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Governor Hochul Announces $32 Million to Grow Workforce to Support New Yorkers with Developmental Disabilities
Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced a $32 million investment to expand the Direct Support Professional microcredential program offered by the State University of New York (SUNY) in partnership with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). The funding will allow SUNY to expand the program on campuses where it already exists and add programs at additional campuses to help grow the Direct Support Professional workforce in New York State and support New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. SUNY anticipates supporting up to 6,000 students by 2030 through this expansion. Read more here.
Related: OPEN MINDS - Borrowing New Approaches For Workforce Strategy
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Governor Hochul Awards $260 Million in Funding to Build and Preserve More Than 1,800 Homes Across New York
Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced over $260 million has been awarded through tax credits and subsidies to create or preserve 1,852 affordable, supportive, and sustainable homes in 29 developments across New York State. The projects will expand or protect the housing supply in every region, upgrade and modernize public housing, further local economic development initiatives, and include sustainable features that advance the State's climate goals. The funding is part of Governor Hochul's $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York State, including 10,000 with supportive services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. Read more here.
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Governor Hochul Initiates Assessment of the Office of Cannabis Management and Taps Commissioner Jeanette Moy to Lead Effort
Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday initiated an assessment of the Office of Cannabis Management to identify opportunities for improvement and begin implementation of a strategic plan for the long-term success of the legal cannabis rollout. Commissioner for the Office of General Services Jeanette Moy will serve as lead and executive sponsor of the effort, supported by experienced State government leaders. Commissioner Moy will embed in OCM for a minimum 30-day sprint to assess the agency’s organization. As part of the plan, several goals have been identified. Read more here.
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Delta-8, an Unregulated Form of THC, Is Popular Among High School Students
A national survey of more than 2,000 high school seniors across the country found that more than 11% used a drug called delta-8 THC in the past year. The psychoactive compound is derived from hemp, and often called "diet weed' or "weed lite." It's milder than its cousin, delta-9 THC, the main intoxicant in marijuana, but has similar effects on the brain and the body. The percentage of teens using the drug is higher in the 19 states with no regulations around the compound and in states where marijuana has not been legalized. The findings are published in a study published last week in JAMA. The data comes from Monitoring the Future, which surveys teen behaviors. It's the first time teens were asked about this drug in this survey. Read more here.
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988 Currently Doesn't Use Geolocation Services. Counties Want to Change That.
Federal agencies are working with the nation’s major wireless carriers to resolve an issue with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that can lead to those seeking help being sent to call centers thousands of miles away from where they actually are. The issue is over how callers to 988 are being routed to counselors. Currently, people dialing into the hotline are sent to a call center based on their area code, not on where they are physically calling from. SAMHSA, has been working with the Federal Communications Commission and cellphone carriers like Verizon to test routing calls based on where a person in crisis is generally located. The timeline for implementing this change, which the nation’s counties are pressing for, is uncertain. But once the tests are completed, according to SAMHSA, the use of “geolocation” in routing calls will be phased in “gradually.” Read more here.
Related: The Road to 988/911 Interoperability - Three Case Studies on Call Transfer, Colocation, and Community Response
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New York Opioid Settlement Board Chair Discusses Challenges
Forty-six states are in the process of disbursing $26 billion in opioid settlement money – that money may balloon to about $50 billion. In New York, there are two bodies that direct the flow of settlement funds to the people who need help: the New York state Office of Addiction Services & Supports (OASAS), and the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board, which was established in 2022 to provide OASAS with recommendations regarding how that funding should be allocated. While there has been criticism of OASAS for what some have called the slow roll-out of funding, Debra Pantin, chair of the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board, told Capital Tonight that, compared to other states, New York is doing a good job getting money out the door. Read more here.
