July 2005 NACBHDD Newsletter
The monthly newsletter for the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Directors
In this Issue...
The 2005 NACBHDD Newsletter series is brought to you by:
Campaign for Mental Health Reform Releases Roadmap for Federal Action July 27
The Campaign for Mental Health Reform is focused on the July 27 release to Congress and the Administration of the Roadmap for Federal Action on America's Mental Health Crisis, previously informally referred to as the "Call to Action." Advocacy organizations involved with the Campaign, including NACBHD, have been busy over the past few weeks preparing for the release of the landmark report.
The report will be presented to Congress, with Chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health Mike Hogan delivering remarks, reports Campaign Director Chuck Konigsberg. Governors and media have been invited to the event. NACBHD staff also will be present at the event.
The Campaign has developed a logo and posted a fact sheet about the Campaign and preliminary information about the report on its website. Briefly, the roadmap will detail action for aligning federal, state, and local resources and services, with specific proposals focusing on
See www.mhreform.org for more information on the Campaign and more information on the Roadmap for Federal Action on America's Mental Health Crisis and its release to Congress.
SAMHSA Announces Federal Action Agenda
As the newsletter went to press July 22, SAMHSA issued the press release below. NACBHD will have more information on the Federal Action Agenda in an upcoming newsletter. Please note that the Federal Action Agenda is complementary to, but differs from the Campaign for Mental Health Reform's Roadmap in that the Federal Action Agenda focuses on administrative action while the Campaign's Roadmap concentrates on reforms that will require legislation. As Chuck Konigsberg, Director of the Campaign for Mental Health Reform, says, the Campaign "views as a very positive development SAMHSA's coordination of multiple federal agencies in developing action steps to follow-up on the recommendations and goals of the President's Commission. . .We. . . see the juxtaposition of our respective reports as an excellent opportunity for productive collaboration on mental health issues among the advocacy community, the Administration, and the Congress."
Unprecedented Federal Alignment Announced to Help Provide People with Mental Illness Opportunity for Recovery
The federal government is aligning resources in an unprecedented collaborative effort to help ensure that people with mental illness have every opportunity for recovery. Six cabinet level departments - Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration have detailed 70 specific steps in a mental health action agenda released today.
"Transforming Mental Health Care in America. The Federal Action Agenda: First Steps" is the beginning of a multi-year effort to alter the form and function of the mental health system. Also announced today is the creation of a Federal Executive Steering Committee to guide the work of mental health system transformation.
In the United States, recovery from mental illness is the expectation, not the exception. Yet many people with mental illness remain untreated. They struggle with an illness that affects their minds, their feelings and their relationships with others. There are approximately 19.6 million adults aged 18 or older (9.2 percent) in the United States with serious mental illness (SMI). A similar percentage of children - about 5% to 9% - have a serious mental health problem.
"As we approach the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Action Agenda makes an important contribution for Americans with mental health-related disabilities," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said. "The Action Agenda details the initial steps the federal government is taking to transform the form and function of the mental health service delivery system in America. HHS and its partners across the federal government are committed to a shared goal of collaborating to fundamentally change the way the nation's mental health care system currently functions."
"The Action Agenda is not a 'quick fix' for the problems that have ailed the mental health care system for decades. It is a living document that begins to chart the course for the long term," said Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.S.C.W., Administrator of HHS's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which has lead in the development of the federal action agenda.
Curie continued, "The public sector is the major financial driver in mental health care and transformation is a shared responsibility. Federal agencies must act as leaders, partners, and facilitators. States, however, will be the centers of action for system transformation. Many have already begun this critical work. Their leadership in planning, financing, service delivery and evaluation of consumer and family-driven services will significantly advance the transformation agenda."
Highlights of the Mental Health Action agenda include:
"The reason for the Action Agenda is simple. People with mental disorders have a vital role to play in our families, our neighborhoods, our communities, and our country. Their ability to participate fully can no longer be derailed by outdated science, outmoded financing systems, and unspoken discrimination. Putting people with mental disorders at the heart of the health care system can be accomplished through the steps outlined in the Action Agenda," Curie explained.
Members of the Executive Steering Committee include:
U.S. Department of Agriculture - Joseph Jen, Under Secretary, Research, Education and Economics
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -
Josefina Carbonell, Assistant Secretary Administration on Aging.
