SAAS UPDATE - March 27, 2009
Greetings!
Things continue to be very busy in DC and around the country. The budget and healthcare reform remain at the top of everyone's priority list. Our discussions with legislators focus on the need for additional funding in the system as well as the need to include addiction services in any discussion taking place around healthcare reform. I encourage each of you to communicate these messages to your Congressional delegation locally. Now is the time for increased advocacy efforts around the country. LAC is doing a great job keeping SAAS members informed of Federal legislative activity in DC. Now it is up to everyone in the field--SAAS members, staff, clients, families, and friends of the field, to carry the message locally. If you have questions or need assistance with your Federal advocacy efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me or the staff at LAC for assistance.
We continue to move forward with our fundraising and organizing efforts for the National Advocacy Campaign. SAAS has recently contracted with Debra Gilmour of Almour Group, LLC, to serve as the field director for the Campaign and to enhance mebership services for SAAS. We have also contracted with Angela Halvorson to create a monthly NAC newsletter. We are working to identify benchmarks that will help guide us in our fundraising and organizational development efforts. These benchmarks will be announced in an upcoming newsletter so stay tuned! We are also coordinating a NAC fundraising dinner that will be held in conjunction with the upcoming SAAS Conference in Tucson. Watch future SAAS Updates for more information.
Time is flying and before we know it, it will be time for the 2009 SAAS Conference and NIATx Summit in Tucson, Arizona. We have an incredible line-up for you and look forward to seeing you there. Because we know that so many of you are struggling with budget cuts in your states, we have extended the early-bird registration deadline to May 1. Make your reservations now for the 2009 NIATx Summit and SAAS National Conference. You can view the workshop and plenary line-up by visiting the conference website at http://www.saasniatx.net/Home.aspx.
As you know, I look forward to visiting each state association and meeting your staff and your members. I was pleased to be invited to attend the Connecticut provider meeting last week. I was very impressed with the amount of advocacy work that is happening there and look forward to working with the folks from Connecticut in the future.
As always, if there is anything that SAAS or I can do for you, do not hesitate to contact me. Stay tuned for more information on our advocacy efforts and the many other projects SAAS is working on.
Thanks for all you do to support the field and the people you serve.
Becky Vaughn
Executive Director
State Associations of Addiction Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAAS Spotlight
National Advocacy Campaign Membership News
SAAS and the Legal Action Center (LAC) are pleased to announce the newest member of the Founding 500: John Coppola, Director, Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State.
He joins our effort to dramatically improve policy for people with alcohol and drug histories so that millions more Americans are able to enjoy the benefits of recovery.
If you would like to join our advocacy efforts and become a member of the Campaign's Founding 500 by making a donation of $1,000 or more, or to make a donation of any amount, click here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAMHSA News
SAMHSA Accepting Applications for Statewide Consumer Network Grant Program
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is soliciting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2009 Statewide Consumer Network grants to help statewide consumer-run organizations build a solid foundation for delivering and sustaining effective mental health services. Annual awards are expected to be up to $70,000 or less per year, and applicants may request a project period of up to 3 years.
Eligible applicants are domestic public and private nonprofit entities, tribal and urban Indian organizations, and community and faith-based organizations that meet the criteria for consumer-controlled organizations and that are not current recipients of a SAMHSA Statewide Consumer Network grant. Applications for No. SM-09-014 are available by calling SAMHSA's Information Line at 1-877-SAMHSA7 or through the SAMHSA website. Applicants are encouraged to apply online using this link.
New Report Reveals Rise in Treatment Admissions for Prescription Pain Killers
Treatment admissions for prescription pain killer misuse has risen dramatically over the past decade - from constituting 1 percent of all admissions in 1997 to now representing 5 percent, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The study, Trends in Adolescent Inhalant Use: 2002-2007, combines data from six years of National Surveys on Drug Use and Health to create a picture of substances that first attract young teens. The data show that marijuana, non-medical use of prescription drugs and inhalants have been consistently the top three choices. The TEDS 2007 Highlights report is the latest in a series of yearly reports from SAMHSA providing demographic and other information on substance abuse treatment admissions from state licensed treatment facilities across the country.
"The TEDS report provides valuable insight into the true nature and scope of the challenges confronting the substance abuse treatment community," said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick. "By carefully analyzing this data, the public health community can better anticipate and address emerging needs." The complete report is available online.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Professional Development Opportunities
Now is a Great Time to Invest...In Developing Yourself and Others
Build the skills you need to embrace today's leadership challenges by attending the upcoming (June 3-5) NIATx Executive Leadership Academy. Click on this link to learn more about how this workshop will accelerate your learning as a leader, help you master a leadership development strategy you can teach others, and apply new self-knowledge to guide your personal and professional growth.
California's Ninth Annual National Information Management Conference & Exposition
Take advantage of early bird registration for the upcoming conference, Addressing the Needs of Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Programs. The conference will take place April 22-23, 2009 at the Anaheim Crowne Plaza Hotel. April 3rd is the new deadline for obtaining the Early Bird Registration Discount and April 10th is the new deadline for the hotel group discount rate.
This conference is the premier learning community for those making decisions about the selection, implementation and best uses of information technology for behavioral health programs. Presenters include national experts predicting policy trends and experienced implementers of electronic health record systems. This is also a great opportunity to network informally with others who can help your organization stay informed and move forward more rapidly with health information technology advancements. The exhibit hall is sold out and will be filled with the major software vendors who serve the behavioral health care field.
