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From Juvenile Hall to Clinical Care: De-Escalating Youth Trauma Through Deflection Pathways
This article examines how youth deflection differs from traditional diversion, and how behavioral health leaders are using deflection programs to de-escalate trauma and keep adolescents out of the justice system. Communities increasingly seek preventive alternatives to juvenile detention. Seven...
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Decriminalization Alone Won’t Fix Addiction – Infrastructure Will: A Comparative Look at Portugal, the Netherlands, and the U.S.
In Chasing the Scream: The Search for the Truth About Addiction, Johan Hari asks, "What if everything you think you know about addiction is wrong?" (Hari, 2015). Hari posits that addiction is driven by isolation more than chemicals. In a widely viewed TED Talk he states, "The opposite of addiction...
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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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AI/Agentic AI Behavioral Health Systems Ready for New Privacy Regulations
For years, many behavioral health leaders treated privacy rule 42 CFR Part 2 as a policy and training issue. In 2026, that is no longer enough. What has changed is the environment around the rule. Substance use disorder (SUD) records now move across EHRs, referral networks, analytics...
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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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New York State Must Intervene in the Behavioral Health Crisis
New York State is in the middle of a behavioral health crisis. Suicide rates are up over 40% in the last 20 years. Overdose rates are almost four times higher than they were in 2010. During this crisis, Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) paid by the State are taking hundreds of millions of...
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Healing at the Source: How Tribal Nations Are Redefining Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Substance use disorder (SUD) has taken a devastating toll on the Nation’s Tribal Lands, yet Tribal Nations are confronting the crisis with courage, creativity, and cultural wisdom. Native communities carry a disproportionate burden of addiction and mental health challenges while facing some of...
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Reframing Residential Treatment: Preventing Family Separation and Supporting Women with Substance Use Disorders
According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 70.5 million people used illicit drugs in the past year, and 48.5 million of them met the criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). In 2022, 32.6 million women reported illicit drug use, and while men have historically shown higher...
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Understanding the Link Between Trauma and Substance Use in Adolescents
Adolescence is a critical period of development, and exposure to trauma during this stage can impact mental health and behavior. Research consistently shows a strong connection between trauma and substance use among adolescents, with trauma often acting as a risk factor for developing substance use...
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Brain Disease or Moral Failure? Why the Label Matters for Addiction Recovery
When I went to treatment 15 years ago, I was convinced that addiction wasn't a disease. And that, if it were a disease, it was self-inflicted. Many of the patients I care for today often have the same feelings, blaming themselves and living with shame despite the knowledge we have today. If more...
