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‚Let’s Put Our Money Where The Savings Are‘ Says Howard Meitiner, President And CEO Of Phoenix House. When it comes to drug and alcohol abuse, the allocation of federal and state health care dollars is just plain backward, asserts Howard Meitiner, President and CEO of Phoenix House, the nation’s leading non-profit alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention agency. In a thought-provoking opinion piece on the Phoenix House blog, Rising Above Addiction, Mr. Meitiner insists that re-appropriating funds toward treating addiction — rather than treating the expensive symptoms and consequences of addiction — would save not only lives, but vast amounts of money. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/30/09)

There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men. Using data collected when young adults were 24, 27 and 30 years of age, a team of University of Washington researchers found that nearly half the sample of 776 young adults tracked during the study met the criteria for one of these conditions at each of these time points. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/24/09)

Today minorities make up one-third of the U.S. population, and by 2050, it is predicted they will become the majority in the United States. The demographic changes anticipated over the coming decades magnify the importance of addressing health disparities. Alcohol causes more harm than any illicit drug in the United States. A focus on alcohol-related health disparities is particularly important as major changes unfold in the way in which health care is delivered and financed. Where’s the research? (Source: Marin Institute, 9/7/09)

Proposed Accreditation Standards Could Compel U.S. Hospitals to Screen Patients for Addictions
A proposal to include screening and brief intervention for addictions in national quality and accreditation standards for hospitals could be one of the most important developments ever for addiction treatment — or wind up being something far less significant, depending upon the outcome of ongoing discussions and feedback from the medical community. (Source: Join Together, 9/11/09)

Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health have identified a gene associated with multiple cases of alcoholism, drug abuse and other addictive behaviors in white women of European origin. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/4/09)

The U.S. Navy has announced that it is increasing the pace of drug tests and implementing other measures to deter illicit drug use and binge drinking. Random testing of Navy personnel will be increased 50 percent, and all sailors who move to new postings will be subjected to drug tests within 72 hours of reporting for duty. Those who test positive for illicit drugs will be automatically discharged, as will sailors with a second drunk-driving offense. (Source: Join Together, 8/28/09)

SAMHSA Launches Funding Website: A new website launched last week by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) includes current information on addiction and mental-health funding for treatment, prevention, and interventions, as well as a archive of funding-related reports, news and other information. This and other funding news on the latest newsletter of Join Together (to register)

One of the big concerns about national healthcare reform in USA is the prospect of government rationing of care, but a pair of recent stories shows that such decisions are already made in the U.S. as well as in Europe when it comes to caring for alcohol-related illnesses. (Source: Join Together, 8/14/09)

Last month, a California Assembly subcommittee hearing on alcohol and drug problems became the launching pad for a new state-wide coalition, the Charge for Harm Alliance, its mission to pass AB 1019, the Alcohol-Related Services Act in 2010. (Source: Marin Institute, 7/8/09) (Video)

June 30 marked the end of the fiscal year for a number of states, and with many suffering from dramatic budget shortfalls, the question looms large, how many states will raise alcohol taxes to prevent cuts in much-needed programs and services. While California’s budget still remains uncertain, several states have taken action, including New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. (Source: Marin Institute, 7/9/09)