CAADE Newsletter

CAADE at Western States Opioid Summit
Benjamin Salazar, and his beautiful wife Arsho Salazar, team up to present at the WSOS conference. 
Taking the Fear Out of Effecting a COWS Assessment: An Interactive Workshop
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Governor Brown signs AB 2138, landmark legislation to remove barriers to occupational licensing!   
Governor Brown signs landmark legislation to remove barriers to licensing and decrease recidivism
Sacramento, CA—This past weekend, Governor Edmund "Jerry" Brown signed AB 2138, authored by Assembly members David Chiu and Evan Low, to remove barriers for occupational licensing for close to 8 million Californians living with criminal records. 
 
AB 2138 was supported by a coalition of 50+ organizations, including East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC), Root & Rebound, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), All of Us or None, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Alameda County Public Defender, PolicyLink, the Alliance for Boys & Men of Color, the National Association of Social Workers, and many more.
 
AB 2138 opens pathways to family-sustaining careers to millions of Californians who have past justice system contact. The bill ensures that close to 40 licensing boards governed under the Department of Consumer Affairs cannot deny people otherwise trained and qualified for licenses due to irrelevant and dismissed convictions. Specifically, the bill creates a seven-year "washout" period after which licensing agencies cannot consider crimes that are not serious felonies, sex offenses, or relevant financial crimes. It also eliminates requirements that applicants self-disclose the details of their record prior to issuance of a California Department of Justice background check, freeing applicants from disclosing from memory alone and refocusing agencies on the facts of an applicant's record. AB 2138 also sets out criteria for considering an applicant's rehabilitation and bans the use of dismissed and sealed convictions, convictions for which a person received a Certificate of Rehabilitation, and non-conviction acts such as arrests that never led to conviction to deny licensure.
Studies have shown that states with more fair processes for occupational licensing have dramatically lower recidivism rates. 
Many Californians are denied licenses to work in jobs they are qualified to perform due to old or irrelevant criminal records. In some cases, people are denied licenses for jobs they have performed successfully for years in the past without incident or were trained to do while incarcerated, simply because of a conviction for a minor offense unrelated to their job.
 
With AB 2138, Californians with criminal records will be able to access licenses for close to 40 occupations they were previously barred from or very unlikely to receive. Covered occupations range from automotive repair to psychology to cosmetology.
 
The signing of AB 2138 is a huge victory for all Californians. 
From Stolen Pills to the U.S. Public Health Service: My Story of Recovery
June 4, 2018
By: Christopher Jones , Director, National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Summary: 
Christopher Jones, a captain in the Commissioned Corps, tells of his struggle with addiction and his story of recovery to give hope to others.
I’m a captain in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. I hold a position of responsibility at HHS working on the nation’s opioids crisis and serious mental illness initiatives — and I’ve been in recovery from addiction for more than 16 years.
It’s not easy to open my life story to the public, but I want to share it in hopes of showing others struggling with addiction that recovery is possible. I want to fight the stigma of addiction that has kept so many hidden and made it difficult for them to seek the help they need.
No one would have suspected that I would be a candidate for opioid abuse. As a teen in Macon, Georgia, I played soccer. I went to church. I was doing well in high school — I went to a small Christian school where substance use was not the norm. I didn’t use illegal substances. I didn’t drink. I didn’t smoke. In fact, it never crossed my mind to do any of those things.
And then, I had my wisdom teeth taken out when I was 17 and I was prescribed Tylox, which includes oxycodone, a powerful opioid, for the pain. After the first pill, I remember thinking I want to feel like this all of the time.
I did what I could to prolong that feeling of euphoria. I rummaged through the medicine cabinet at home. I stole drugs from my girlfriend’s medicine cabinet. I also started stealing pills from the pharmacy where I worked afternoons.

