Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly articles from February 2001

Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly archives from February 2001

SA effort to develop performance measures in testing stage.(substance abuse)(Washington Circle Group)
February 26, 2001... The Washington Circle Group (WCG), which has been working since 1998 on developing performance measures for addiction treatment, may soon find out how feasible its measures are. WCG, which released seven measures last year in the realms...

D.A.R.E. to revamp program approach, focus on social-norms strategy.(Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
February 26, 2001... With substantial financial backing from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program will embark on a five-year implementation of a pilot program designed to achieve better long-term outcomes for...

Welfare enrollees with addictions often lose benefits.(for not complying with program requirements)
February 26, 2001... A three-city study conducted at Johns Hopkins University lists welfare recipients with addiction problems among the beneficiary groups most likely to lose their benefits for not following program requirements. Based on interviews...

Substance abuse providers can no longer ignore nicotine addiction.
February 26, 2001... When future historians look back on this era of behavioral health, their writings will be laced with amusement. They will note how pleased we were with ourselves throughout the last decade, to have begun two great holistic and integrative...

Survey links hands-off parenting, teen drug use.
February 26, 2001... According to a survey released last week by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), three out of four teens live in households where their parents have a "hands-off' approach, making it four times...

FHC launches software application.(FHC Health Systems introduces ABSolute Integrated Solutions software application)
February 26, 2001... FHC Health Systems, parent of managed behavioral health care company ValueOptions and online behavioral health company Lifescape, last week announced the launch of an electronic clinical record and administrative package designed to be used...

Testing firm seeks injunction in patent case.(American Bio Medica Corp. seeks to block Pharmatech from marketing drug testing product)
February 26, 2001... Kinderhook, N.Y.-based American Bio Medica Corp., developer of drug testing kits and support services, last week announced that it is seeking a federal injunction to block distribution of another drug testing company's products. American Bio...

Film chronicles addicts in NYC program.("The Gospel According to Mr. Allen" follows patient treatment in New York City's Addicts Rehabilitation Center program)(Review)
February 26, 2001... Fanlight Productions has released "The Gospel According to Mr. Allen," a 52-minute film tracing the progress of three addicts in the Addicts Rehabilitation Center (ARC) program in New York City. The film, which earned a first-place award at...

.08 gaining momentum in several states.(lowering of blood alcohol level for drunk driving to .08)
February 26, 2001... According to a statement from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), several more states appear to be moving toward passage of legislation to lower the blood alcohol limit for drunk driving to .08. This enhances the possibility that by year's...

HHS announces grants for people with disabilities.(to receive home care)
February 26, 2001... Donna E. Shalala, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), last month announced the release of nearly $70 million in grants to help states enable people with disabilities to reside at home. The grants are...

Early use may predict behavioral problems.(early marijuana use)
February 26, 2001... Many adolescents who smoke marijuana tend to exhibit behavioral problems such as anxiety, depression or aggression throughout their teen years and into adulthood, according to a study published in the January issue of the New York State...

Lung Association says some state laws misguided.(in targeting and penalizing minors who smoke instead of the people who sell tobacco to them)
February 26, 2001... Although states adopted more tobacco control laws than ever in 2000, not all of them had a clear public-health benefit, according to a report from the American Lung Association. "Unfortunately, Big Tobacco continues to wield undue influence...

Study links cravings for alcohol, sweets.
February 26, 2001... A study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina indicates that many people who have had trouble controlling their alcohol use also report having trouble controlling their intake of sweets. According to a Reuters story,...

Youths face serious risks from concurrent use.(of alcohol and cigarettes)
February 26, 2001... Adolescents who use alcohol and cigarettes concurrently are at increased risk of several problems, including poor grades, delinquency and eventual problems with illicit drugs. Researchers at the State University at Buffalo's Research...

Study: College athletes binge drink more often.
February 26, 2001... Findings from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study indicate that college athletes binge drink and suffer alcohol-related harmful consequences at a higher rate than do college students who are not athletes. The first...

In Case You Haven't Heard ...(cigar advertisement in magazines and other print media is increasing)
February 26, 2001... It looks like cigars are getting a free pass in the print media, which focus almost exclusively on their trendiness and business aspects. According to an article in February's American Journal of Public Health, 62 percent of 800 newspaper and...

