May 2006 NACBHDD Newsletter
The Newsletter of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors
In this Issue...
The 2006 NACBHDD Newsletter series is brought to you by:
NACBHD Presence on Capitol Hill Grows
In the past few weeks, NACBHD Executive Director Melissa Staats has attended two important invitation-only meetings on Capitol Hill.
Representatives Kennedy and Ramstad convene national mental health and substance abuse advocates to discuss federal implementation of IOM Report. On April 26, Staats represented NACBHD in a meeting hosted by Congressmen Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad to discuss developing federal legislation to support the Institute of Medicine's report "Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental Health and Substance-Use Conditions."
Staats explained that Kennedy and Ramstad called representatives from mental health and substance abuse together at the same time to talk about the IOM report and how the community can advance the recommendations in the report, and she said that it was notable that it was the first meeting she has attended since she has joined NACBHD to which mental health and substance abuse were called together at the same time. In addition to NACBHD, other national advocacy organizations represented at the meeting included, among others: the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the National Mental Health Association, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, the National Association of State Alcohol/Drug Abuse Directors, Faces and Voices of Recovery, and Therapeutic Communities of America. Ann Page, the IOM report's study director, was also at the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting, as noted in the invitation, was as follows:
(1) to provide a brief overview of the major findings and recommendations of this IOM Report;
(2) to assess your organization's willingness to participate in a collaboration to develop and support Federal legislation to implement key aspects of the IOM Report's recommendations;
(3) to engage in a discussion of specific priority areas that the legislation should address and to ask for your feedback on preliminary work is already underway to address this; and
(4) to identify next steps and timelines.
For a power point presentation from the IOM Study Director, Ann K. Page, that summarizes the IOM report's recommendations, click here. To access the IOM report, see http://fermat.nap.edu/books/0309100445/html/.
Senators Clinton and Harkin convene disability organizations to discuss disaster planning. Staats also attended a meeting convened by Senators Hillary Clinton and Tom Harkin to discuss disaster planning for persons with disabilities. The disaster planning discussed in the meeting focused mainly on how to plan for persons with physical disabilities; however, NACBHD and a representative from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law were the only invitees from the mental health arena. (Some of the groups represented included: the National Organization on Disability, the Emergency Preparedness Initiative, the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind, and several national clergy groups.) While the meeting was very structured with individuals allotted a specific amount of time to talk, Staats did emphasize that it is imperative that communities be able to say what they need in terms of planning and response, rather than the federal government and the states deciding if they can accommodate those needs.
NACBHD Executive Director Available for In-Person Updates on Federal Activity
In addition to attending meetings on Capitol Hill, NACBHD Executive Director Melissa Staats recently traveled to Illinois and California to provide updates to local officials about federal activity, including Medicaid. If you would like to arrange for Staats to speak locally in your area, contact her at mstaats@nacbhd.org.
NAMI's Grading the States 2006: National Average Grade is D
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) recently released Grading the States 2006: A Report Card on America's Health Care System for Serious Mental Illness, which the NAMI website describes as the "first comprehensive state-by-state analysis of mental health care systems in 15 years." The analysis scores each state on 39 specific criteria that result in an overall grade and four sub-category scores for each state. No states received an A; five states scored in the B range; eight states received Fs; and the national average was a D. The national average subcategory scores are as follows: infrastructure: D; information access: D; Services: D+; and recovery supports: C-. Ron Honberg, J.D., NAMI's national director for policy and legal affairs and lead author on the report, spoke with NACBHD.
How will the report be used? Honberg noted that states play a critical oversight role in setting standards for consumers and families, and the report is first and foremost, an advocacy document. Honberg said he sees this report as a "living, breathing document," a resource for health professionals and policymakers, and for advocates as they proceed with their agendas in their states. It is also a learning resource for states, and it is hoped that states can learn from one another. For example, innovations and best practices are listed, even in states that did not do well in their overall grade.
The national grade of D is a reality. The first take home message, noted Honberg, is that the state of public mental health in this country is deplorable; the national grade of D is a reality. Overall, the majority of people with severe mental illness cannot get treatment in this country. Honberg went on to describe some important findings of the report.