Wade Horn, Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families.
Carolyn Clancy, Director, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Mark A. Safran, Chair, Mental Health Workgroup, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mark McClellan, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Elizabeth Duke, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration.
Charles Grim, Director, Indian Health Services.
Thomas Insel, Director, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health.
Charles Curie, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Within the HHS Office of the Secretary
Michael O'Grady, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Richard Campanelli, Director, Office for Civil Rights.
Margaret Giannini, Director, Office on Disability.
Christina Beato, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Patricia Carlile, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Special Needs Program.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Frances Murphy, Deputy Under Secretary for Health Policy Coordination.
U.S. Department of Education
John Hagar, Assistant Secretary.
U.S. Department of Justice
Regina Schofield, Assistant Attorney General.
U.S. Department of Labor
W. Roy Grizzard, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy.
U.S. Department of Transportation
Jennifer Dorn, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration
Social Security Administration
Martin Gerry, Deputy Commissioner for Disability and Income Security Programs.
The report is available on the web at www.samhsa.gov; click on mental health transformation.
July Board Meeting Sets Agenda for NACBHD Priorities
NACBHD continues to move forward with a focus on priorities and a new state association committee. The NACBHD Board met July 8 and 9 to discuss the Association's priorities, the creation of a new state association directors committee to better facilitate work on state issues, and the NACBHD SAMHSA grant-specifically the member survey. Agreeing that the most important membership service is national advocacy, the NACBHD Board established six public policy priorities-Medicaid, Medicare, Criminal Justice, Methamphetamine, Transformation, and Outcomes and Performance. Each of these priority areas is defined by action items. These action items comprise the national advocacy agenda for 2006. More information on the work plan and the new state association directors committee will be available in the August newsletter.
NACBHD member survey. Melissa Staats showcased the NACBHD member survey, or profiling system, at the Board meeting. The profiling system will provide the Association with critical information. The information will be used to help document the role of NACBHD and what the Association can contribute to public policy making. NACBHD will need the new state association committee to help ensure survey completion. Members may also be able to use this information locally as well. The survey also may help in gaining new members.
The survey and consequent analyses are supported by a SAMHSA grant NACBHD received at the beginning of 2005. They are intended to develop a more complete picture of the role of county government and county-sponsored behavioral health and developmental disabilities authorities. The survey is also expected to generate practical and effective models for outcome and quality improvement and to identify successful implementation of evidence based practices. and. The Board is committed to completing this project quickly given this is NACBHD's first opportunity to create a track record with SAMHSA.
NACBHD Annual Meeting: Mark Your Calendars for October 20-22
The NACBHD Annual Meeting will take place October 20-22 in Portland, Oregon. Please take a moment to mark this important event on your calendar, and check the website for more information and for instructions on registering online. NACBHD is pleased to announce that officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have already agreed to present the most up-to-date information on the MMA implementation at the Annual Conference. This is especially timely as beneficiary enrollment begins November 15, and official implementation is January 1. (See the article below on Medicare for more details on implementation of the MMA.)
Medicaid Update
Background: since the June newsletter
NACBHD continues to be involved in advocacy discussions about the $10 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next five years mandated in the FY 2006 Congressional budget resolution in late April. As reported in the July 18 Washington Update, NACBHD recently attended a meeting of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, a coalition of 100 national disability organizations, on the Medicaid process as it relates to Congressional activities, the National Governors Association (NGA) proposals, the Medicaid Reform Commission, and possible advocacy strategies. That meeting is summarized below under "NACBHD activity around Medicaid" and in the July 18 Washington Update. On July 27, NACBHD will meet with the National Governors Association to better understand the NGA reform proposals and to determine opportunities for collaboration.
Summaries of the Congressional timeline for Medicaid action, information on the Medicaid Reform Commission, the National Governors Association proposals, and NACBHD activity around Medicaid, including the NACBHD Medicaid Committee's work, are provided below.
In addition, NACBHD spoke with Marcia Hams, project coordinator for the Medicaid Matters project at Community Catalyst in Boston, Massachusetts about the project and about current Medicaid activity. That interview and information on the advocacy tools and resources available through the project can be found in the following article.