Faith groups have differing outlooks on government money.(faith-based addiction treatment programs voice concerns over government funding)
February 19, 2001... Bob Cote, founder of the Step 13 program in Denver, says "no thanks" to the idea of using government funds for his 140-bed substance abuse recovery home that includes chapel services for residents. So does Sister Carrie Driscoll, who...

Ecstasy counteroffensive begins amid intense media attention to drug.(public service advertising program planned for Ecstasy/MDMA abuse prevention)
February 19, 2001... The first radio spots in a planned $5 million advertising initiative aimed at young people's use of the drug Ecstasy (MDMA) began airing last month, as anti-drug officials hope to counteract some media reports that they say give too favorable...

SA/MH coalition backs comprehensive parity bill in N.Y.(substance abuse; mental health)(Fair Insurance Today endorses parity laws under the Fair Insurance Treatment Act of 2001)
February 19, 2001... Only five states -- Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont and Virginia -- have enacted comprehensive substance abuse parity laws. A coalition of substance abuse and mental health advocates is trying to make New York the sixth. Fair...

Federal panel designates exemplary youth prevention programs.(under heading of "Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools")
February 19, 2001... The U.S. Department of Education has used an expert-panel review process to identify nine programs under the heading of "Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools" that have been demonstrated effective and thus merit dissemination across the...

PacifiCare data show value of system to monitor client progress.(PacifiCare Behavioral Health introduces the Algorithms for Effective Reporting and Treatment system)
February 19, 2001... Clinical administrators at managed behavioral health care company PacifiCare Behavioral Health are reporting encouraging results from the piloting of a scientific system to measure client progress during treatment and to predict change. They...

JCAHO releases guide to hospital assessment.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's Joint Commission Resources offers The 2001 Self-Assessment Checklist for Hospitals)
February 19, 2001... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' (JCAHO's) Joint Commission Resources subsidiary has announced the availability of The 2001 Self-Assessment Checklist for Hospitals, a book that hospital facilities can use to...

OJJDP has fact sheet on young detainees.(Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
February 19, 2001... The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the availability of "Assessing Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Disorders in Juvenile Detainees," a two-page fact sheet describing an assessment project at...

GAINS Center seeks forum participants.(National GAINS Co-Occurring Disorders and Justice Center)
February 19, 2001... The National GAINS Co-Occurring Disorders and Justice Center is seeking participants for its regional forum entitled "Developing Integrated Strategies for Youth with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders in Contact with the...

Jerome V. Vaccaro.(named president/CEO of PacificCare Behavioral Health)
February 19, 2001... Jerome V. Vaccaro, M.D., vice president and corporate medical director at managed behavioral health care company PacificCare Behavioral Health, has been named president and chief executive of the company. Vaccaro replaces S. Alan Savitz,...

Incentives may work in marijuana treatment.(use of redeemable voucher-based incentives in combination with other behavioral therapies, may improve treatment outcome)
February 19, 2001... The use of vouchers exchangeable for retail goods or services, in combination with other behavioral therapies, can improve treatment outcome for heavy marijuana users, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of...

Study questions effect of 'in utero' exposure.(Albert Einstein Medical Center research finds that environmental factors may be more important in assessing child development than "in utero" exposure to cocaine)
February 19, 2001... A study conducted at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia indicates that environmental factors may be more important than exposure to cocaine in the womb in determining children's future development. Researchers administered tests...

Marijuana may have mental health effects.
February 19, 2001... Several harmful physiological effects have been associated with smoking marijuana, but a new study suggests that using the drug may lead to mental health problems as well. Scientists reviewing several studies reported in the British Journal...

Research examines alcohol's molecular effect.(on the brain)
February 19, 2001... Research published in the December issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research indicates that chronic alcohol abuse can change the programming of certain areas of the brain on a molecular level. The research at the University of...

Short questionnaire can identify at-risk smokers.(before nicotine addiction develops)
February 19, 2001... According to an article published in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, a short, confidential questionnaire can help identify adolescent experimental smoking before nicotine addiction develops. Irwin...

