help inform health system reform.”

New Manual Teaches Strategies to Manage Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Clients

2009-07-20T05:42:14

Managing Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Clients During Early Recovery, a new manual that offers substance abuse counselors new insights into working with clients with depressive symptoms and substance use disorders, is now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The manual is number 48 in the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) series. TIPs are best-practice guidelines used for the treatment of substance use disorders, issued by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

New National Online Resource Provides Practical Advice and Hope for People Dealing with Emotional Health Issues Related to Financial Stress

2009-07-20T05:45:36

This resource provides essential information on how economic conditions can affect physical and mental health and where people can turn for help. A first-of-its-kind, online guide provides crucial information and resource referrals for people dealing with emotional or other health problems associated with economic hard times. Getting Through Tough Economic Times provides practical advice on identifying health concerns, developing coping skills, and finding help. Developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in collaboration with other Government agencies and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, which is administered by SAMHSA’s grantee the Education Development Center, Inc., the guide outlines the risks that unemployment and other forms of economic distress (foreclosure, severe financial losses, etc.) can pose to health.

New National Report Shows Substantial Disparities in the Levels of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Problems Experienced Among the States

2009-07-20T05:26:58

Some States have levels twice as high as other States in certain categories of problems, but all States face daunting substance abuse and mental illness challenges. A new report providing State-by-State analyses of substance abuse and mental illness patterns reveals that wide variations exist in the levels of problems such as illicit drug use found among States but that every State suffers from these problems. For example, Iowa had less than half the current illicit drug use rate of Rhode Island among those ages 12 and older (5.2 percent vs. 12.5 percent), yet Iowa’s 12 and older population also had one of the Nation’s highest levels of people experiencing alcohol dependence or abuse in the past year (9.2 percent).

New National Study Shows that More Than 1 in 5 Young Adults Need Treatment for Alcohol or Illicit Drug Use

2009-07-20T04:47:57

The study also shows that fewer than 1 in 10 young adults needing this treatment receive it. Nearly 7 million Americans between ages 18 and 25 were classified as needing treatment in the past year for alcohol or illicit drug use according to a new national study. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also shows that 93 percent of these young adults did not receive the help they needed at a specialty treatment facility. These levels have remained relatively stable since 2002.

SAMHSA Releases Latest TEDS Report: Discharges From Substance Abuse Treatment Services Provide Nationwide Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Experiences

2009-07-20T04:43:31

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is issuing its latest Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) report on discharges from substance treatment services, which provides an important array of information about the approximately 1.5 million treatment discharges occurring at reporting, State-licensed treatment facilities across the country.

Screening, Brief Interventions, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Illicit Drug and Alcohol Use at Multiple Healthcare Sites: Comparison at Intake and 6 Months Later

2009-07-20T04:21:56

The effectiveness of screening and brief interventions (SBIs) for alcohol is well documented, but there is less research on the effectiveness of SBI for illicit drug use. In 2003, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration initiated the largest SBIRT service program to date. This study is a secondary data analysis that compares the use of illicit drugs at intake and 6-month followup for nearly 460,000 people involved in the SBIRT program.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive

2009-07-20T06:13:02

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA) is an archive of substance abuse and mental health research data.

Treatment Episode Data Set—Summary Tables for Each State

2009-07-20T05:50:52

The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) is a compilation of data on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of admissions to (and more recently, on discharges from) substance abuse treatment. The data are routinely collected by State administrative systems and then submitted to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in a standard format. Because of the logistics involved in collecting and standardizing admissions and discharge data for an entire calendar year from all the participating States and jurisdictions, there is a delay in the availability of the entire national data set for publication. This source includes data on almost 2 million admissions reported by more than 10,000 facilities to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico over the 12-month period.

Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 50: Addressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in substance abuse treatment

2009-07-20T04:29:12

A Treatment Improvement Protocol TIP 50 provides expert recommendations to help substance abuse counselors and administrators working with adult clients who may be suicidal. The protocol manual, and companion training video, are available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at no charge. (Authors)