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Governor Hochul and Attorney General James Announce Major Expansion in Red Flag Law Usage to Protect New Yorkers from Gun Violence
Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James on Monday announced a major expansion in usage of New York State's Red Flag Law to further protect New Yorkers from gun violence. Following an executive order and legislation signed by Governor Hochul to strengthen implementation of the law, courts across the State have issued 1,908 Extreme Risk Protection Orders, more than doubling the number of orders issued since the law became effective on August 25, 2019. Governor Hochul and Attorney General James also announced a $4.6 million increase to the Attorney General's FY23 budget to further support the New York State Police's efforts to obtain Extreme Risk Protection Orders when individuals pose a danger to themselves or others. Read more here.
Related: Governor Hochul Announces $28 Million to Combat Gun Violence, Increase Opportunity for Youth and Strengthen Public Safety in Seven Cities Across New York State
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Judges Must Divert More Cases to Mental Health Treatment, Task Force Says
Court systems in the U.S. need to do a better job of diverting individuals in some cases to mental health treatment and to establish new best practices for cases involving those with behavioral health issues, according to a task force that spent the last two years studying mental health in the judicial system. The National Center for State Courts, creator of the task force, said that at least 70% of people in the country's jails and prisons have been diagnosed with a mental illness or substance-use disorder, and people with mental illness are 10 times more likely to be put in a jail than a hospital. The task force said in a report recently released that judges are in a unique position to steer individuals to pre-established resources that may help them with their mental health issues. Read more here.
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HHS Announces More Than $100 Million in Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Funds for States and Territories to Improve Mental Health Services
Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced more than $100 million in funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to states and territories for mental health emergency preparedness, crisis response, and the expansion of 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline services. BSCA, signed into law by President Biden earlier this year, provided unprecedented funding to address the nation’s mental health crisis and make our communities safer. Read more here.
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Biden Administration Offers Plan to Get Addiction-Fighting Medicine to Pregnant Women
President Biden will move to expand the use of medication to treat addiction in pregnant women through a new initiative as part of the administration’s strategy to improve maternal health. The initiative will develop training and technical assistance about medications for opioid addiction treatment, like buprenorphine and methadone, for women who are part of government programs through the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services. It also will offer opioid addition education to women’s health providers through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read more here.
Related: Buprenorphine misuse decreased among U.S. adults with opioid use disorder from 2015-2019
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NYS OASAS Announces Award of More than $1.3 Million to Enhance Prevention Services for Older Adults
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports last Friday announced the award of more than $1.3 million in funding to support the expansion of addiction prevention efforts for older adults. Eight OASAS prevention providers are receiving funding through this initiative, which involves two evidence-based approaches to addiction prevention. Read more here.
Related: Worsening Mental Health Reveals Urgency of Prevention Expansion
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NYS OASAS Launches Statewide Addiction Awareness Campaign Amidst Ongoing Overdose Epidemic
The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) last Thursday announced the launch of a new statewide awareness campaign to direct the public to critical addiction resources and help reduce overdose rates and save lives. The campaign will saturate regions across New York utilizing billboards, broadcast radio and tv, transportation systems, digital services, and other non-traditional mediums. Read more here.
Related: A New Paramedic Policy May Guide Overdose Patients Into Treatment
'Wake-up call': Allergy medications may play a deadly role in the opioid epidemic, CDC study suggests
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‘Interest in CCBHCs Has Absolutely Ballooned’: As Application Process Begins, Behavioral Health Model Nears Critical Juncture
The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model – one of the nation’s biggest investments in expanding and sustaining behavioral health services, according to some experts – is at a critical chapter in its story. Broadly, a CCBHC is a specially designated clinic that offers a range of behavioral health services, from mental health crisis teams and screenings, to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and psychiatric rehabilitation. The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 paved the way for CCBHCs to launch in eight demonstration states in 2017, and, now, the recently passed Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is enabling its nationwide expansion.
Read more here.
Related: Consumer Engagement Depends On Consumer Experience
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Can Peers Power the Mental Health Workforce of the Future?
Miguel Rodriguez experienced his first episode of psychosis at 18, and it forced him to drop out of college and move back home with his parents. Now, seven years later, he takes a seat in a convention hall in Concord, California, wearing a blue cap and gown that matches those of his classmates.
It’s graduation day for a group of nearly 50 people who have completed a 9-unit course called SPIRIT – Service Provider Individualized Recovery Intensive Training – and have become certified peer support providers. The graduates aim to be part of the solution to a problem that keeps growing bigger: More and more people need mental health support and services, but there are far too few clinicians available to meet their needs. Read more here.
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The New York Community Trust Awards $11.4 Million In Grants To 66 Nonprofits
The New York Community Trust has announced $11.5 million in grants to 66 nonprofits to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers across a range of areas--from preventing homelessness to helping young women become leaders. "The Trust is addressing some of the toughest challenges facing New York right now, such as helping the busloads of immigrants arriving from Texas," said Shawn Morehead, the New York Community Trust's vice president for grants.
"Simultaneously, we are keeping an eye toward the future, supporting nonprofits that are mitigating the effects of climate change and building a thriving, more equitable city." Read more here.
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NYSUT Making Big Push to Expand Community Schools
Stressed brains can’t learn. That simple phrase was the “Aha!” moment a few years ago for Albany Public Schools Teachers Association President Laura Franz when she attended a presentation on the power of community schools.
“When you think of all the ways our students experience stress, that’s where I see community schools responding,” Franz told more than 100 participants at NYSUT’s Community Schools Summit in October.
“Whether it’s hunger, physical illness, mental health challenges, poverty — so many kids are in pain.” Read more here.