What parts of the report might be of greatest interest to counties? When asked what it might be most helpful for county officials to review in the report, Honberg cited the following:
Outreach. Honberg explained that there has been a very concerted media outreach for the report, and not just to the major national papers, but also in smaller newspapers in the states. It has also been circulated to as many NAMI members as possible (NAMI has about 200,000 members with about 1,300 affiliates around the country), to state mental health directors, and to governors.
What's next? NAMI hopes the report card can be used by advocates in the states as a barometer and template for their own advocacy agendas, especially as the focus of the report is on the need for critical resources. There has been a suggestion to produce a report card for the children's mental health system. Honberg emphasized county officials as key in shaping the system, and said that in three years it is hoped that another report will incorporate counties. In the meantime, he said he is eager to speak with NACBHD members about the report. He can be reached at rhon@nami.org.
To view the complete report, including report cards and analysis for each site, see the NAMI website at www.nami.org.
Medicaid Update and Federal Budget and Legislative Activity
For the latest information on legislative and advocacy activity around Medicaid, the President's proposed 2007 budget, the Deficit Reduction Act, and other legislative and budget activity of interest to members, see the April 28 Washington Update. Click here.
Medicare Update
CMS Issues Guidance on Mid-Year Formulary Change Requests
CMS recently sent the following communication to advocates:
Dear Partners:
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to the Medicare prescription drug plans on mid-year formulary change requests. The attached formulary policy applies to formulary changes that affect beneficiary access to drugs.
All proposed formulary changes, excluding formulary expansion changes, must be submitted to CMS for review and approval. The formulary change policy addresses changes in specific drugs covered on the formulary, changes in prior authorization or tiering. Beneficiaries will not lose coverage for their drugs because of a mid-year formulary change except for clear scientific evidence, cost reasons related to a new generic drug coming on the market, or new FDA or clinical information becomes available.
CMS recognizes the importance of formulary stability for the Medicare population. However, prescription drug use is constantly evolving, and new drug availability, new medical knowledge, and new opportunities for improving safety and quality at low cost will inevitably occur over the course of a year requiring changes to the formulary. CMS will continue to ensure that each formulary provides a broad range of medically appropriate drugs and does not discriminate or substantially discourage enrollment of certain groups of beneficiaries.
To access the guidance on mid-year formulary change requests, click here.
CMS recently released the following information regarding resources:
CMS Releases Electronic Beneficiary Handbook "Your Medicare Rights & Protections"
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the release of an electronic version of the guide "Your Medicare Rights and Protections" which underscores CMS' commitment to helping beneficiaries get the services they need, when they need it most. This guide provides Medicare beneficiaries and their advocates with important information about their rights to file a complaint, to get the health care services they need, to have their health information kept private, and to know where they can get help with their questions.
The guaranteed rights and protections available under the original Medicare plan, Medicare Advantage health plans and the Medicare prescription drug plans are clearly outlined in this guide and include the right to:
The guide can be viewed at http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10112.pdf. In addition, answers are always available by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or TTY1-877-486-2048.
New CMS publications on Social Security and Premium Withholds
The following two fact sheets are now available on the web:
Medicare Drug Plans: Withholding Premiums from Your Social Security Payment - 11200 http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11200.pdf.
What You Should Know About Social Security Premium Withholds - 11202 http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11202.pdf
And, CMS recently released the following:
Section 1011: Federal Reimbursement of Emergency Health Services Furnished to Undocumented Aliens - An Update
Physicians, hospitals and ambulance services that provide emergency health services to undocumented aliens should be aware that The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) (Section 1011) provides $250 million each year, for Fiscal Years (FY) 2005-2008, for payments to eligible providers for emergency health services given to undocumented and other specified aliens. You may not be receiving funds that are available to you for services you furnish to undocumented aliens. We have prepared a Special Edition article to inform and/or remind you about these available funds. Please click on the following url for more details:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0633.pdf
Update on the Campaign for Mental Health Reform
The Campaign for Mental Health Reform continues to actively work with national advocacy partners, including NACBHD, on critical issues. An update on the Campaign's most recent activities follows.
Emmet said that both March 29 events were successes that energized the Campaign. The Campaign can look forward to planning at its annual board meeting in June; the dinner was a success as a fundraiser, and the MacArthur Foundation has notified the Campaign that their grant is continuing for another year.
