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Governor Hochul Announces Progress on Addressing the Opioid and Overdose Epidemic Across New York
Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday provided an update on New York’s ongoing efforts to combat the opioid and overdose epidemic that is impacting states across the nation. Estimated overdose deaths in areas of New York State outside New York City declined 9 percent in the 12-month period ending March 2024 compared to the prior 12-month period, according to new provisional data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Estimated overdose deaths in New York City declined 3.1 percent in the same period. Following the release of this data, Governor Hochul highlighted that New York is continuing to take aggressive action to reduce overdose deaths statewide – including new, innovative approaches to deliver supportive services to New Yorkers struggling with addiction. Read more here.
Related: Statement From New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day
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Economically Disadvantaged Communities Less Likely To Have Buprenorphine Access
Quick access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is crucial to reducing the impact of the opioid crisis. However, certain communities are more likely to have access to these medications than others. Pharmacies in socially and economically disadvantaged counties are 2.66 times more likely to restrict buprenorphine dispensing compared to the most privileged counties, according to a new study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports. “Access to buprenorphine remains starkly divided along social axes, with white patients having roughly four times the odds of receiving buprenorphine, compared to Black patients,” the study’s authors wrote. “Among those with public insurance, minoritized racial and ethnic patients with [opioid use disorder] (OUD) are significantly less likely to receive MOUD.” Read more here.
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New York State Department of Health Welcomes Renowned Nation-Leading Public Health Professional to Executive Leadership Team
The New York State Department of Health is pleased to welcome nation-leading public health, prevention and substance use policy expert Dr. David R. Holtgrave, Ph.D., to the executive leadership team as Senior Policy Advisor to the Commissioner. Dr. Holtgrave joins the State Health Department with more than 35 years of public health experience, including serving in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy from 2022-2024. Dr. Holtgrave joins the Department with decades of experience addressing urgent public health issues, demonstrated by his development of an evidence-based national response plan to confront the emerging challenge of fentanyl combined with xylazine in the illegal drug supply, his rapid research to inform COVID-19 clinical decision making and his transitional work in addressing HIV-related health inequities in the U.S. Read more here.
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New Resource: Early Recognition and Effective Treatment of Early Serious Mental Illness
This brochure emphasizes the crucial role of early detection and intervention in serious mental illnesses, emphasizing the need for prompt attention at the first onset of symptoms. In addition, the resource highlights the importance of youth and family engagement in early intervention services and supports. Early detection of serious mental illness and the provision of effective treatment can improve outcomes for individuals and promote long term mental health recovery.
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Psychiatrists Often Unavailable To Those On Medicaid
Many people with developmental disabilities who rely on Medicaid require mental health care, but new research finds that even among clinicians who accept Medicaid, getting an appointment is tough. Less than 1 in 5 clinicians listed as accepting new patients enrolled in Medicaid were reachable and willing to schedule an appointment, according to a “secret shopper” study published recently in the journal JAMA. Researchers called randomly selected psychiatrists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants working in the psychiatric field who were listed in provider directories for Medicaid managed care plans in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Phoenix. They asked for the earliest available appointment for an individual with depression. If the clinician they inquired about was unavailable, they asked about other providers. Read more here.
Related: Walk-in clinics tackle urgent mental health needs
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Study: Number of Pediatric Psych Beds Stagnant in Recent Years
One of the lingering challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is the toll it took on mental health—especially among children. Between 2016 and 2020, the number of children between ages three and 17 years old who have been diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29%, and the number of children diagnosed with depression increased 27% during that same period. However, a recent study from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, published in JAMA Pediatrics on August 19, found that there may not be enough beds to address the mental health crisis. Using data on hospitals with inpatient psychiatric care in the American Hospital Association Survey Database, the researchers analyzed inpatient pediatric psychiatry capacity state by state between 2017 and 2020. Read more here.
