Positive Action in Minority Ethnic Employment: The Role of Scottish Housing Organizations

This paper focuses on Scottish housing organizations, where the relative absence of black and minority ethnic employees is beginning to be addressed by programmes of positive action. The paper defines positive action, discusses experiences elsewhere in Europe and the USA, and identifies issues that have arisen from such programmes. Schemes targeted at the housing profession, such as PATH in both England and Scotland, are described in some detail. The attitudes and experiences of Scottish housing organizations were examined as part of an evaluation of the Scottish PATH programme carried out in 1998, and these are discussed. The paper concludes that a reservoir of goodwill exists towards positive action programmes and that there is a need for such programmes to be extended, possibly with the support of the Scottish Parliament.     

Esketamine for depression faces real‐world barriers

Like its predecessor intravenous ketamine, an anesthetic that has been used off‐label to treat depression, esketamine has shown great promise in treating a disease that can destroy quality of life and lead to suicide. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved esketamine (Spravato) last spring for treating depression that is resistant to traditional treatments.     

LAC and RTI: Eliminate Medicaid prior auth for bupe

Since April 2018, Medicare limited utilization management — most often done via prior authorization requirements — for buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). In response, virtually all plans that covered this treatment removed prior authorization requirements. Medicaid plans should do the same, according to RTI, writing in the July 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).     

Bill to deregulate buprenorphine raises concerns among OTPs

The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act (H.R. 2482) would deregulate buprenorphine. Adminstration of the medication is held to high standards when used in the treatment of opioid use disorder, like methadone. Also like methadone, those standards don't apply when the medication is used to treat pain. The bill only applies to buprenorphine.     

Legalization of marijuana takes another step forward

With approval by the House Judiciary Committee of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE Act) last week, federal legalization of marijuana took a historic step forward. “With today's mark‐up of the MORE Act, the United States is coming one step closer to ending the devastating harms of marijuana prohibitions,” said Maria McFarland Sánchez‐Moreno, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), in a statement released by the DPA Nov. 20.     

Toolkit for MAT in jails and prisons from the National Council

The National Council for Behavioral Health has prepared a comprehensive and timely toolkit, Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Jails and Prisons. The 132‐page manual, a copy of which was obtained by ADAW, was written in conjunction with Vital Strategies. It was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and headed up by Shannon Mace, senior practice improvement advisor for the National Council.     

Parity getting worse,not better: Milliman report

Medical and behavioral (addiction and mental health) care are further apart now than they were two years ago, according to a study published by Milliman Inc. last week. The report, commissioned by the Bowman Family Foundation, shows that the gap for employees and their families between mental/addiction care and medical/surgical care is widening. The report, Addiction and Mental Health vs. Physical Health: Widening Disparities in Network Use and Provider Reimbursement, is based on actual claim data in 50 states for 37 million employees and their dependents.     

BOOK REVIEW

Books reviewed:
Natalie J. Sokoloff and Christina Pratt (eds), Domestic Violence at the Margins: Readings on Race, Class, Gender, and Culture