The Campaign continues to work on Medicaid, concentrating in two areas. First, the Campaign is focusing on how provisions in Medicaid and the Deficit Reduction Act impact targeted case management and rehabilitation services; the Campaign has approached CMS and hopes to demonstrate the value of these services so that steps are not taken to imperil peoples' ability to receive those services. Second, the Campaign is looking at provisions of the President's proposed 2007 budget as it moves through the legislative process.
NACo's Local Best Practices in Jail to Community Transition Planning for Incarcerated People with Co-Occurring Disorders
Lesley Buchan, program director, NACO's community services division, recently spoke with NACBHD about a new initiative underway at NACo to assess local best practices in jail to community transition planning for individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
The purpose of the project, funded by the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance, is to research promising local practices in jail to community transition planning for individuals with co-occurring disorders and to develop a publication that is a national resource. The publication date is slated for the end of this year or the beginning of 2007.
In April, NACo brought together national and local experts on the subject to discuss what makes up good transition planning and to give advice on how to move forward. Those present at the meeting included representatives from the National Institute of Corrections, the Council of State Governments, the American Correctional Association, the American Jail Association, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, NACBHD, the Montgomery County, MD Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Dorchester County, MD Department of Corrections, GAINS, SAMHSA, and local wardens. Buchan said the next step is to cast a "wide net" to solicit proposals from communities with very strong transition planning in place, with a call put out through NACo publications and through NACBHD.
Five to eight programs in the country that reflect best practices will be selected for inclusion in the publication, and the programs will be initially vetted by a group of the representatives mentioned above to insure credibility. Guidelines for applying to be a model program, as well as the criteria for choosing the programs, are being developed now. The publication will be written in a way that is useful to county officials, including county behavioral health directors, jail administrators, and jail wardens. Buchan emphasized that NACo wants to get the publication into the hands of implementers and policymakers. The publication will be available both in print form and from the NACo web site.
While Buchan said she hopes the application information is on the NACo website by the end of May, she encouraged interested NACBHD members to contact her at lbuchan@naco.org.
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Requests Applications for Mentally Ill Offender Treatment Collaboration Program Grant Program
Melissa Staats recently sent the following announcement to the NACBHD membership. Please note the application deadline is June 2.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJS) of the U.S. Department of Justice has released the grant solicitation for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which was authorized by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004. This grant program seeks to increase public safety through innovative cross-system collaboration for justice-involved people with mental illness.
The grant announcement is available from the BJA website: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.
And, Ron Honberg, of NAMI, provided clarification on these grants:
The deadline for applying for these grants is June 2, 2006. Not surprisingly, there is intense interest in this program and the BJA is struggling to keep up with phone calls and email inquiries received about this program. We have been informed that BJA is working on developing guidance about Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to be posted shortly on its website http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/about/index.html. For more information generally about the grants, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.
We have received inquiries from the field seeking clarification of who can apply for these grants. The BJA solicitation specifies that applicants are limited to "states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations." However, the solicitation also places strong emphasis on the importance of including consumers, families and advocates in the application and grant process should the project be funded. In fact, in many jurisdictions, consumers, families and other stakeholders are integrally involved in collaborative efforts to develop programs to reduce the unnecessary criminalization of juveniles and adults with serious mental illnesses. This will clearly be viewed very positively by those reviewing grant applications.
We have also received inquiries from the field seeking clarification of the difference between the three types of grants available under this program.
Category I, or "Planning grants", are available for a maximum of $50,000 over 12 months to develop a "strategic, collaborative plan to initiate systemic change for the identification and treatment of offenders with mental illness." According to input received from the BJA, jurisdictions that are in the early stages of developing plans should consider applying for these grants.
Category II, or "Planning and Implementation" grants are available for a maximum of $250,000 over 30 months to "complete an already-initiated strategic plan for their mental health collaboration, and then begin implementation of the plan." Category II grantees will first be expected to complete the development of their plans. Once they have successfully met all planning requirements, they will receive approval from BJA to begin implementation.
Category III, or "Implementation and Expansion" grants are available for a maximum of $200,000 over 24 months for jurisdictions with established programs involving collaborations between criminal justice and mental health. These grants may be used to expand these programs, for example developing mental health and related services for individuals served by mental health courts or other pre and post-booking diversion initiatives.
