Practice Management Insight

September 2013

A report on events affecting Oklahoma providers

National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

National Pain Awareness Month

American Pain Foundation

September 1 – 7

Suicide Prevention Week

American Association of Suicidology

Addiction Severity Index (ASI)

September 3 - September 4

Rewards Reminder Visit Training

September 4

RBSS TOT

September 4

Problem Gambling Core Level Part I

September 5 - September 6

Cross Cultural Learning Collaborative Training

September 5

September 7 – 13

National Assisted Living Week

National Center for Assisted Living

Case Mgmt Training-TULSA-Reg Deadline 08-27-2013

September 10 - September 13

NEO and TherOps

September 10 - September 13

Peer Recovery & Wellness Conference

September 10

SOAR Training -BROKEN ARROW

September 12 - September 13

Addiction Severity Index (ASI) Up-Date Training

September 13

September 15-21

National Rehabilitation Week

National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation

Wraparound 101

September 16 - September 17

Grievance & Appeals Process (GAP)

September 17

The Teen Addiction Severity Index (T-ASI)

September 18

OHTI Institute: Working with Youth Offenders

September 18

OHTI Institute: The Culture of Urban Poverty

September 18

2M2L TOT

September 19 - September 20

ASAM

September 23

Case Mgmt Training-OKC-Reg Deadline 09-10-13

September 24 - September 27

RBSS Booster Session

September 24

Nicotine Dependence Treatment Symposium

September 25

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

September 26

ODMHSAS Board Meeting

September 27

Family Support Provider (FSP) Training

September 27

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

SEPTEMBER

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Using data to demonstrate performance: It's everybody's role

In fast-changing world, volume plus efficiency is the new standard

In his talk about "The Three As: Accountability, Accessibility, Affordability, at the Behavioral Healthcare Leadership Summit, David Buccifero traced the trajectory by which data is being used to improve behavioral health services and outlined how providers could integrate data in their own operations to keep up

Buccifero, who served for years as a New York State behavioral health official and now serves as an adviser to Foothold Technology, told listeners that the push toward more effective use of data started with federal HIPAA legislation and has since accelerated through the 2008-09 ARRA and HITECH stimulus legislation and the Affordable Care Act.

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Nature and nurture form basis for addiction

Genetics play a role in addiction, but there are other causative agents. Norman G. Hoffmann, PhD, adjunct professor of psychology at Western Carolina University, likens an individual’s genetic disposition to lactose tolerance. In Northern Europe, where cattle have been domesticated for hundreds of years, the vast majority of people have no difficulty metabolizing lactose. But in countries where cattle domestication occurred much later, far fewer people tolerate lactose.

For lactose tolerance, one gene is responsible. But in addictions, the role of genetics is far more complicated. More genes are involved.

Genetic predisposition is certainly a factor in severe substance use disorders, i.e., dependence, but heritability is not the only factor, Hoffmann told attendees at the NCAD conference in Anaheim, Calif. on Sept. 22. Also critical to addiction are age and epigenetics, that is, the effect of environmental factors on gene expression.

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Molly is not new, but remains highly dangerous

Over the most recent Labor Day weekend, there were at least four reported deaths of young people related to the use of the drug “Molly.” Two of those deaths happened in New York City at the Electric Zoo concert, while the third took place in Washington, D.C. and the fourth in Boston (also at music events).

In 2009 and 2010, Syracuse University was devastated by the use of a (supposedly) new drug called Molly. It quickly spread to wealthy, white suburban kids around the East Coast. In 2012, it started making its way into poorer and minority communities, and a number of music artists (Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Madonna) have referenced it in their songs in the last two years.

I first came across Molly in January 2011 when a 15-year-old from Tewksbury Township, N.J., one of the wealthiest communities in the United States, was brought to my private practice by his parents. They had found around 500 gel caps along with a bag of powder.

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