Behavioral Health News Spotlight on Excellence: An Interview with Mary Brewster, Associate Commissioner for Harm Reduction at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)

• By: Staff Writer Behavioral Health News
• October 23rd, 2023
• addiction, buprenorphine, compassionate care, drug overdose deaths, Fall 2023 Issue, fentanyl testing, harm reduction, HIV/AIDS epidemic, life-saving care, low-threshold services, medication-assisted treatment, naloxone distribution, non-stigmatizing language, opioid epidemic, opioid use disorder, saving lives, stigma reduction, substance use disorder, syringe exchange programs
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Overview David Minot, Executive Director of Mental Health News Education, the non-profit organization that publishes Behavioral Health News, interviewed Mary Brewster, Associate Commissioner for Harm Reduction at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The mission of...

Harm Reduction in Treatment: A Simplified Overview

• By: Meryl Camer, LCSW-R WellLife Network
• October 23rd, 2023
• arm reduction, compassionate care, Fall 2023 Issue, low-barrier solutions, medication-assisted treatment, naloxone, naloxone distribution, naloxone training, opioid overdose prevention, peer services, person-centered treatment, stigma reduction, substance use disorders, telehealth
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In the past, harm reduction was mainly associated with distributing clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2022), there were over 100,000 deaths related to drug overdoses in 2022. Treatment has evolved to...

WellLife Network’s Mental Health Residential Services: Creating Exceptional Living Experiences for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

• By: Crystal John WellLife Network
• July 19th, 2023
• compassionate care, housing, long-term recovery, recovery-based housing, residential services, serious mental illness, Summer 2023 Issue, supportive housing, whole-person wellness
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In today's world, individuals experiencing severe mental illness (SMI) face numerous challenges. Safe and nurturing residential services are crucial components for successful well-being, along with essential support structures necessary for recovery. WellLife Network's highly acclaimed housing...

Suicide Risk and Safety Planning

• By: Rachel F. Held, PhD Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS)
• July 19th, 2023
• compassionate care, dialectical behavioral therapy, safety plan, suicide, suicide risk, suicide risk assessment, Summer 2023 Issue
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Behavioral health workers are understandably distressed by the recent rise in the rates of suicide, suicide attempts, and reported suicidal ideation, including increases among teens and young adults, minorities, and those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (Molock et al, 2023; Pathirathna et al,...

45 Years Within Human Services – Reflections and Where We Go From Here

• By: Frank L. Bird MEd, BCBA, LABA Melmark
• October 7th, 2022
• advocacy, compassionate care, deinstitutionalization, evidence-based practices, Fall 2022 Issue, fidelity, human services, leadership, mentoring, perseverance, service delivery, standards of excellence, support staff
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I have had the privilege of working within the field of autism over the past 45 years. For 24 of those years, I have been honored to work at Melmark, a multi-state human service provider with premier private special education schools, professional development, training, and research centers,...