Additionally, we have received inquiries from the field about whether technical assistance will be available from the BJA during the application process. Although BJA staff are available to answer questions and provide information about the solicitation, they will not be able to provide hands on technical assistance to individual applicants. However, intensive technical assistance will be available from BJA to those awarded grants for planning either under Category I or Category II.
We have also received inquiries from the field about whether these grants will be available for programs serving juvenile offenders. The answer is an emphatic yes! The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act was enacted to provide resources for programs serving individuals who come into contact either with criminal or juvenile justice systems. We anticipate that some of the grants awarded will be for programs serving juvenile offenders with mental illnesses.
Finally, applicants should be aware that applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov, described as a "one-stop storefront" that provides a unified electronic process for applying for government funding. Applicants are advised to familiarize themselves with the process for applying through Grants.gov as soon as possible because there are some requirements that may take 3-5 days. Complete instructions about how to apply through Grants.gov can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/HowToApply.pdf.
New Parity Study Will Be Used to Help Move Parity Forward in Congress
A new parity study, recently released in the New England Journal of Medicine, will be used by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) to move parity forward in Congress. The study demonstrates that eliminating arbitrary and inflexible limits on coverage for treatment of mental illness is affordable for health plans and employers. The parity study examined these issues using the federal employees health benefits program, which covers 8.5 million federal employees, retirees and dependents.
For more information, see: www.nami.org.
Almost Half of the American Public Knows Little About Mental Illness
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) recently summarized a survey by the American Psychiatric Association that demonstrates that 44% of Americans know little or about the warning signs, causes, and effective treatments for mental illnesses. For more information, see www.nami.org.
New IDEA Resource Available
A new resource for parents on IDEA is now available online from the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Professionals also may find it helpful. The American School Health Association recently forwarded the following information on the resource to NACBHD.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities has just launched an innovative, on-line guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is designed to explain the federal laws that underpin special education in every state. Although created primarily for parents, the guide is also a valuable source of information -- in accessible language -- for classroom teachers who may not have a background in special education. Teachers can use the guide as a referral for parents or use it themselves to better understand the rights and requirements of their students who have special needs.
To access the guide, see http://www.ncld.org/content/view/902/456086/.
Information on Landmark Massachusetts Health Care Expansion Bill Available from Kaiser
The state of Massachusetts recently enacted legislation that will provide health insurance coverage for nearly all of its 550,000 uninsured state residents. For more information, see http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/newsroom/statements/massachusetts-becomes-first.html.
The Alliance for Health Reform and the Kaiser Family Foundation recently sponsored the briefing, "The Massachusetts Health Plan: How Did They Do It?" on May 8. To access the video and transcript of the briefing, see http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast.
2006 NACBHD Meeting Schedule
This year, in a planning effort to more effectively address member advocacy and networking interests, NACBHD will not be holding a summer or fall conference; instead there will be two board meetings. The first will take place August 4 in Chicago in conjunction with the NACo Annual Conference, and the second will take place in October (tentatively October 17-18) in Michigan in conjunction with the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards. Hotel information is posted on the website. NACBHD members are encouraged to attend these meetings even if they are not Board members. However, these are meetings at which only the Board votes.
A proposal from the program committee (approved by the Board in March) that explains the changes can be accessed by clicking here. All NACBHD members are encouraged to attend even if they aren't on the Board.
More on the August 4 meeting in Chicago in conjunction with the NACo meeting
NACBHD proposed two workshops for the NACo conference, and both were selected. For information on the date and time of the workshops, "Treating Methamphetamine Addiction and Reunifying Families: Finding the Balance" and "Eliminating the Criminalization of Individuals with Mental Illness and Addictions: Community Collaborations That Work," as well as a complete grid of the workshops, click here.
For more information on the proposals for the workshops
NACo Meth task force NACBHD proposal.doc
WORKSHOP PROPOSAL FORM.doc
Information from NACBHD Legislative Conference Now Available on Website
NACBHD's Annual Legislative Conference was held March 1, 2, and 3 in Washington, DC. NACBHD hosted a special panel of state Medicaid directors and state mental health program directors to talk about the future of Medicaid, and began discussion of the development of a business model for transformation. Materials from the conference are now posted on the website.
Map of NACBHD Membership Will Soon Be Available on Website
NACBHD has been collaborating with the National Association of Counties (NACo), of which it is an affiliate, on a national membership map, which will be overlaid with Congressional districts. The map, which was presented at the Legislative Conference, will show where points of advocacy are nationwide. The map will be posted on the NACBHD website.
