Recovery Month will take place: Faces & Voices of Recovery will run it

Last week, we reported that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is walking away from its sponsorship of Recovery Month (see “After 30 years, SAMHSA walks away from Recovery Month,” ADAW, July 8, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adaw.32770 ). This is correct. However, what needs clarification is this: Recovery Month will still take place, hosted by Faces & Voices of Recovery. Philip Rutherford, director of operations of Faces & Voices of Recovery, told ADAW in an email last week that the organization “is excited to host the Recovery Month website, previously found at recoverymonth.gov .” The new site “will contain a repository for the 2020 Recovery Month digital assets, like graphics and display banners for anyone to download and use, and more. Equally as important, organizations will be able to post information about their events on the Recovery Month calendar.” These materials have “been a staple of the event for years, and Faces & Voices is pleased to be able to keep it going.”     

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Las Vegas‐Area Salvation Army Forced to Curtail Uncompensated Offender Care Getting Out the Recovery Vote: Recovery Voices Count Moves into High Gear New Name, New Role for Ensuring Solutions House Approves Giving FDA Authority Over Tobacco An Inch From the Heart: Art and Recovery Come Together Five Questions The Candidate Pledge Briefly Noted State Watch Coming up     

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Recovery and Treatment get Closer with Kerlikowske Speech at BFC Primary Care Focus of OTP Allows Inroads in Hepatitis C Care Senators Ask GAO to Investigate Treatment and Prevention How Parity and Recovery are Modernizing the Medical Model CalTAF to Pursue Insurance Companies for Denied Claims State News Coming up     

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NASADAD Releases State Guidance for Adolescent Treatment Services Facilities Seeking Medicaid Must Learn Nuances of Managed Care Chain of Mass. Bupe Clinics Focuses on Quality, Payers Role of Alcohol in Rx Opioid/Benzo ODs and ED Visits: CDC SMART Recovery Focuses on Non‐12‐Step Recovery Briefly Noted Names in the News Coming up     

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SAMHSA Document, Made Public in Error, Reveals Changes Planned for Block Grant NIH Panel Recommends Replacing NIAAA and NIDA With New Addictions Institute What the Contractor Would Have Done ‘Front Door’ to Treatment in Texas Endangered in Budget Process Recovery Researcher to Focus on Developing Science of Recovery What Was Missing: NIDA, NIAAA Perspectives Briefly Noted In the States Coming Up     

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Definition of Recovery is Vague, Measures Elusive, Even as Taxpayers Fund Services Center Sees Clinical and Business Case for Comprehensive Alumni Programs NIDA Statement on Recovery SAGE Commission Consolidation in New York May Affect OASAS Annual GAO ONDCP Audit Says Agencies Need Budget Guidance Sooner Furor Erupts Over Lancet Letter on Vivitrol Kerlikowske to Stay as ONDCP Director In the States Funding Opportunity Coming up     

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Co‐Occurring Disorders Can Be Treated Within SAPT Block Grant Advocates Optimistic as Second Chance Act Clears House Committee Doctor's Sentence Highlights Challenges of Methadone Treatment Recovery Month Slated for Elimination by President's Proposed Budget SAMHSA Announces $96 Million in Access to Recovery Grants Briefly Noted Names in the News Coming up     

Briefly Noted

Carmen Beatrice Pearman Arlt died last December after a long illness. News of her death started circulating throughout the field only last month, however. Arlt, a longtime Indiana resident, was born in 1955. She organized one of the oldest chapters of the National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery (NAMA Recovery), the Methadone Advocacy Group (MAG) of Indiana. NAMA Recovery Director Joycelyn Woods recalled last week that Arlt, in the early 1990s, sent an index card to NAMA Recovery with dimes taped to it and a short message saying she could not afford the $10 membership fee. “Like all letters we receive from patients, she received a letter back saying that we would rather have her advocacy than money,” said Woods. One of the things MAG of Indiana did was clean the street around the methadone clinic. “While they were out picking up garbage and sweeping the street, the reverend from the church across the street came out to warn them about those addicts over there. Carmen explained that they were those addicts,” said Woods. “From this encounter, patients were given space in the church to set up 12‐Step groups and to have meetings. The following year, there was a big drug conference in Indiana, and the chapter acted as the color guard for the governor when he entered the arena. I remember Carmen sending a picture of them all dressed in white shirts, navy bowties for women and regular ties for men and navy pants.” Arlt received the Nyswander/Dole Award from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence in 2001 for organizing the state provider organization — at the time, Indiana had no opioid treatment program representation and clinics saw one another more as competitors than associates working for a common cause, said Woods. More recently, in addition to being president of NAMA Recovery, Arlt developed the program for women and children at Porter‐Starke Services in Valparaiso. She was continuing her education to get a Ph.D. in social work when she became ill. “NAMA Recovery will miss Ms. Pearman‐Arlt's dedication and compassion to patients and the field,” said Woods..     

