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Behavioral Health and the Justice System: Accreditation and Continuity-of-Care Standards for Justice-Involved Individuals Entering SUD Treatment
Men and women leaving jails or prison face some of the highest overdose risk of any population in the country. Typically, by the 3rd month of release, an estimated 75 percent of previously incarcerated people with an opioid use disorder (OUD) experience a return to opioid use, and formerly...
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Closing the Re-Entry Gap: Connecting Justice-Involved Individuals to Addiction Treatment
Individuals in incarcerated settings are found to have an increased risk of overdose and drug-related injury during community re-entry, with the first two weeks carrying the most risk (Hartung et al., 2023). Justice-involved individuals face significant barriers to accessing substance use services...
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The NYSPA Report – The Fifteen-Month Clock: Substance Use Disorder, Recovery Timelines, and the Law’s Deadline for Parents
The forensic dilemma at the intersection of substance use disorder (SUD) and family law appears at several junctures: pregnancy, child welfare, custody and divorce, juvenile justice, and education. Pregnancy is an especially telling case, a physical state that invites a future orientation toward...
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Cannabis Legalization and Adolescent Behavioral Health: Are Current Policies Sufficiently Protecting Adolescents?
The rapid expansion of cannabis legalization across the U.S. has raised growing concerns about its impact on adolescents. Cannabis remains the most commonly used recreational drug among U.S. youth (Young-Wolff et al., 2026), and while cannabis use is not legal at the federal level, medical use has...
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The Treatment Handoff Is Part of Care
A person can complete withdrawal management successfully and still lose the next step of care. A residential client can make meaningful progress and then leave without a confirmed outpatient appointment. A receiving program may know that a referral is coming but lack the medication list, risk...
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Shifting the Weight: Addressing Substance Use Disorder in Nursing
Substance use disorder (SUD) impacts both the individual experiencing it and everyone in their life. SUD does not discriminate and affects people from all walks of life, regardless of age, occupation, economic circumstances, ethnic background, or gender. Healthcare professionals are not immune, but...
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The Recovery Industry’s Policies Are Killing People and They Won’t Change Unless We Make Them
The first time I watched the recovery system harm someone in real time, it was not a mistake. It was merciful advice in the face of restrictive policy. This person described how he voluntarily walked into a rehab facility after his last binge. He was not intoxicated. He was scared, exhausted,...
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Polymarket and Gambling Disorder: Clinical Considerations for Mental Health Professionals
Prediction markets have gained significant attention in recent years, particularly with the growth of platforms such as Polymarket. These platforms allow individuals to buy and sell contracts based on the outcome of future events, including politics, economics, entertainment, and increasingly,...
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Peer Supervision: A Model for Enhanced Vocational and Emotional Support
For many of us in the field of mental health and substance use disorder, the idea of peer services feels like a new and welcome change that brings with it equity and a workforce with a more complete perspective on lived experience. Many people are surprised to learn that peer services have a...
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Transforming Crisis Response: Direct EMS Radio Access for Peer Support Teams in Marion County
Behavioral health crises require rapid response, specialized support, and seamless coordination across emergency systems to minimize unwanted outcomes. Yet, in many communities, traditional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workflows delay behavioral health intervention until after transport or...