NACBHD Members Can Now Quickly Query the Membership and Gain Insight
NACBHD members can now informally and easily gain insight from one another on important issues by simply passing on their question to the NACBHD staff at mstaats@nacbhd.org. Melissa Staats will distribute the question to the membership.
Membership Alert: Unpaid Dues Result in Blocked Membership Benefits
Members should note that if they are not up-to-date with their membership dues, membership benefits such as the newsletter, Washington Updates, NACBHD emailings, and access to the website, will be blocked. Please contact Melissa Staats at mstaats@nacbhd.org if you have questions or concerns about your dues and membership status.
SAMHSA Announcements
From a May 2 press release:
SAMHSA Expands Matrix of Program Priorities
To meet the evolving needs of the fields of substance abuse and mental health services, Charles Curie, Administrator of SAMHSA announced the release of a revised matrix of agency program priorities and cross-cutting management principles. The new matrix includes suicide prevention and workforce development as major program priority areas for SAMHSA. Disaster readiness and response was moved from program priority to cross-cutting principle because it impacts all of the agency's operations. The cross-cutting principle on collaboration was modified to include an emphasis on international work, and the principle on reducing stigma was enhanced with a new focus on reducing discrimination.
"Over the past five years, we have worked to align SAMHSA's resources to create systemic change," Curie said. "We have invested agency resources in the program priority areas and we have built a record of achievement, including the Access to Recovery, Strategic Prevention Framework, Mental Health System Transformation, and Co-occurring State Incentive Grants programs, among others. The Matrix serves as our guidepost for budget formulation, program development and resource allocation at SAMHSA. It focuses staff and the field on nurturing a few redwoods rather than letting a thousand flowers bloom."
The priorities identified in the Matrix are the result of discussions with SAMHSA advisory councils, members of congress, people working in the field, researchers, advocacy and constituency groups, family members, and people working to obtain and sustain recovery. Curie noted, "When faced with the fact that the annual number of suicides in our country now outnumber homicides by three to two, approximately 30,000 and 18,000 respectively - the urgency and immediacy of the need to take action speaks for itself. In the area of workforce, we have little progress to show for all of the talk. Workforce development is no longer just another good idea. It is past time for action."
SAMHSA's 12 program priority areas are: co-occurring disorders, substance abuse treatment capacity, seclusion and restraint, strategic prevention framework, children and families, mental health transformation, suicide prevention, homelessness, older adults, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, criminal and juvenile justice and workforce development. Each priority area is assigned an agency lead who is responsible for developing a two year action plan and achieving the steps identified. The cross cutting management principals include: science to services/evidence-based practices; data for performance measurement and management; collaboration with public, private, and international partners; reducing stigma and discrimination and other barriers to services; cultural competency/eliminating disparities; community and faith-based approaches; addressing trauma and violence; financing strategies and cost-effectiveness; rural and other specific settings; and disaster readiness and response.
Link to the new Matrix on the SAMHSA web site at: http://www.samhsa.gov/Matrix/Matrix_Brochure_2006.pdf.
