When bad news happens: Leadership and focus on patients keeps staff morale high

As they work doggedly to elevate the standing of the addiction counseling profession, the national and regional leaders of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals continue to encounter industry trends that, if unchecked, threaten to diminish the perceived value of counselors. From the proliferation of medication treatment delivered absent counseling to the embrace of peer support services that lawmakers often confuse with therapy, many of today's hot‐button issues in addiction services would appear to make the task of counselors' advocates that much harder.     

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.     

Opioid withdrawal not lethal to fetus,if via medication taper

First of all, this story is not about Craig Towers, M.D., the charismatic Tennessee‐based OB‐GYN whose methods for detoxing pregnant women from opioids are not endorsed as standard of care by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It is, however, about debunking the myth that pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) must be maintained on agonist medication (methadone or buprenorphine). They don't need to be. They can be tapered instead.     

New CSAT director shares views with AATOD attendees

Louis Trevisan, M.D., came to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) only a few months ago as its new director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). An addiction psychiatrist, he was at the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) conference in Orlando last month for most of the meeting, focusing on the opioid crisis.     

42 CFR Part 2 now up for SAMHSA rulemaking change

After complaining about 42 CFR Part 2, the regulation requiring patients to consent to release of their substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records, for years, but saying that Congress had to fix it, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is on the brink of changing the regulation.     

Using telehealth for buprenorphine induction and engagement

CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, a Rhode Island–based opioid treatment program (OTP), has just won a $372,597 contract to implement a telehealth project that will create a rapid crisis response system linking high‐risk populations with buprenorphine. We spoke with Linda E. Hurley, president and CEO of CODAC, on how the program will work.     

State attorneys general join effort to make 42 CFR Part 2 like HIPAA

In a sign‐on letter released last week, 38 state attorneys general (AGs) called for weakening 42 CFR Part 2, the federal regulation that requires substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers to obtain written consent from patients before releasing their information to anyone.     

New theories of nicotine‐psychosis link challenge the old

For some time, the link between cigarette smoking and schizophrenia has been clear. For decades, it has been assumed that this was due to one of two causes: “reverse causation” (smoking relative to the illness, by self‐medication or institutionalization) or by confounding (such as social factors or cannabis use).     

NASADAD: The view from SAMHSA,from a state and from CMS

Last week, state directors and other attendees of the annual meeting of the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) were treated to a stunning opening reception by the delegation from Hawaii, including entertaining, dancing, music and delicious food. The next morning, they heard from federal and state officials about important issues they are dealing with — starting with how to use the STR and SOR grants.