The timeline for Congressional activity on Medicaid
Because Medicaid is a mandatory entitlement program, it is not part of the appropriations process. Instead, the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Finance Committee will develop legislation to find the $10 billion in savings over the next five years mandated in late April in the FY 2006 budget resolution. This reconciliation process takes place this summer and possibly into the fall (September 2005). (www.nami.org/Section=Policy_News_and_Alerts.)
And, as reported in the July 18 Washington Update, staffers for the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Finance Committee will be working through August with specific proposals on how and where to make cuts to Medicaid. They will work with the Congressional Budget Office to determine how much can be saved in each proposal.
Chuck Konigsberg, Director of the Campaign for Mental Health Reform and an expert on the federal budget process, confirms that Congressional staffers are busy reviewing options for Medicaid cuts, with Congressional action on Medicaid expected in September. However, since this is not an election year, it may take longer and could easily stretch into October or November.
Medicaid Reform Commission members appointed; concerns about commission credibility
HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt has appointed the 13 voting and 15 nonvoting members of the Medicaid Reform Commission. The committee is
chaired by former Tennessee governor Don Sundquist. Former Maine governor Angus Wilson serves as vice chair. A report on recommendations
regarding the $10 billion in cuts is due to Secretary Leavitt September 1, with a second report on long-term sustainability of the program
due on December 31, 2006. (July 11 Legislative News in Brief, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, www.aucd.org.)
Several DC advocacy groups have voiced concern about the credibility of the commission. As reported in the Federal Update of Medicaid Matters, the Commission has no consumer representatives and no voting members from Congress. "Advocates and Medicaid supporters in Congress have concluded that it has been designed to merely rubber-stamp harmful administration proposals that would undermine benefits, eligibility and affordability in Medicaid and shift costs to the states." (www.medicaidmatters2005.org/what.php.) A complete list of the commission members can be found at the Medicaid Matters website.
Focus on the National Governors Association (NGA) proposals
NGA Chair Mark Warner (D-VA) and Vice Chair Mike Huckabee (R-AR), who recently took over as Chair of the NGA, released the NGA
preliminary recommendations to Congress June 15. The paper contains the NGA's recommendations for comprehensive Medicaid reform,
and addresses the areas of prescription drug improvements, asset policy reforms, cost sharing provisions, benefit package flexibility,
comprehensive waiver reforms, judicial reforms, and Medicaid and the U.S. commonwealths and territories partnership review. To view
the paper "Medicaid Reform: A Preliminary Report," a press release outlining the paper's recommendations, or to view the governors'
June 15 testimony before Congress, see www.nga.org.
As noted in the July 18 Washington Update, it is thought that the NGA proposals will be used to support reforms developed in Congress. And, as mentioned above, NACBHD will meet with the NGA July 27 to discuss the proposals.
Other Medicaid Highlights
NACBHD Medicaid Committee. The NACBHD Medicaid Committee is working on a white paper that anticipates the impacts of the NGA proposals for Medicaid reform. If you have any suggestions, please contact Melissa Staats at mstaats@nacbhd.org.
Recent Reports Demonstrate Risks of Medicaid Cost-Sharing and Benefits Reductions
Two research papers published in the July/August issue of Health Affairs demonstrate the impact of changes proposed by the NGA related to cost-sharing and benefits. One study examines the impact of higher cost-sharing changes instituted in the Oregon Health Plan in 2003, in which almost half of enrollees lost their Medicaid coverage within six months. The other report compares access to and use of health care services by adults with Medicaid and low income adults with private insurance. Access was comparable, but a likely outcome of benefits reductions is that access for those with Medicaid will fall below the low-income privately insured. The reports support the idea that reductions in Medicaid should avoid changes that will reduce or impede access. See www.cbpp.org, "New Research Sheds Light on Risks From Increasing Medicaid Cost-Sharing and Reducing Medicaid Benefits."
National Survey Reveals Most Americans View Medicaid Positively
A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that most American view Medicaid positively and that public opposition to cuts is strong. The survey examined attitudes toward Medicaid, state budgets and Medicaid, perceptions about a Medicaid "crisis," and public knowledge about the program. For more information, see www.kff.org.