From an April 24 SAMHSA press release
Treatment Admissions Continue to Rise for Methamphetamine and Prescription Narcotics in 2004
New data released today by SAMHSA show admissions to substance abuse treatment involving methamphetamine and narcotic pain medications continued to rise in 2004. Methamphetamine admissions to treatment rose 11 percent between 2003 and 2004, and 25 percent between 2002 and 2004. For opiates other than heroin, there was a 21 percent increase in admissions to treatment since 2003 and a 42 percent increase from 2002-2004. Opiates other than heroin are largely prescription pain medications. Admissions to treatment for methamphetamine as the primary substance of abuse rose from 105,981 in 2002 to 117,259 in 2003 to 129,179 in 2004. Admissions to treatment for prescription opiates as the primary substance of abuse rose from 46,972 in 2002 to 53,120 in 2003 to 63,243 in 2004. "Treatment admissions for methamphetamine abuse and nonmedical use of prescription pain medications continue to rapidly increase," SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie said. "With appropriate treatment and support services people with an addiction can attain and sustain recovery. Because there are many pathways to recovery, we continue to work with the states to provide flexible funding sources to meet emerging trends in treatment need. In addition to the $1.8 billion block grant to states for substance abuse treatment and prevention, the President has proposed almost $100 million in FY 2007 for new Access to Recovery grants to states. This proposal includes $25 million for treatment for methamphetamine abuse." While nationally 8 percent of admissions were due to methamphetamine as primary substance of abuse, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah had 20 percent or more of their admissions due to methamphetamine. Methamphetamine admissions ranged from a low of 0.1 percent in Rhode Island to a high of 41 percent of admissions in Hawaii. Nationwide, 3.4 percent of admissions to substance abuse treatment were due to abuse of opiates other than heroin, while heroin admissions were higher, at 14.2 percent, but Maine had 14.3 percent of admissions due to narcotic pain relievers and 9 percent due to heroin, and West Virginia had 13.6 percent of admissions due to narcotic pain relievers and only 3.1 percent due to heroin. Louisiana had 1.5 percent of admissions due to heroin, but non-heroin opiates amounted to 8.8 percent of admissions. In Vermont, heroin and opiate pain relievers each accounted for over 9 percent of admissions.
The report presents highlights from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) for 2004. This summary report is based on 1.8 million annual admissions to treatment for abuse of alcohol and drugs in facilities that are licensed or certified by the state substance abuse agency. The full TEDS report will be available later this summer.
From a May 5 press release:
Alcohol is Cause of Almost Half of All Treatment Admissions for Older Adults
Almost half of the admissions to substance abuse treatment among people age 50 and up were specifically for alcohol abuse (48 percent of 164,000 admissions in 2003). Men accounted for four of every five (80%) of these alcohol-specific admissions. These findings were released today in a report by SAMHS from continued analysis of the 2003 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).
The report, "Older Adult Alcohol Admissions: 2003", notes that older adults, age 50 and up, admitted to substance abuse treatment solely for alcohol abuse were more likely to be first-time treatment participants than were persons admitted for other reasons (45 percent versus 33 percent). They were less likely to have personally sought treatment than were older adults admitted for treatment of other substance abuse (37 percent versus 45 percent). However, older adults admitted for alcohol treatment were more likely to have been referred for care by the criminal justice system (29 percent versus 21 percent). "Alcohol abuse among older adults is something few want to talk about, and a problem for which even fewer seek treatment on their own," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "Too often, family members are ashamed of the problem and choose not to address it. Health care providers tend not to ask older patients about alcohol abuse if it wasn't a problem in their lives in earlier years. That may help explain why so many of the alcohol-related admissions to treatment among older adults are for first-time treatment, even though we know that treatment works well at every age."
TEDS collects data on the approximately 1.8 million annual admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities, primarily those that receive some public funding. The report is available on the web at www.oas.samhsa.gov. More information about aging, alcohol and drugs can be found at http://asyouage.samhsa.gov.
From a May 8 press release:
Community-based Care Leads to Meaningful Improvement for Children and Youth with Serious Mental Health Needs
Children and youth with serious mental health needs make substantial improvements at home, at school, and in the community when served through systems of care that provide community-based services. Data released today by SAMHSA at a Capitol Hill briefing show that children and youth in systems of care spend less time in inpatient care, experience fewer arrests, make improvements in their overall mental health and do better in school than before enrollment.
A system of care for children's mental health is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person's cultural and linguistic needs.
"Children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families deserve the best care available," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "The systems of care approach is a proven approach that not only helps children thrive in their homes and communities, it is a wise investment of scarce resources." The SAMHSA data suggest that systems of care save taxpayers money when compared to the traditional mental health service delivery systems. On average, systems of care save public health systems $2,776.85 per child in inpatient costs over the course of a year, and save juvenile justice systems $784.16 per child within the same time frame.
These and other data related to key outcomes, such as reductions in suicide-related behaviors and reductions in juvenile detentions or incarcerations can be found by visiting www.systemsofcare.samhsa.gov. The Capitol Hill briefing was led by the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as part of the first-ever National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. This day is slated to become an annual event celebrated during the first full week in May, which is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week. May is also Mental Health Month. The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families is a SAMHSA initiative. Since its authorization in 1992, the program has funded a total of 121 programs across the United States that have helped transform the way in which treatment and care are provided to children with mental health needs and their families.
