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Meth is Still Ravaging the LGBTQ+ Community, We Must Address the Crisis
As the opioid epidemic continues to dominate national news, another urgent crisis is wreaking havoc in communities throughout the United States. Methamphetamine addiction is on the rise, and it’s hitting communities hard, especially the LGBTQ+ community. November 30th is National...
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Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care: A Step Towards Holistic and Equitable Patient Care
Nearly 60 million U.S. adults live with a behavioral health condition that requires medical assistance, yet stigma, socioeconomic factors, and navigational challenges caused by a fragmented healthcare system are all barriers to care. However, there is a systemic change that could dynamically...
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Treatment Services for Older Adults with Substance Use Disorders
As the leader of Odyssey House, one of the largest non-profit residential and outpatient treatment providers in New York City, I have witnessed firsthand the growing need for specialized services tailored to those struggling with addiction, including older adults. While substance use disorders can...
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Expand Harm Reduction Services to Address Impact of Overdose Crisis on Older Adults
The devastating impact of the overdose crisis in the United States has been well-documented, affecting people from all backgrounds, demographics, and geographic regions. The data tells us that one age group in particular has been overlooked in the overdose crisis – older adults. The rate...
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Blockbuster Movies and Mental Health: Exploring New Narratives in Summer Films
Movie blockbusters have always been a staple of summer entertainment, providing thrilling escapism with larger-than-life characters and spectacular action sequences. However, recent movies like "Inside Out 2" and, even more surprisingly, "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" have added a new dimension to the...
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2024 Funding Available! New York State’s Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Fund Tax Check-off Program – Deadline May 31, 2024
The New York State Office of Mental Health is making funds available for projects that promote mental health stigma reduction across the state. These funds are from revenues received through the voluntary tax check-off program. This program, approved by the legislature in 2016, continues to allow...
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Addressing the Adolescent Behavioral Health Crisis
Over the last year I have been writing about the growing public health crisis of behavioral health challenges among adolescents and young adults, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. The United Hospital Fund (UHF), in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), recently released The...
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Your Options for Responding to Mental Illness Stigma (Protectively, Collaboratively, or Assertively)
I have been open about my bipolar disorder for almost twenty years. Immediately after I spoke at my first mental health awareness event, I was met with feedback and gratitude. People thought it was a brave thing for me to speak up about my mental illness to fight stigma. But the truth is, I felt I...
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Combating Mental Health Stigma in a Rural Community
Like all communities, stigma plays a role in an individual’s willingness to access mental health treatment and support. To combat this, Yates INSYGHT, in partnership with the Yates County Community Services Department, chose to promote a countywide initiative focused on...
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WeSpeakNYC: A Toolkit for Overcoming Mental Health Stigma in BIPOC Communities
Research has consistently demonstrated that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities experience disproportionately low access and utilization of mental health services in the United States. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)...
