Archive for the ‘Social Determinants of Health’ Category

Chronic Pain and Its Impacts: An Overview & Possible Management Options

When a person goes through depression, the impact of that weight can manifest in the form of physical pain and other bodily discomfort. On the other hand, chronic pain has a significant effect on behavioral health. Recurring physical pain can lead to mood swings, lack of appetite, lack of...

A “Prescription” for Integrated Care for Chronic Pain and Associated Conditions

A rising incidence of physical pain, and chronic physical pain in particular, necessitates a comprehensive examination of its underpinnings and relationship with other dimensions of health and wellbeing. This poses unique challenges for behavioral healthcare providers who operate amid a deeply...

Revolutionizing Healthcare: The Future of Integrated Care for All

In a landmark move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through CMS, announced on January 19, 2024 the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model. This initiative is a game-changer in healthcare, especially for underserved and marginalized communities where health disparities...

Game-Changers: Expanding Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment in 2024

Substance use disorders (SUD) and overdose deaths remain a serious public health concern: prevalence rates, particularly opioids and fentanyl, and the provisional data on drug overdose deaths continue to climb. These statistics underscore the importance of prevention and access to treatment for...

What is Old is New Again: Recognizing the Value of Housing and Employment in Recovery

To successfully navigate unprecedented epidemics of mental illness and substance use, we must address both an enduring workforce crisis and the myriad political and socioeconomic factors that undermine behavioral health, particularly for members of vulnerable populations. Many individuals with...

Safe, Stable Housing and Employment Are Key Social Determinants of Health, and Critical for Recovery!

Safe and stable housing, together with appropriate employment, are important determinants of mental and physical health. For people who are living with mental illness, housing and employment can play a critical role in their journeys towards recovery. Governor Hochul has long recognized the...

Expanding Permanent Supportive Housing is Essential to Robust Social Safety Net

The current housing climate leaves millions of Americans at risk of housing instability or homelessness – and it is those who are living with mental and physical health challenges that are the most vulnerable. As communities battle the ever-escalating “cost-of-living” and a rising economic...

The Impact of Housing on Mental Health Issues and Substance Misuse

In Maslow’s hierarchy, physiological needs – food, water, shelter – are the base upon which all other human activity rests. As a population, particularly in more privileged areas, we tend to take these needs for granted: a house or apartment, food and clean water, and clothing are readily...

The Integrated Role of Housing and Employment in Recovery

When you think of recovery, you often think of what we would consider our social determinants of health: financial stability, housing and surrounding environment, health care access, education, and social connections. When a person is doing well in all these domains, they generally thrive and...

Addressing Social Determinants of Health Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Over 582,000 individuals on a single night in 2022 across the country were struggling with one of the key social determinants of health: homelessness. The Point-in-Time (PIT) census counts sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The PIT count is...