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National Care Coordination Standards for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
In June 2022, NASHP convened a national forum of experts representing state and federal health agencies, families of CYSHCN, providers, and health plans to discuss strategies and opportunities to improve high-quality, equitable care coordination for CYSHCN. Nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. has a special health care need, and it’s estimated close to half of CYSHCN are enrolled in Medicaid — making improving care for this population a priority for states. CYSHCN developed a report detailing highlights and lessons learned from this forum, including strategies and innovations to support high-quality care coordination systems. Read more here.
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An Autistic Teen Needed Mental Health Help. He Spent Weeks in an ER Instead.
By his fourth week waiting for help in the emergency room, Zachary Chafos's skin had turned pale white from lack of sun. His mother, Cheryl Chafos, bathed her autistic teenage son daily in the ER's shower, trying to
scrub the sickly pallor off him. His father, Tim Chafos, held the 18-year-old's hand, trying to soothe his son's pain and confusion over what was happening. They'd brought Zach to Howard County General Hospital on Nov. 12, 2020, amid a severe mental crisis. All his life, he'd been the joyful center of their family. But after months of pandemic isolation, Zach had become uncontrollably angry and begun physically assaulting his parents and his younger brothers. Read more here.
Related: Massachusetts AG Announces Grant Program to Provide Mental Health Care Support; Prevent Emergency Department Boarding
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When it comes to Addiction, Americans' Word Choices are Part of the Problem
Who gets better medical care in the United States: “addicts,” or “people with substance use disorders”?
The terms, of course, mean functionally the same thing. But in the field of addiction medicine, the question presents something of a crisis. Even as drugs and alcohol claim 200,000 lives each year, many who seek addiction treatment are greeted by the harsh, stigmatizing labels that many Americans don’t think twice about: Words like addict, alcoholic, junkie, abuser, or worse. Even as the nation’s substance use crisis has escalated, however, new research has emerged showing that simple word choices can have a big impact on the way health professionals view their patients and, accordingly, the care they receive. Read more here.
Related: Words Matter: Strategies to Reduce Bias in Electronic Health Records
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
State Integration Models of Recovery Support Services
October 27, 11:30 am - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
A Guide to Mental Health Parity: The Latest Litigation, Regulatory and Legislative Actions
October 27, 1 - 2 pm, Manatt Health
Federal Policy & Telehealth: What to be Aware of Going Forward
October 28, 2 - 3 pm, Center for Connected Health Policy
Understanding the Landscape of Mental Health and Substance Use Challenges
October 31, 1 - 2:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Incorporating Trauma-Informed Approaches in Tobacco Cessation Services
November 1, 2 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Coordinating a Stronger 988 Crisis Response
November 2, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Trans 101: Creating a Safe and Affirming Environment for Transgender Consumers
November 2, 3 - 4 pm, OMH
Elevate CBOs: Where’s the Data? An Overview of the Behavioral Health Services Information System
November 2, 3 - 4:30 pm,
Q&A With The Joint Commission: Navigating the Most Common First Survey Challenges for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services Accreditation
November 3, 1 - 2 pm, The Joint Commission
Diversity, Equity and Belonging focused Solutions to Recruit & Retain the Workforce
November 3, 3 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Using the PSYCKES Clinical Summary
November 3, 1 - 2:30 pm, OMH
Health During and After Incarceration
November 7, 2 - 3 pm, NICHM Foundation
NYS Justice Center Code of Conduct Train-the-Trainer
November 9, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, NYSJC
Using PSYCKES Quality Indicator Reports
November 9, 11 am - 12 pm, OMH
Preparing for 1915(c) Waiver Program Fiscal Audits & Reviews
November 9, 1:30 - 3 pm, CMS
Champions of Change: Time for a Call to Action on Veteran Problem Gambling
November 15, 9 am - 2 pm, NYCPG
Implementing the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards
November 15, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Crisis Intercept Mapping for Service Members, Veterans and their Families: Applications and Updates
November 16, 1 - 2:30 pm, SAMHSA
Addressing our Drug Overdose Deaths: Combined Strategies to Optimize Health, Wellness and Recovery through a Culturally Responsive System of Care
November 16, 2 - 3 pm, SAMHSA HHRC
Consent, Emergency, Quality Flag: PSYCKES Levels of Access
November 16, 2 - 3 pm, OMH
The Paramedic Will See You Now: Expanding Access to Community-Based Care for People with Complex Needs
November 16, 3 - 4 pm, Better Care Playbook
Substance Use Disorder in Older Americans
November 17, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Health Equity Workshop Series: Practical Steps for Application
November 28, 1 - 2:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
MyCHOIS Consumer Access for “My Treatment Data”
December 1, 1 - 2 pm, OMH
Growing the Workforce Pipeline through Strategic Community Partnerships
December 8, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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CLMHD CALENDAR
NOVEMBER
CLMHD Office Closed - Election Day
November 8
CLMHD Office Closed - Veterans Day November 8
November 11
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
November 14, 10 - 11:30 am
Children & Families Committee Meeting
November 15: 11:30 am - 1 pm
CLMHD Office Closed - Thanksgiving
November 24 - 25
Quarterly LGU Billing Staff Meeting
November 29: 9:30 - 10:30 am
Inter-Agency Meeting - In-Person in Albany
November 29: 2 - 4:30 pm
DECEMBER
CLMHD Executive Committee Meeting
December 7: 8 - 9 am
Addiction Services & Recovery Committee Meeting
December 8: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
December 8: 3 - 4 pm
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
December 13: 10 - 11:30 am
CLMHD Membership Meeting
December 14: 9 - 10:30 am
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
December 15: 1 - 3 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
December 20: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
December 22: 1 - 2:30 pm
CLMHD Office Closed - Christmas
December 26
CLMHD Office Closed - New Year's Day
January 2, 2023
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