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Through Health Care System Integration
In many communities, harm reduction programs have helped prevent overdoses, lower HIV risk and hepatitis transmission and open the door to treatment for substance users. Originally started in the late 1980s, harm reduction approaches introduced syringe exchange initiatives with the goal of reducing...
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Self-Reflections on Self-Determination in Harm Reduction
When I was a social work student in the early 1960s, I assumed that it was imperative, even obligatory, that I respect the right of client self-determination, but I certainly didn’t know how to put self-determination into practice. I was placed at Henry Street Settlement and worked with two...
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Innovation into Practice: The Future is Now
Innovators and experienced providers are joining together to build the infrastructure required to meet the needs of people living with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as well as physical health care conditions. They are facilitating networks to address social...
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Addressing the Social Determinants of Health: Steps to Achieving Service Integration
Mental health is a vital part of every person's overall health and well-being. Every adult, child, youth and family should receive essential services and support regardless of how they enter the healthcare system. According to the Social Equity Report (Yale Global Health Leadership, 2015), there is...
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Addressing the Social Determinants of Health in Program, Payment, and Policy: Extrapolating the Triple Aim for Population Health
There is much more to being healthy than traditional health care. In fact, “health care” is a surprisingly minor factor in health and the prevention of premature death, just 10 percent. Social circumstances, environmental exposures, genetic predisposition, and personal behavior combined...
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The Mental Health Needs of Special Populations
The history of mental illness in the United States and in New York State in particular amongst special populations is a very complex one, having within it all the politics, economics of a hierarchal, power centric, race constructed society. What are the key issues for practitioners who wish to...