Overdose is a Cry for Help
August 31, 2018
By: Chideha M. Ohuoha, M.D., M.P.H., CAPT (USPHS) , Director, SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Earlier this month there was news that over 90 people overdosed on synthetic marijuana laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl at a park in New Haven, Conn. Thankfully, no one died of an overdose that day due to the quick response from emergency personnel. Such stories remind us that people across the country are struggling with addiction to illicit substances and opioid-based pain medications. In 2017, the lives of over 72,000 Americans ended prematurely due to overdose , which is now the leading cause of death for people under 50 years old .
International Overdose Awareness Day, which is August 31, brings into focus the importance of seeking help for addiction. As a doctor specializing in addiction medicine for over 10 years, I have seen firsthand how people develop physical and psychological dependence on drugs and alcohol and how that can take over their lives. For some, it starts with curiosity and experimentation. For others, it starts with a need for something to help them cope with physical or emotional pain. No matter how illicit drug use begins, the dangers are serious—an overdose can happen instantly and before help can arrive. We should all learn to recognize the signs of overdose and learn how to safely reverse an overdose. For example, signs of an opioid overdose include:
  • Unconsciousness or not being able to wake up;
  • Slow, shallow breathing or breathing difficulty such as choking sounds or a gurgling/snoring noise from the person who cannot be woken up; and
  • Fingernails or lips turning blue/purple.
Addiction Industry Trade Group Releases Treatment Center Salary Survey
The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) this week released the 11th Salary Survey of the Addiction Treatment Industry in the US. The Survey is the only such data produced by the addiction industry and is an essential tool to establish addiction treatment efficacy by benchmarking organizational service offerings, diversity of staff, benefits, and salaries.
DENVER (PRWEB) October 05, 2018
The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) released the 2018 National Addiction Industry Salary Survey this week. The 2018 survey is the 11th salary survey produced by The National Association and has been expanded to include additional information regarding facility capacity, parental leave, benefits by staff type, and salary distributions. A total of 184 facilities participated in the 2018 report, representing a 167% increase over the previous report. The additional data and information make this a valuable tool to benchmark organizational service offerings, diversity of staff, benefits, and salaries.
In 1986, NAATP conducted the first ever salary survey within the addiction treatment provider industry, recognizing that a salary survey is an essential tool to help members of our field attract and retain top talent and provide high quality addiction service and care.
Data for the 2018 salary survey was collected entirely online, via a survey hosted on Qualtrics. The data was collected and analyzed by the independent research firm, Omni Institute. A total of 184 organizations participated in the survey, which represents 21% of NAATP membership. Each organization generously donated its time and data. They are examples of the collegiality and collaboration that NAATP stands for and encourages of all our members.
Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017
Aug. 15, 2018
Fentanyl is a big culprit, but there are also encouraging signs from states that have prioritized public health campaigns and addiction treatment.
Drug overdoses killed about 72,000 Americans last year, a record number that reflects a rise of around 10 percent, according to new preliminary  estimates  from the Centers for Disease Control. The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from  H.I.V., car crashes or gun deaths .
Analysts pointed to two major reasons for the increase: A growing number of Americans are using opioids, and drugs are becoming more deadly. It is the second factor that most likely explains the bulk of the increased number of overdoses last year.
The picture is not equally bleak everywhere. In parts of New England, where a more dangerous drug supply arrived early, the number of overdoses has begun to fall. That was the case in Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island; each state has had major public health campaigns and has increased addiction treatment. Preliminary  2018 numbers  from Massachusetts suggest that the death rate there may be continuing to fall.
But nationwide, the crisis worsened in the first year of the Trump presidency, a continuation of a long-term trend. During 2017, the president declared the opioid crisis  a national public health emergency , and states began  tapping a $1 billion grant program  to help fight the problem .
WASHINGTON (PRWEB) OCTOBER 10, 2018
According to a study presented by the Cohen Veterans Network and National Council on Behavioral Health, mental health services in the U.S. are insufficient despite more than half of Americans (56%) seeking help. Limited options and long waits are the norm, but some bright spots with 76% of Americans now seeing mental health as important as physical health.
Surgeon General Releases Spotlight on Opioids
September 20, 2018
Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids calls for a cultural shift in the way Americans talk about the opioid crisis and recommends actions that can prevent and treat opioid misuse and promote recovery.
The Spotlight – the Surgeon General’s newest update on opioid addiction – also provides the latest data on prevalence of substance misuse, opioid misuse, opioid use disorder and overdoses.
The Surgeon General today also released a digital postcard, highlighting tangible actions that all Americans can take to raise awareness, prevent opioid misuse and reduce overdose deaths.
“Addiction is a brain disease that touches families across America – even my own,” said U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams. “We need to work together to put an end to stigma.”
According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths in 2017 increased by almost 10 percent – claiming the lives of more than 70,000 Americans. Nearly 48,000 of those were opioid overdose deaths, with the sharpest increase occurring among deaths related to illicitly made fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (synthetic opioids). 
Despite the fact that effective treatment for opioid use disorder exists, only about one in four people with this disorder receive any type of specialty treatment. Yet for a variety of reasons, including stigma, inability to access or afford care, or refusal to stop misusing opioids, a treatment gap remains .
Women's Treatment for Trauma and Substance Use Disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among people with substance use disorders, and patients suffering from both of these conditions have a more difficult time meeting their treatment goals. Estimates suggest that as many as 80% of women seeking treatment for drug abuse report lifetime histories of sexual and/or physical assault. These facts highlight the importance of finding effective treatments for this high-risk population. Early studies showed that Seeking Safety, a treatment designed specifically for patients with PTSD and substance use disorders, held great potential for this population. This study compared the effectiveness of Seeking Safety added to substance abuse treatment-as-usual (TAU) with Women's Health Education added to TAU. The researchers looked at the effect of these treatment options on both substance use and the severity of PTSD symptoms, adverse events, or dropout from treatment or study participation. The results reflect considerable opportunity to improve clinical outcomes in community-based treatments for these co-occurring conditions.
Exam Prep Workshops hosted by Fr. Jack Kearney will be held monthly at 5230 Clark Ave. Suite #14, Lakewood, CA 90712 . Please calendar the date that is right for you. Beginning September 2018, Exam Prep Workshops will be free for Members only. For Saturday October 20th please call to
reserve a seat.

  • Saturday October 20th
  • Saturday November 24th
  • Saturday December 22nd
Ethics Corner
healthitsecurity.com
September 24, 2018 - The Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2 is urging Congress to include the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act (HR 6082), which would align 42 CFR Part 2 with the HIPAA ...

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CAADE FREE JOB BOARD
The California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators recently revamped the CAADE Job Board. As a result of promotional efforts, we are now connecting hundreds of qualified applicants with an array of employment opportunities throughout California. There are no longer costs associated with searching for qualified SUD professionals. Candidates post resumes and respond to positions at zero out-of- pocket cost. This is a win-win for all.

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CAADE Newsletter is a general dissemination of information for addiction professionals. We seek to inform the community by posting upcoming events, addiction related articles, and recommendations for scholastic excellence. CAADE does not necessarily endorse the opinions or views put forth in these articles, neither guarantees the accuracy of the information provided by external sources/links nor accepts responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such data.