In Case You Haven't Heard.(Sniffer can be used in sobriety test without a person's knowledge or consent)(unreasonable search charges voiced by advocacy groups)
February 19, 2001... The roadside sobriety test is getting more sophisticated, but that isn't sitting well with everybody. The newest controversy revolves around police departments' growing use of the Sniffer, a high-intensity flashlight with miniature alcohol...

Bush's faith-based initiative causing concern among advocates.(White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives)
February 12, 2001... President Bush's establishment last month of a White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to serve as a liaison to nonprofit groups is causing concern among advocates and providers in the addiction field who worry about...

Five-year evaluation of Head Start prevention program shows promise.(Free to Grow child substance abuse prevention program)
February 12, 2001... Mathematica Policy Research Inc. last month released findings of its five-year evaluation of Free to Grow, a pilot program implemented in five communities that sought, through the nationwide comprehensive early-childhood program Head Start,...

N.Y. welfare pilot looks at SA with managed care approach.(Human Resources Administration hires University Behavioral Associates)
February 12, 2001... Recognizing the multiple obstacles that welfare recipients often face in making the transition to employment, New York City officials have launched a pilot program that will take a managed care approach to coordinating a range of job...

Study: PSAs effective in reducing teen marijuana use.(public service announcements)
February 12, 2001... Researchers have determined that televised public-service announcements (PSAs) targeted to specific teen personality types can significantly reduce youths' marijuana use. In a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of...

Ky. dual-diagnosis residence yields remarkable outcome.
February 12, 2001... During a consultation and training visit in Louisville, Ky., in November 1998, we and Stephen Perkins, executive director of Wellspring, discussed the possibility of developing a dual-diagnosis residence for homeless women with serious mental...

Magellan shows growth for third consecutive quarter.(Magellan Health Services Inc.)
February 12, 2001... Magellan Health Services Inc. this month reported its financial numbers for the first quarter of its 2001 fiscal year, showing growth for a third consecutive quarter in revenue, segment profit and cash flow. The company posted net income...

CRJ seeks director of substance abuse services.(Community Resources for Justice)
February 12, 2001... Community Resources for Justice (CRJ) is a private nonprofit organization that promotes a safe and just society by providing direct-care programs, education and advocacy. CRJ has a rich history as a leader in delivering, testing and...

Horizon launches EAP tailored to banks.(HorizonCare Employee Assistance and Work/Life Programs for the Banking Industry)
February 12, 2001... The Lewisville, Texas-based Horizon Behavioral Health Services, a subsidiary of Horizon Health Corp., has introduced HorizonCare Employee Assistance and Work/Life Programs for the Banking Industry, a tailored employee assistance program...

Health care mergers hit seven-year low.
February 12, 2001... The volume of mergers and acquisitions in the health care services field hit a seven-year low in the fourth quarter of 2000, with the total number of transactions in the quarter falling below 100, according to New Canaan, Conn.-based research...

Report assesses disparities in state health coverage.(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives report on "Disparities in State Health Coverage: A Matter of Policy or Fortune?")
February 12, 2001... A new report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives (SCI) program indicates that differences among states in Medicaid coverage levels for at-risk populations cannot be attributed solely to differences in...

Company has videos on employee assistance.(Performance Resource Press offers the EAP Today Video Library)
February 12, 2001... Performance Resource Press, based in Troy, Mich., is offering the EAP Today Video Library, a three-video training, orientation and prevention package for employee assistance programs. The package includes "EAP Today: Orientation," a 12-minute...

JCAHO seeks applicants for Codman award.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; Ernest A. Codman Award for excellence in outcomes management usage)
February 12, 2001... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is seeking applications for the fifth annual Ernest A. Codman Award, which recognizes excellence in the use of outcomes management to achieve health care quality...

Names in the News.(Finn Kavanagh appointed as new vice president of Phoenix House of Florida; Migs Woodside awarded National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Senator Harold Hughes Memorial Award)
February 12, 2001... Finn Kavanagh has been named vice president and regional director of Phoenix House of Florida, based in Ocala. Kavanagh is the former director of strategic planning and development and administrative director at the Center for Drug-Free...

