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Workforce Development Needs of Addiction Professionals in New Jersey
A unique structure has been created to support the training and workforce development needs of addiction professionals in New Jersey. Through the NJ Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, a statewide Addiction Training & Workforce Development (ATWD)...
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Coming to Grips with Substance Use Issues Among Employees’ Young Adult Dependents
The impact of substance use and mental illness on the workplace has been well documented. But how well do employers grasp what’s at stake when faced with employees whose adult dependents are grappling with a mental health or substance use issue? These employers are confronted with two...
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10 Percent of US Adults Have Drug Use Disorder at Some Point
A survey of American adults revealed that drug use disorder is common, co-occurs with a range of mental health disorders and often goes untreated. The study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, found that about 4...
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Getting Help: What Are Your Rights in the Workplace if You Are Battling Addiction
According to a 2012 survey by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS), 10 percent of all-American adults, ages 18 and older, consider themselves to be in recovery from drug or alcohol problems. That means many of the...
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Governor Announces New Text Messaging Feature on NYS HOPEline
New Yorkers can now text State HOPEline for support and referral to services for alcohol and drug addiction, and problem gambling. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New Yorkers can now contact the New York State HOPEline addiction referral and support service by texting 1-877-8-HOPENY....
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Building an Integrated Healthcare System: Blending Public Health and Prevention Models
The very first time I ever thought about physical and behavioral healthcare together was when I heard of a psychiatrist who wanted to do complete blood chemistry before prescribing medication to new patients within a mental health clinic, a unique situation some 20 years ago. Clearly, this...
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Ensuring Evidence-Based Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
The use of heroin, other opiates, and inappropriate prescription drugs are currently a major public health problem in this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), national death rates from prescription opioid pain reliever overdoses quadrupled during 1999 to...
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Implementing a Buprenorphine Program in an Opioid Treatment Program
Acritical element to successfully treating opioid addiction and addressing the epidemic is offering a wide range of therapies. Due to the extreme dependence created by opioid use, Medication Supported Recovery is often necessary. For decades, Methadone; dispensed in an Outpatient Treatment Program...
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Integrated Treatment Model for Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders
Individuals with substance use disorder have high rates of co-occurring medical disorders and are many times more likely to experience serious conditions such as heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and pulmonary disease than individuals without substance use disorders. Additionally, individuals...
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Living with Addiction: The Role of the Family
As you can see by the letters after my name, I am a Social Worker by profession but one of the most significant roles in my life has been as a mother. For the last 6 years I have been the mom of a 28-year-old son who is suffering from the disease of addiction. Prior to my knowing about his drug use...