Medicaid Matters 2005: A Resource for Defending Medicaid
NACBHD recently spoke with Marcia Hams of Community Catalyst in Boston, Massachusetts about the Medicaid Matters 2005 project, and about current Medicaid activity. (Community Catalyst is a national advocacy organization that works to develop consumer and community participation in ensuring quality affordable health care for everyone.) Hams describes the Medicaid Matters project as a national collaboration of all the sponsoring organizations (listed below) to provide high quality materials for those at the state and county level working on Medicaid defense issues. NACBHD includes this article and links to resources for informational purposes.
Medicaid Matters (www.medicaidmatters2005.org) resources include: A messaging toolkit for those working to protect Medicaid can be accessed through www.medicaidmatters2005.org. The web site was developed by Community Catalyst, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Neighborhood Health Plan, and Families USA.
All resources are downloadable free of charge and include a ready-to-use toolkit of messages, materials, and dissemination ideas which emphasize Medicaid's importance and the threats it is now facing. Some materials are ready to print with high quality photography and other materials can be adapted to suit an organization by localizing messages with logos, messages, or photographs.
Ultimately, the purpose Hams says, is "to tell a story," to communicate how much Medicaid matters to everyone. As the site points out, at some point, with 50 million people enrolled, everyone will know someone who uses it.
A breakdown of information available from the Medicaid Matters site:
Current and upcoming Medicaid activity
While Hams is currently Project Leader of Community Catalyst's Physician/Consumer Collaboration on Prescription Drug Practices and the Medicaid Matters Project, she also has previous Medicaid experience. She was Deputy Director for Programs at Health Care for All, a state consumer health organization, and a Community Catalyst partner, where she managed major program areas, including Medicaid, managed care, and free care. In addition, she has conducted evaluation research on Medicaid managed care for people with disabilities at Human Services Research Institute. She gave NACBHD her perspective on current and upcoming Medicaid activities.
While the Medicaid Matters project is primarily focused on federal threats, Hams says some states are involved in drastic Medicaid changes that are setting "a terrible precedent." For example, the Missouri state legislature voted to sunset Medicaid in the state in 2008, and has voted to cut a large number of people out of the program now. Hams says that this will have a huge impact on hospitals, and is likely to result in a reduction in the health and the quality of life for low-income people, who are likely not to get care until it is very expensive. While the situation in Missouri is dire, Hams explains that the Medicaid birthday events are a way of emphasizing what works in Medicaid, which she says is a message that is repeated over and over because of the constant need to build political consensus "that this is the kind of society we want," with the continuing need to raise the issue that healthcare is a basic right. This means searching for ways to move forward in coverage and supporting measures that already work.
Medicare Update: Resources for Outreach and Education in the Transition; NACBHD Members Urged to Share Helpful Transition and Implementation Models
NACBHD is pleased to announce that officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) have already agreed to present the most up-to-date information on the MMA implantation at the Annual Conference. This is especially timely as beneficiary enrollment begins November 15, and official implementation is January 1.
Background
In fall 2005, CMS will auto-enroll approximately 6 million dually eligible beneficiaries (those receiving both Medicare and Medicaid) into Medicare prescription drug plans. These new Medicare drug plans will replace Medicaid as it is currently used by the dually eligible (and others) to support their access to medications. Starting November 15, 2005, beneficiaries may select another or different plan from the one in which they are auto-enrolled. The new prescription coverage begins on January 1, 2006.
An ongoing inventory of resources for implementation of the MMA
NACBHD is working with CMS and other advocacy partners to provide the best information about MMA implementation so that members can be fully informed and ready for the transition period this fall and the implementation January 1, 2006. Given the oversight and planning responsibilities of county governments and county based authorities, communities will rely on the NACBHD membership as points of dissemination of information.
NACBHD's Developmental Disability (DD) Committee has taken the lead in supporting the cataloging of resources to help the NACBHD membership as implementation of the MMA proceeds, and to aid the membership in better understanding and planning for such activities as beneficiary plan selection, eligibility determination, formularies selection, and provider training. Maeghan Gilmore is compiling an inventory of outreach and education resources, which will be available on the NACBHD website soon. Beneficiaries, guardians, providers, physicians, pharmacists and case managers are those stakeholders who will likely have a direct role in implementation and will benefit from the inventory. In addition, NACBHD is routinely updating members on outreach and education efforts in the newsletter.