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Group Therapy Could Solve Behavioral Health Access Crisis, Cut Down on Spend
The behavioral health industry is constantly seeking to bolster its clinician supply to meet raging levels of unmet mental health needs. Access to care could improve significantly if more providers offered group therapy. Group therapy is a rare behavioral health modality that promises benefits under both value-based care and fee-for-service reimbursement models, largely due to its efficient client-to-provider ratio. “If you can get into these reimbursement models where you’re in some way incentivizing value, I think groups really shine, just because you’re able to deliver services so efficiently,” Ben Robbins, general partner at GV (Google Ventures), told BHB. “Groups is probably, if not the main tool, one of the key tools into unlocking value in behavioral health without getting into reimbursement models that may be very complicated.” Read more here.
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40% of Adolescents with Major Depression Did Not Receive Treatment
Fewer American adolescents are experiencing major depressive episodes than in previous years. However, many of those who do have major depressive episodes do not receive treatment. Four and a half million young people aged 12 to 17 faced a major depressive episode in 2023, a decrease of approximately 13% since 2021, according to new data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Approximately 40% of these adolescents did not receive treatment for their mental health conditions. Read more here.
Related: Cognitive behavioral therapy app shown to improve anxiety in young adults
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Peer Recovery Coach Says “Stigma of MAT Persists in the Recovery Community”
Veronica* slid into addiction slowly, increasingly drinking as a teen, and by the time college came around, she needed alcohol first thing in the morning to stop her hands from shaking. She says it escalated from there. For Veronica, addiction wasn’t a straight line, more like there were times she stopped entirely and others when there was a litany of drugs she used each day, including heroin and oxycodone. She quit multiple times, promising her family she was done, but it wasn’t until a close friend died in front of her, his arm hanging limply off the EMS gurney, that Veronica made a promise to herself for herself that she was going to get help. She turned a corner that day, driving to a nearby clinic where she started Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and that, she says, “was all she wrote.” It’s not though, because six years later, Veronica is now an award-winning peer recovery coach, helping people navigate the challenges she faced. Read more here.
Related: MAT Access Up 68% in Community Health Centers
Me Too: The Benefit Of Peer Support On Mental Health Care
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SAMHSA 988 Day: “988 on 9/8”
The first annual 988 Day is coming up on September 8th, 2024, and SAMHSA is looking for widespread participation. The goal of 988 Day is to raise awareness of 988 activities around the country in fun and creative ways. This year’s 988 Day message is: "No Judgment. Just Help." The 988 Day Digital Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to support the observance of 988 Day on September 8 that aims to galvanize the suicide prevention and mental health community around a central message and call to action to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The toolkit includes a variety of assets and guidelines to help partners, grantees, crisis centers, and community leaders effectively engage their audiences and amplify the message of "No Judgment. Just Help."
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How Did Medicaid Renewal Outcomes Change During the Unwinding?
After a three-year pause in Medicaid disenrollments, the continuous enrollment provision ended on March 31, 2023, kicking off a long process in which states were required to complete renewals verifying the eligibility of all enrollees in the program. States were permitted to resume disenrollments in April 2023, but some states delayed the start of their unwinding periods until June or July 2023. By August 2024, all but three states have completed their unwinding periods (one additional state, New York, has not set an end date for unwinding). States also had considerable flexibility in how they implemented their unwinding plans, and these decisions likely affected renewal outcomes. Read more here.