Related: Overdose deaths hit another record but show signs of leveling off
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Nine States Chosen to Address Health-Related Social Needs and Advance Health Equity in Medicaid
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) today announced the selection of nine states — California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington State, and Wisconsin — to join the Medicaid Health-Related Social Needs Implementation Learning Series. This program will assist states in developing, refining, or implementing health-related social need (HRSN) initiatives for Medicaid populations. The 12-month learning series will facilitate collaborative, peer-to-peer learning among the nine state Medicaid agencies, with a focus on practical, on-the-ground implementation efforts, promoting health equity, and centering community member voice. Participating states will seek to strengthen HRSN strategies and programs, and work with Medicaid managed care organizations, health care systems, and community-based organizations. Read more here.
Related: Brief: Partnerships to Address Social Needs across Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Prospective Payment System Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals
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How to Navigate the Vulnerability of SUD Treatment for Older Adults
Nearly one million adults aged 65 and older reported a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2018, according to a survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Special attention is required for seniors, age 65 and older when it comes to the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). If experienced in later life, these conditions can accelerate the degradation of already age-diminished health — the ultimate consequence being an untimely death. It is speculated that while illicit drug use generally declines after adolescence, aging could lead to social and physical changes that may increase vulnerability to substances. Read more here.
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How Meth Became an Epidemic in America, And What’s Happening Now That It’s Faded from the Headlines
Rural America has long suffered from an epidemic of methamphetamine use, which accounts for thousands of drug overdoses and deaths every year. William Garriott, an anthropologist at Drake University, explored meth’s impact on communities and everyday life in the U.S. in his 2011 book “Policing Methamphetamine: Narcopolitics in Rural America.” Since then, the problem has only gotten worse. The rural news site the Daily Yonder spoke with Garriott about what has been driving the surge in meth use in recent decades and what prompted him to focus on meth in his work. Read more here.
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Few Hospitals Follow Recommended Practices for Evidence-Based Suicide Care
In 2022, suicide claimed the lives of an estimated 49,449 people in the United States, making it the 11th leading cause of death nationwide. Research has shown that almost half of those who die by suicide interact with the health care system within four weeks of their deaths. And those who are hospitalized for suicide risk face an elevated risk of dying by suicide post-discharge, making this a critical time for these patients to have access to resources, support, and care that can keep them safe in the event of a suicidal crisis. But new research shows that only 8% of hospitals in the U.S. have instituted all the key components of evidence-based, best-practice interventions to help at-risk patients who are discharged after receiving care. In fact, more than 1 in 4 are not conducting any of these interventions. Read more here.
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The Methadone Clinic Monopoly: Opioid Treatment Chains Backed By Private Equity Are Fighting Calls for Reform
Private equity firms have acquired stakes in nearly one-third of all methadone clinics in recent years, gaining outsize control of the U.S. addiction treatment industry even as the country’s opioid epidemic has developed into a full-fledged public health crisis. A small handful of little-known financial institutions now has an ownership stake in 562 methadone clinics across the country, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis. And in the past two years, large clinic chains backed by private equity firms have launched a lobbying blitz aimed at preserving their exclusive right to dispense methadone, a powerful medication that cuts the risk of opioid overdose death by more than 50%. Read more here.