NIDA to supply marijuana for AIDS study.(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
February 12, 2001... The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) will provide marijuana cigarettes to 60 AIDS patients in San Mateo County, Calif., for a 12-week study on the effectiveness of marijuana to relieve AIDS-related pain in the extremities. The county...

Court: Treatment completion won't guarantee early release.(for inmates convicted of certain firearms offenses even if they have completed a drug treatment program)
February 12, 2001... The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that the federal Bureau of Prisons can deny early release for inmates convicted of certain firearms offenses, including in cases where an inmate completes a drug treatment program, Reuters reported. "We...

In Case You Haven't Heard ...(National Beer Wholesalers Association Valentine holiday marketing survey)
February 12, 2001... If another holiday's around the corner, it must be time for another marketing opportunity for the beer industry. The National Beer Wholesalers Association recently asked the question, "What would men like to receive from their sweethearts on...

Federal court protects needle exchange clients.
February 5, 2001... A federal court in Connecticut last month ruled that police may not interfere with the operation of a state sanctioned needle exchange program. According to Alicia Young, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU's) Drug...

In Case You Haven't Heard ...(using a vaporizer to inhale medical marijuana may prevent respiratory harm)
February 5, 2001... A vaporizer could help clear the air over whether patients with serious illnesses should be allowed to use marijuana to relieve their symptoms. According to a study co-sponsored by the California chapter of the National Organization for the...

Early smoking may predict dependence in adulthood.
February 5, 2001... Research reported in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research suggests that starting to smoke at an early age may lead to heavier smoking and other unhealthy behaviors in adulthood among European-Americans and Hispanics. Researchers analyzed...

New Medicaid rules allow coverage expansion.
February 5, 2001... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last month published new rules designed to help more low-income Americans with high medical expenses to become eligible for Medicaid. The changes, published in the Jan. 8 Federal Register, will...

Undetected disorders affect pregnancy outcomes.(substance abuse and psychiatric disorders)
February 5, 2001... Undetected substance use and psychiatric disorders in pregnant women may adversely affect maternal and infant health outcomes, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study, which looked...

Study: Parents and peers influence smoking, drinking.
February 5, 2001... A study reported in this month's issue of the journal Health Education & Behavior found that both parents and peers can promote or discourage substance abuse among teens. Study researchers surveyed more than 4,500 students in grades six...

InfoMC officially integrates provider solution.(offers Behavioral Health Provider Management Solutions)
February 5, 2001... InfoMC, a Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based provider of care management technology for managed behavioral health care companies, employee assistance programs and other entities, has officially announced its launch of Behavioral Health Provider...

CSAP releases guides on substance abuse, violence.(Center for Substance Abuse Prevention)
February 5, 2001... The federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) last month released six new resource guides that focus on key substance abuse issues. Titles include Children of Alcoholics, Impaired Driving; Inhalants; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and...

S.F. treatment on demand: Much progress, long way to go.(addiction treatment on demand)
February 5, 2001... The numbers derived from San Francisco's dramatic effort to offer publicly funded addiction treatment on demand paint a picture of steady progress: more local resources devoted to treatment, shorter waiting lists, and more clients served...

CASA report finds states spending billions on effects of substance abuse.(Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse)
February 5, 2001... The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) has made an ambitious attempt to quantify the fiscal impact of substance abuse on the 50 states, and in the process has made a strong case for more spending on...

RAND finds flaws in federal drug-budget reporting.
February 5, 2001... The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in an effort to better calculate how much the federal government is actually spending on anti-drug efforts, commissioned RAND to examine the drug-budget reporting methodologies...

Drug court leaders keep open mind on Ashcroft.(John Ashcroft)
February 5, 2001... Despite reports that U.S. Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft has historically not supported treatment and demand-side approaches to reducing the nation's drug problems, the lead advocate for the association representing drug courts told...

Study: Gateway theory doesn't apply to new generation.(pattern of drug use progression shows marked difference)
February 5, 2001... A study published in this month's American Journal of Public Health finds that the gateway theory of progression to harder drugs does not apply to young people who started smoking marijuana in the early 1990s. The mid-1990s was a period...