The information below has been gathered for the catalog and may be helpful to members:
Training materials/resources link which can be accessed as well from above. This page includes the national Medicare & You training module that may be completed online. Local media and community outreach tools are available as well. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/tools/materials/default.asp
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) are available to assist and counsel individuals about public health benefits. SHIPs recently received a grant to help facilitate the transition process. This web address will take you to the CMS SHIP link where each state office is listed. (Note: these programs may have a different name in a particular state.) https://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/communities/ship/default.asp
CMS has created a toolkit to facilitate outreach education. The following link provides education materials for the educator as well as the individual seeking information about the drug benefit. https://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/tools/materials/medicaretraining/MPDCoutreachkit.asp
To receive updated information, CMS has a list serve available to obtain via email. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mailinglists/
The following link provides fact sheets regarding the drug benefit, and template mailings (what a beneficiary may receive in the mail). http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/factsheets.asp
Share helpful implementation models
Members are encouraged to share any helpful implementation efforts or models they know about. Contact Maeghan Gilmore at mgilmore@nacbhd.org or at (202) 661-8816.
The following information represents the most recent information published by CMS, as well as advocacy efforts related to implementation.
Recent resource information from CMS on MMA implementation From a July 11 CMS press release:
NEW WEB SERVICE HELPS MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH LIMITED MEANS GET MORE HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE
Includes Assistance with Enrolling in Extra Help for the Medicare Drug Benefit And State Medicaid Benefits and Other Assistance Programs
A new web-based service will help Medicare beneficiaries of limited income gain access to the help available through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. The service, which will also help them enroll in other health care and prescription drug assistance programs, was developed by the Administration on Aging (AoA) with the assistance of CMS and the National Council on the Aging (NCOA).
The new service is a special version of BenefitsCheckUpRx, updated for the extra help with Medicare drug coverage. It is available at http://www.BenefitsCheckUp.org/rx. BenefitsCheckUpRx will help older adults and the advocates who work with them take advantage of the Medicare low-income subsidy, the comprehensive extra help that covers 95 percent of drug costs on average for people with Medicare who have limited means. Applications are available now. About one in three Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for the extra help. The new service screens beneficiaries for eligibility and then provides a quick link to applying online for the extra help through the Social Security Administration's web site. At the same time, it helps seniors and those who work with them apply for other needs-based government programs including the Medicare Savings Programs and other federal, state, and private programs that can save seniors money.
Using BenefitsCheckUpRx, people with Medicare can get help learning about and applying for the Medicare low-income subsidy if they are eligible, as well as learn about how to enroll in various programs, including state pharmacy assistance programs, private company patient assistance programs, veterans and TRICARE benefits, Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI), Supplemental Security Income, and the Medicare-approved drug discount cards can be obtained through December 2005. The tool is confidential: no one is required to enter their name, address, phone number, or Social Security number until they enroll.
Next year, Medicare beneficiaries who receive full Medicaid benefits or who are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) will automatically receive the extra help with their prescription drug costs. That extra help provides comprehensive drug coverage with no premiums, no deductibles, very low copays and no gaps in coverage. States have the flexibility in deciding what rules to use when determining eligibility for their Medicare Savings Program beneficiaries, which means that these requirements can vary considerably from state to state. To help clarify the differences among states' eligibility criteria, CMS has information showing how those criteria differ from state to state and how beneficiaries can use that information to determine their eligibility for extra help at www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/states/whatsnew.asp In addition, the new BenefitsCheckUpRx incorporates state-specific income and asset eligibility requirements into its on-line screening tool.
The NCOA has also created a special organizational version that will provide training and ongoing customer support for Area Agencies on Aging, State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, State Units on Aging, and other local agencies that serve seniors and persons with disabilities.
New Kaiser Medicare Data Resource Now Available Online
The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released the Medicare Chartbook 2005, which has current data about Medicare and its beneficiaries, including state-specific information on benefits and utilization, out-of-pocket spending, prescription drugs, future projections, and more. See www.kff.org.
Report on State Pharmacy Assistance Programs and How They Will Be Affected by the MMA
State Pharmacy Assistance Programs at a Crossroads: How Will They Respond to the Medicare Drug Benefit? discusses how state prescription drug assistance programs will respond to the new Medicare drug benefit. The report, from Academy Health, can be accessed through www.kff.org.