To view the program and register, please click here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News From Around the Field
Save Big on Unemployment Taxes With UST
The current state of the national economy has adversely impacted state unemployment insurance (UI) trust fund solvency. With more people collecting unemployment and for longer periods of time, many states are finding their unemployment accounts close to depletion. Due to the nature of the unemployment tax system, current trust fund solvency issues will impact future unemployment tax rates. As states approach insolvency, they must take loans from the federal government and inevitably raise unemployment taxes to pass repayment of loan costs to employers.
One way for nonprofits to avoid these higher rates is to turn to programs like the Unemployment Services Trust. UST offers nonprofits 60% saving on their unemployment taxes over the next 5-10 years and 25% guaranteed savings off the state unemployment tax rate in the first two years. With over 2,100 member organizations nationwide and 26 years of successful operation, UST offers security and stability in these difficult economic times.
2009 is a year when most nonprofits will be exploring ways to manage with smaller budgets. If SAAS members are looking for ways to lower expenses without compromising programs, UST can be a good fit. Many SAAS state associations have been working with UST for several years. If you would like information specific to your state or are interested in bringing this program to your institution, please visit the UST website or contact Becky Vaughn.
National Quality Forum Releases Care Coordination Call for Measures
In this project, NQF will endorse quality measures that address the aspects of care coordination that ensure the patient's needs and preferences for health services and information-sharing across people, functions, and care sites are met over time. This "Call" solicits candidate measures for review, evaluation, and potential endorsement as national voluntary consensus standards that relate to the coordination of practitioners, provider organizations, and treatments involved in a patient's care.
NQF is formally soliciting performance measures for care coordination that address evaluating and reporting pressing quality issues. Additional details can be found on the NQF website. The deadline for measures to be submitted electronically is by 6 pm (EST), Friday, April 17.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Offers Stimulus Opportunities
On February 17, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will receive $10.4 billion dollars through the Recovery Act to create and retain jobs through health-related research funding and the development of research infrastructure.
In response, NIH has announced the opportunity for investigators and U.S. institutions with active research grants to request up to two years of supplemental funding for the purpose of promoting job creation, economic development, and accelerating the pace and achievement of scientific research. These initiatives are offered through NIDA to help fulfill the goals of the Recovery Act to help stimulate the economy through support of biomedical and behavioral research.
Complete information on NIDA's supplement initiatives can be found by clicking here. Please be sure to check the NIDA Recovery Act website frequently for updates on additional stimulus programs.
Alcohol "Flush" Signals Increased Cancer Risk Among East Asians
Many people of East Asian descent possess an enzyme deficiency that causes their skin to redden, or flush, when they drink alcohol. Scientists from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and Japan's Kurihama Alcohol Center now caution that heavy alcohol consumption greatly increases the risk for esophageal cancer among such individuals, who comprise about 8 percent of the world's population. Their review of recent research appears in the March 24, 2009 issue of PLoS Medicine.
The study notes that the flushing response is a clinically useful biomarker of genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer risk from alcohol, and a clinician can reliably determine whether a patient is at risk simply by asking about previous episodes of facial flushing after drinking alcohol. "It is very important for clinicians who treat patients of East Asian descent to be aware of the risk of esophageal cancer from alcohol consumption in their patients who exhibit the alcohol flushing response, so they can counsel them about limiting their drinking," says NIAAA Acting Director Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the primary U.S. agency for conducting and supporting research on the causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment of alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol problems. Additional alcohol research information and publications are available at by clicking here.
Helpful Tips For a Successful State Legislative Day
Advocacy expert Brad Fitch likens overseeing a lobby day to being the ringmaster of a three-ring circus. His 2008 article, Orchestrating the Ultimate Advocacy Circus, outlines strategies to successfully plan and execute an association's legislative agenda. The article describes some of the major challenges associated with a "fly-in," as the event is also known, from extensive coordination of logistical details, attendees' differing expectations and uncooperative legislative offices, to the importance of concise, convincing talking points. Fitch provides a series of helpful solutions to navigate what is often a fast-paced environment to ensure a productive meeting between associations and their state legislators. The complete article is available on the ASAE & Center for Association Leadership website.
Nomination for Assistant Secretary for Health in Department of Health and Human Services Announced
President Barack Obama announced this week his intent to nominate Dr. Howard Koh, the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), to be assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The assistant secretary for health is responsible for the major health agencies, including the CDC, FDA and NIH, and is the leading health advisor to the Secretary of HHS.
Dr. Koh has served as the Principal Investigator of multiple research grants related to community-based participatory research, cancer prevention, health disparities, tobacco control, and emergency preparedness. He is also Director of the HSPH Center for Public Health Preparedness. Dr. Koh previously served as Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1997-2003) where he emphasized the power of prevention for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which included four public health hospitals and a staff of over 3,000 professionals.
Dr. Koh graduated from Yale College, Yale University School of Medicine and completed his postgraduate training and chief residencies at Boston City Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. He has earned board certification in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology, and dermatology, as well as a Master of Public Health degree, and has published over 200 articles in the medical and public health literature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About SAAS
The State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) is the leading national organization advocating on behalf of state associations of prevention, treatment, and recovery providers and the individuals and families they serve. For more information about SAAS programs and initiatives contact bvaughn@saasnet.org [bvaughn@saasnet.org].