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Treatment Programs Balance Amenities with Focus on Therapy A Tale of Two Reports: The 1st is Killed, and the 2nd may be Diluted Seabrook Program for Mothers Reflects Diversification of Payer Mix Summit Launches Efforts Against Illicit Fentanyl Use NACoA Rescues SAMHSA Database from Budget Cuts Recovery Month: No Speeches for People Newly in Recovery Report Highlights Successful State Innovations in Behavioral Health Care NEATTC's Innovation Call for Innovative Practices in Workforce Development Briefly Noted Resources Grants and Funding Coming up     

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SAMHSA Opens Recovery Month with NSDUH, Melding of Mental Health Faces & Voices on the First Year of Recovery Month without SAMHSA Money Centers' Branding Should Take a More Sophisticated Approach White House will Nominate Botticelli as ONDCP Chief TCA Wants Counseling for Buprenorphine Patients Study Links Medical Marijuana to Reduced Rx Opioid ODs Briefly Noted Coming up     

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New Welfare Regulations May Force States to Cut Treatment for Women with Children New Codes Could Encourage More Screening and Brief Intervention Betty Ford Institute Will Support Research, Policy Development Court Blocks Enforcement of Law to Alter Prop. 36 A Film Series About Addiction and Recovery Marks Recovery Month Events Treatment Centers Join with Congressmen to Demand Parity Briefly Noted Obituary Coming Up     

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Counties Hit Hard by Need for Treatment and Funds for Methamphetamine Underage Drinking Debate: Zero Tolerance vs. Harm Reduction Breakdown of Types of Drug Treatment Programs in NACo Survey Four NACo Surveys on Methamphetamine Reach Out Now Teach‐Ins Members of Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking Doctors Worry Over Increased Scrutiny of Painkiller Prescribing Recovery Grants Will Be Awarded; SAMHSA Corrects Mix‐up SAMHSA Launches Recovery Website Briefly Noted Resources Names in the News Coming up     

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Recovery Advocates Pressure Treatment System to Cast Aside Acute Care Model College Campuses Becoming Active Site for Array of Recovery Support Services Leaked Strategy Further Exposes Weaknesses of ONDCP Florida SSA Shares Advice on Budget Issues SSAs to Ask Pregnancy Test Makers to Include Alcohol Warnings FDA Requires Medication Guide be Given to Vivitrol Patients HRSA Funding in Budget for Training Addiction Specialists HIT Bill Would Provide ARRA Funding to Addiction Treatment Briefly Noted Coming up     

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PRIDE Still Stands Out as Site Tailored to LGBT Clients OptumHealth Uses its Pharmacy Data to Identify, Treat Addicted Patients Benefits of Recovery Checkups Presented at NAATP Casino Expansion in New York Moves Forward Building Recovery Capital in San Diego ‘Enthusiasm and Togetherness’ at NAATP Conference Briefly Noted Names in the News Coming up     

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Counselors Rules to be Set by States: SAMHSA Mayo Program Addresses Substance Abuse in Pain Treatment Optum Explores Peers With Faces and Voices of Recovery Caron Takes Delray Beach to Court Over Sober Home Report From Betty Ford Recovery Meeting: Access to Treatment Field Expresses Concerns About Proposed SAMHSA Budget Briefly Noted Coming up     

Sign‐on letter requests more flexibility in methadone treatment during COVID‐19

A sign‐on letter spearheaded by the National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery (NAMA), and harm reduction groups, including the Urban Survivors Union (USU) and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is calling for reducing restrictions on methadone and opioid treatment programs (OTPs), so that patients don't have to go to the clinics so often. Included in the over 100 signatories are Patty McCarthy Metcalf of Faces & Voices of Recovery, Ben Levenson of the Levenson Foundation (and former founder of Origins) and many addiction physicians, as well as drug user organizations. Many of the signers have said for months that OTPs should be eliminated entirely.     

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CRC's New CEO Launches Inpatient Pre‐Vivitrol Detoxification Program Detox Center Operator Perseveres in Face of Siting Opposition Revised Anti‐Drug Media Campaign Effective, Study Finds Drug Control Budget: Where is Prevention Money Disappearing To? Voices of Recovery San Mateo County: Delivering Recovery Support SAMHSA Releases Screening Guide, Recommending Outdated CAGE CAGE Questions Briefly Noted Coming up     

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Proposed Expansion of Services in Mass. Includes Recovery Schools Association Guidelines to Require Alcohol Screening in Trauma Centers Targeting Resources to Communities with Opiate Overdoses Recovery School Peer Groups a Key to Students Success Primary Care Physicians and the 4 A's Two Studies Offer Evidence of Dopamine Connection to Alcoholism Two Studies Show Effectiveness of Online Alcohol Prevention McLean Study Links Herb to Reduced Binge Drinking Resources Briefly Noted Coming Up…     

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In the Blossoming Recovery Industry, Who are the Addiction Workers? Program Staff that Faced Tragedy Now Encouraged toward Self–Care Survey: SAMHSA Employees Feel Untrusted, Overly Supervised Letter to the Editor New County–CRC Program Focuses on Co–Occurring Disorders Faces & Voices Tells NIDA it's Time to Study Recovery Briefly Noted State News Coming up