NACBHD's Developmental Disabilities Committee Chair Recommends Resource
Lynn Ferrell, NACBHD Developmental Disabilities Chair, recommends the following resource on MMA implementation: www.postgradmed.com, click on the link to Prescription for Progress in the left corner of the page. Articles on dual eligibility, implications for persons with mental illness, state preparation, the NASMHPD perspective, frequently asked questions, Part D issues for state agencies, among others, are available.
CBPP Releases Research Reports on Accomplishments of Public Benefit Programs
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) recently released the first in a series of reports on the positive impact of public benefit programs. The first set of reports covers Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, food and nutrition programs, the Supplemental Security Income Program for the elderly and disabled poor, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Each report includes state-by-state data. A separate CBPP report addresses the impact of the nation's system of public benefit programs. Future reports will address housing, child care, and child support enforcement. See www.cbpp.org to access the reports.
Housing Update
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Saved in House; Funding Reduced By 6%
The House recently passed legislation that preserved the CDBG, but reduces its funding by $250 million, a 6% reduction from FY 2005 levels. The Administration had proposed consolidating CDBG with 17 other programs and 5 agencies in the Department of Commerce. For more information, see the July 8 NACo Legislative Bulletin at www.naco.org.
Section 811 Funding Restored in the House
The House recently approved legislation funding HUD for FY 2006, which includes fully restoring funding for the HUD Section 811 program. The Administration had proposed the program for deep cuts. The next step is consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee in August. For more information and specific advocacy concerns about the legislation, see www.nami.org, "House Clears Housing Funding Legislation; Section 811 Funding Restored; Shortfall in Veterans Funding Addressed," July l, 2005.
Update on the Ohio State Budge and Its Impact on MR/DD Services
Last month, NACBHD spoke with Dan Ohler, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of County Boards of MR/DD and NACBHD member, about the Ohio state budget crisis and its impact on MR/DD services. Since then, the governor has signed the budget bill. Ohler gives this update on the final budget and its impact on MR/DD services:
NACo Forms Methamphetamine Action Group
The National Association of Counties (NACo), of which NACBHD is an affiliate, recently announced the formulation of a "Meth" Action Group to address the methamphetamine epidemic in communities. (See SAMHSA announcement below, "Treatment Admissions
Increase for Methamphetamine and Narcotic Pain Medication in 2003.) Twenty-three county officials will address issues related to the problem in an effort to promote communication among federal, state, and local officials and the private sector. For more information, see www.naco.org.
Look for an article on the issue in an upcoming newsletter, as NACBHD begins to address the methamphetamine crisis and formulate a policy.
National Depression Screening Day Scheduled for October 6; Screening Tool Available Online
Thursday, October 6 is the date for this year's NDSD/Mental Health Screening campaign, a nationwide mental health screening and education initiative coordinated by the private, nonprofit organization, Screening for Mental Health, Inc., an umbrella organization for several programs devoted to education about mental health and alcohol use, screening for signs and symptoms, and referral to local treatment resources. Based in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, the organization was started 15 years ago by Executive Director Douglas Jacobs, MD, a suicide and depression expert and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. NDSD has traditionally focused on depression, but has recently broadened its scope to address anxiety and alcohol disorders since they so often co-occur with depression. The screening: the one-day in-person event or online year-round Those interested in participating in NDSD 2005 have the option of registering to provide in-person and/or online screening and referral services to members of their communities through the one-day event on October 6 and/or the year-round online screening. Screening is available for the following disorders: Depression, Bipolar Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For the registration brochure and more information on NDSD screening, including cost, click here. NDSD
For questions about the screening, contact the main number of Screening for Mental Health at (781) 239-0071. Suicide Prevention Program for Secondary School Students Screening for Mental Health also offers the secondary school-based SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program, used by several hundred U.S. schools. Part of SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices, SOS teaches teens that depression is treatable and equips them to respond to a potential suicide in a friend of family member. For more information about the organization or its programs, see www.mentalhealthscreening.org, or call the main number.
Brief Jail Mental Health Screen Now Available Free Online
The National GAINS Center at SAMHSA is now offering a free download of the new Brief Jail Mental Health Screen at http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/html/resources/MHscreen.asp. Developed by Policy Research Associates, Inc., with funding from the National Institute of Justice, the screen can be used to identify the need for further mental health assessment of incoming detainees. It contains eight yes or no questions, is easy to incorporate into the booking process, and is quickly administered.