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Campus Facilities Promote Inclusion, Mental Health of Students
Student mental health concerns are on the rise, and college leaders are addressing them in every area of campus life. Some are turning their attention to campus facilities and the role space, light, sound and décor can play in student learning and healthy living. Many college campuses have established wellness rooms, sensory spaces or relaxation zones to promote healthy habits and academic success for learners. The focus on environmental wellness is also an inclusive effort, supporting students who struggle with sensory issues, including those with learning or developmental disabilities, and promotes universal design thinking. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Guiding Principles and Recommendations for Trauma-Responsive Treatment Courts
August 22, 12:30 - 2 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Behavioral Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder: Using Harm Reduction as a Path Forward
August 22, 1 - 2 pm, PCSS
Understanding Mental Health Disparities Within Rural LGBTQ+ Communities
August 22, 1:30 - 3 pm, NIMH
Applying Evidence-based Practices to Obtain Officer Buy-in for Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiatives
August 22, 2 - 3 pm, COSSUP
What Now: Xylazine in the Age of Opioid Use Disorder
August 27, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Assessing Equity in Crisis Response Organizations and Systems: Tools, Challenges, and Strategies
August 27, 1 - 2 pm, SAMHSA
Interdisciplinary Care in Opioid Treatment: The Role of Counselors in Opioid Treatment — Guiding the Path to Recovery
August 27, 3 - 4:30 pm, NAADAC
Building Bridges Between Harm Reduction and Treatment for People with Substance Use Disorders
August 28, 11 am - 12 pm, NCROTAC
Developing Youth Mental Health Services for Immigrant and Rural Communities in Eastern Long Island
August 28, 1 - 2 pm, NY Health Foundation
A Conversation About Trauma-informed, Resilience-oriented, Equity-focused (TIROES) Systems and Approaches for IDD Populations
August 29, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Peer Recovery Support Series: Infinite Pathways — Embracing Diverse Identities to Support Recovery
August 29, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings: Current Updates in Case Law
August 29, 2:30 - 4 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
State Peer to Peer Learning Session: Facilitating Care Across the Crisis Continuum: The Roles of Peers Throughout the Crisis Service System
August 29, 3 - 4 pm, SAMHSA
Promoting Pediatric Mental Health in Rural and Underserved Areas
August 30, 1 - 2 pm, American Academy of Pediatrics
Implementing RNR Strategies in Drug Courts and Reentry Programs: Lessons Learned from a SAMHSA’s GAINS Center Learning Collaborative
September 4, 2:30 - 4 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Albany Stratton VA Community Mental Health Summit
September 6, 9 am - 3 pm
Family Connections: Managing Suicidality and Trauma Recovery
September 12, 12 - 1:30 pm, SPCNY
Three Crucial Factors in Treating Suicide Risk Lessons Learned from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide
September 12, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Suicide by Poisoning: Current Data, Prevention Strategies, and How You Can Help
September 12, 1 - 2:30 pm, SPCNY
AI and Behavioral Health: A Primer
September 12, 3 - 4 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Increasing Accessibility of Mental Health Services for Unhoused Populations in Rural and Urban Communities
September 18, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Rural Health Symposium - Binghamton, NY
September 19 - 20, NYS Association for Rural Health
Timely and Adaptive Strategies to Optimize Suicide Prevention Interventions
September 19, 1 - 3 pm, NIMH
Ask the Expert: Family-Centered Reentry Programming
September 25, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
Addressing the Equity and Fairness of Assessments: How the National Guidelines Can Transform Agencies’ Communication and Use of Post-Conviction Risk and Needs Assessments
September 26, 1 - 2:30 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Navigating the Behavioral Health AI Journey from Concept to Reality
September 26, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Court Navigation Programs: Providing Connections and Support Across the Legal and BH Systems
September 27, 1 - 2:30 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Maternal Intensive Training: Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care & Ob/Gyn Settings
September 30, 9 am - 5 pm, Syracuse, NY - IN PERSON
Expanding Access to Crisis Care by Breaking Down Social and Technology Barriers
October 1, 12 - 1 pm, Behavioral Health Business
AI to Support Our Workforce
October 1, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Rural Telementoring UnConference 2024
October 16, 11 am - 3 pm, RTTC
Boosting Equitable Connected Healthcare Access & Adoption
October 16, 2 - 3 pm, TechTarget
Justice Center Code of Conduct Train-the-Trainer Session
October 16, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs
New York State Trauma-Informed Network & Resource Center Conference
October 23 - 25, Saratoga Springs, NYSTINRC
Liability and Risk Considerations When Adopting AI Technology
October 25, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Justice Center Code of Conduct Train-the-Trainer Session
November 13, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs
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CLMHD CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
CLMHD Office Closed - Labor Day
September 2
Executive Committee Meeting
September 4: 8 - 9 am
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
September 10: 10 - 11:00 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
September 12: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
September 12: 1 - 2:30 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
September 12: 3 - 4 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
September 17: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
September 18: 9 - 10:30 am
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
September 19: 1 - 3 pm
SAVE THE DATE
Fall 2024 Full Membership Meeting
October 23-25, Clayton, NY (Jefferson County)
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