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Police Suicides in Suffolk County Highlight Mental Health Risks for Law Enforcement
Four law enforcement officers in Suffolk County died by suicide in a four-week span earlier this year, bringing renewed attention to the unique risk factors facing police and the ways in which departments are combatting it. New York has lost 30 law enforcement officers to suicide since 2022 — more than any other state, according to the nonprofit 1st H.E.L.P., which tracks the data. The NYPD lost 10 officers to suicide in 2019 alone. The rate has since slowed, with about four officers dying by suicide each year, according to police statistics. Those who study suicide and its contributing factors say law enforcement agencies could save lives with more supports, like safe and secure storage of weapons and greater access to mental health care. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Bridging Public Health and Managed Care: A Collaborative Approach to Community Health Assessments
March 21, 1 - 2 pm, Manatt
Crisis Stabilization Considerations for Children, Youth, and Families
March 21, 1:30 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Implementing Complex Care Models to Reduce Frequent Service Utilization among Individuals Experiencing Mental and Substance Use Disorders
March 21, 1:30 - 3 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
From Numbers to Visuals: Unleashing the Power of Data to Create Narratives for CBO Impact
March 21, 2 - 3:30 pm, SAMHSA
The Community Behavioral Clinic Experience in Advancing General Health Integration
March 26, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
The Power and Promise of AI for Health Equity
March 26, 1 - 2 pm, NIHCM
Financing Peer Recovery Support: Opportunities to Enhance the Substance Use Disorder Peer Workforce
March 26, 1 - 2 pm, SAMHSA
Mental Health Parity Update 2024: The Latest Regulatory and Litigation Trends
March 26, 1 - 2 pm, Manatt
Tech-Enabled Solutions for Addressing Health-Related Social Needs: Experiences from Iowa and Kentucky Medicaid
March 26, 2 - 3:15 pm, Center for Health Care Strategies
Opioid Settlement Fund Quarterly Community Webinar
March 27, 12 - 1 pm, OASAS
Integrating Systemic Treatment Approaches for Couples Dealing with Substance Use
March 27, 12:30 - 1:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Restorative Justice Practices and Credible Messengers: Promising, Innovative Approaches for Improving Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
March 27, 2 - 3 pm, CSG Justice Center
The Neurobiology of Trauma and its Application to Successful Treatment
March 27, 3 - 4:30 pm, NAADAC
From Impact to Investment: Leveraging Your CBO’s Story for Funding, Impact, & Internal Growth
May 23, 2 - 3:30 pm, SAMHSA
Financing Peer Recovery Support: Opportunities to Enhance the Substance Use Disorder Peer Workforce
March 26, 1 - 2 pm, SAMHSA
Introducing the DEIB Recruitment & Retention Toolkit
March 26, 1 - 2 pm, NYAII
Insights from the Reaching Rural Initiative - Navigating Leadership, Innovation and Community Impact in Addressing Substance Use Disorder in Rural Communities
March 27, 3 - 4 pm, NACo
Rural Mental Health Resilience Program Launch
March 27, 7 - 8 pm, Rural Minds
Comorbidities In Patients Living With Bipolar I Disorder
March 28, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Understanding the Mind-Body Response to Chronic Loneliness
March 28, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Accountable Care Organization Primary Care Flex Model (ACO PC Flex Model) Overview Webinar
April 4, 2 - 3 pm, CMS
Naloxone in Public Housing: Success in St. Louis
April 4, 2 - 3:30 pm, SAMHSA
Advancing Crisis Communications: Highlighting Models of 911/988 Collaboration
April 11, 2 - 3 pm, NACo
Child and Adolescent Mental Health for Primary Care Clinicians
April 15 - 16, 9 am - 5 pm, Project TEACH
The Essentials and Beyond of Perinatal Psychiatry: Psychopharmacology & Psychotherapy
April 21, 12 - 4 pm, Project TEACH
Beyond the Numbers and Visuals: Building Your CBO Data-Driven Digital Marketing Strategy
April 25, 2 - 3:30 pm, SAMHSA
Identifying Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in a Death Investigation
May 16, 2 - 3 pm, OMH SPCNY
Introduction to Psychedelics for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder
June 13, 1 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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CLMHD CALENDAR
MARCH
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee
March 21: 1 - 3 pm
APRIL
Executive Committee Meeting
April 3: 8 - 9 am
LGU Clinic Operators Meeting
April 9: 10 - 11:30 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
April 11: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
April 11: 1 - 2:30 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
April 11: 3 - 4 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
April 16: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
April 17: 9 - 10:30 am
SAVE THE DATE: CLMHD Spring Full Membership Meeting
May 8 - 10, Lake George, NY
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