SAMHSA: Behavioral Health an Ever-Smaller Percentage of Total Health Spending

Although national spending on mental health and substance abuse grew between 1986-2005, it accounts for a shrinking part of the part of the pie, according to an analysis of public and private spending on health care done by the Substance…

SAMHSA: Behavioral Health an Ever-Smaller Percentage of Total Health Spending

Although national spending on mental health and substance abuse grew between 1986-2005, it accounts for a shrinking part of the part of the pie, according to an analysis of public and private spending on health care done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

NIDA Brings Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Education to the Web

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is taking its efforts to bridge the gap between physician education and high-quality care of patients with drug abuse to selected medical schools, and ultimately, to the World Wide Web.

New Dietary Guidelines on Alcohol Keep Daily Drinking Yardstick

“

Thanks to comments from public health advocates — including many of you — the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not suggest a weekly average for alcohol consumption. Consistent with current scientific evidence, the guidelines suggest up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men for moderate consumers.

“

NYC Bans Smoking in Parks, on Beaches

The New York City Council approved a measure that prohibits smoking in city parks and on public beaches, The New York Times reported Feb. 2. After arguments pitting personal liberty against public health, council members overwhelmingly approved the measure 36-12,…

NYC Bans Smoking in Parks, on Beaches

New York’s City Council approved a measure that prohibits smoking in city parks and on public beaches.

For Treatment Providers: a ’Health Reform Readiness Index’ from NIATx

“

Wisconsin-based NIATx has developed a self-assessment tool for behavioral healthcare treatment providers, designed to help agency leaders determine their organization’s capacity to ’undertake the changes resulting from health care reform, parity legislation, state budget shortfalls, and increased performance accountability.’

“

Study Links Private Alcohol Sales to More Deaths

A study led by a researcher at the University of Victoria in British Columbia found a strong correlation between an increase in private liquor stores and alcohol-related deaths, Reuters reported Jan. 31. The study was conducted in British Columbia between…

Drug Czar Issues ’Bath Salts’ Warning

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) issued a nationwide warning about the dangers of legal synthetic drugs often marketed as bath salts while various states moved to ban them, the Associated Press (AP) reported Feb. 2….