The Behavioral Health Network and Directory Improvement Act would strengthen network adequacy standards and directory accuracy requirements for mental health and addiction provider networks.
Trauma can feel like a powerful wind, and can leave a person feeling broken and lost. When someone is hurting like that, it’s not uncommon to turn to anything that can make the pain go away, even for just a little while. That’s where substances come in.
COVID flexibilities allowing buprenorphine prescribing without first requiring an in-person exam are set to expire. The TREATS Act would make these flexibilities permanent to preserve expanded treatment access.
When we talk about harm reduction, we are not asking our loved ones to use substances less or to stop altogether; rather, we want them to be safe. Having these conversations can be difficult, but communication strategies like the Information Sandwich can help.
Developed in Switzerland, the Bernese Method allows your loved one to continue using their opioid of choice at first, while adding in small, increasing doses of buprenorphine at the same time. This gradual approach has led to promising results, as patients report the process to be more manageable and less overwhelming.
Stimulants, which include cocaine and amphetamines, speed up the body’s system, which increases blood pressure and heart rate. This can result in serious health issues, and they are often involved in overdoses.
Opioids have been involved in most overdoses in the U.S. over the past several years. These include heroin, morphine, prescription opioids and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. While you may wish that your loved one not use opioids at all, if they do, here are some harm reduction strategies for opioid use that you can share with them to reduce their risk of illness and death.
Regular drinking can have serious health consequences, including the risk of several kinds of cancer. You may wish that your loved one not drink at all, but if they do use alcohol, occasionally or frequently, here are some strategies you can share with them to reduce the risks associated with use.
Dabbing is a method of consuming marijuana in a concentrated form. Referred to as “dabs,” these marijuana concentrates usually look like dark brown or yellow-colored wax and can feel very sticky and gummy. Marijuana dabs are used by vaporizing the concentrates on a hot surface and inhaling the resulting fumes. Slang terms for dabs include butane hash oil, honey oil, budder, crumble and shatter.
It can be hard to know how best support and care for an adult child. There is no playbook. It can sometimes be more challenging if they are not living at home, especially when you receive that panicked phone call they need help. While there are no one-size-fits-all answers to these concerns, we offer some suggestions as to ways you can maintain positive relationships with your adult children.
The SAFE in Recovery Act would make care more accessible for parents with SUD, prevent undue family separation, and ensure effective treatment and wraparound services are available to families.
You might have heard some worrying stories or rumors saying that marijuana may be laced with fentanyl, but it's important to look closely at these claims and figure out if they're true. The short answer is that they are false -- there is no solid evidence that marijuana is being laced with fentanyl. Here are some of the reasons why:
In recent years, edible products containing THC, flavored alcoholic seltzers, and nicotine vapes are marketed to young people with sweet, fruity, and minty flavors. Companies pay influencers and celebrities to endorse them. Plus, the discreet packaging makes it easy to hide from adults.
Having co-occurring depression and substance use can make both conditions worse and harder to treat. A loved one may use substances to cope with their depression, but this can lead to using more and more of the substance to get relief.
Are your loved one’s concerning thoughts, emotions and behaviors the result of a mental health disorder or a substance use disorder? Determining differential diagnosis is important because treatment for a mental health disorder can be very different from treatment for a substance use disorder.
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