HHS/ASPE Study of Parity in the Federal Employee Benefits Program Now Available Online
The HHS/ASPE (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation) study of parity in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) is now available online. Howard Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator, previewed for the Mental Health Liaison Group Health Policy Committee on March 4. The report can be accessed at http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/parity.htm.
FEHBP, the largest employer-sponsored health insurance program in the country, implemented a mental health and substance abuse parity policy in 2001 in compliance with an earlier Presidential directive.
2005 Recovery in Action Summit Seeks Scholarships
Faces and Voices of Recovery, the national addiction recovery movement, is hosting the 2005 Recovery in Action Summit, September 6-8 in Washington, DC. Pat Taylor, from Faces and Voices, briefly spoke about this at NACBHD's March legislative conference, and the issue was covered in the April newsletter as well. Faces and Voices asks NACBHD members (if possible) to provide a scholarship to someone in their county or locality so that they may attend the summit.
The summit will bring together recovery efforts from across the country so that individuals may learn how to communicate the goals of the recovery movement in an attempt to gain national exposure and reduce stigma.
Please visit http://www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/summit2005/index.php to learn about the summit. Also, please complete a scholarship form if your county or organization is able to provide assistance. Click here for the scholarship form.
SAMHSA Announcements
From a July 12 SAMHSA press release:
Recovery Month PSAs Highlight Success of Alcohol and Drug Treatment
SAMHSA unveiled television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) to be used as part of the 16th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month observance in September. Recovery Month spotlights the need for alcohol and drug abuse treatment and recovery, and honors both those in recovery and treatment providers.
The materials for this year's Recovery Month, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Healing Lives, Families and Communities", include SAMHSA's Recovery Month planning kit, TV and radio public service announcements and other web-based and print materials. These materials were developed by more than 75 organizations and coalitions within and outside the alcohol and drug addiction treatment field.
The Recovery Month kit has been distributed to 75,000 individuals and organizations throughout the country, and contains information on each of the target audiences identified by the national planning groups; a full section on materials that can be adapted by each participating community; and multiple lists of alcohol and drug addiction treatment agencies and program resources. In 2004 over 400 events were held in local communities.
The TV and radio public service announcements, produced in both English and Spanish, aim to dispel negative characterizations about individuals who have achieved sobriety and are now in recovery, as well as the reconnection to society that is associated with recovery from substance abuse disorders.
From a July 18 SAMHSA press release:
Treatment Admissions Increase for Methamphetamine and Narcotic Pain Medications in 2003
New data released by SAMHSA show admissions to substance abuse treatment involving methamphetamine and narcotic pain medications increased sharply from 2002 to 2003. The data show methamphetamine admissions increased ten percent between 2002 and 2003. Admissions to treatment for methamphetamine as primary drug of abuse rose from 105,754 in 2002 to 116,604 in 2003. Similarly, treatment admissions for narcotic pain medications as primary drug of abuse increased 12 per cent between 2002 and 2003. Admissions to treat addiction to narcotic pain medications rose from 43,377 to 48,457. There were an additional 2,614 admissions whose primary drug of abuse was non-prescription methadone.
Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah had more than 20 percent of their admissions to treatment due to methamphetamine abuse. Maine, Tennessee and West Virginia had at least ten percent of their admissions to treatment due to abuse of narcotic pain relievers.
Alcohol as a primary substance for admission to treatment dropped from over 818,000 admissions in 2002 to almost 768,000 in 2003. Among those in treatment for alcohol abuse in 2003, 44 percent reported secondary drug abuse, as well. Cocaine admissions increased from 245,332 in 2002 to 249,556, but declined from 17 percent of those admitted to treatment for alcohol or drug abuse in 1993 to 14 percent in 2003. Marijuana as a primary substance of abuse accounted for 15 percent of admissions to treatment in 2003, up from seven percent in 1993. Forty percent of marijuana admissions were between the ages of 15 and 19, a much higher percentage than for any other drug. The data is part of the "Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights 2003". The full Treatment Episode Data Set will be released later this year. The report is available on the web at www.oas.samhsa.gov.
