SAMHSA publishes guidelines and toolkit to strengthen crisis care in America’s communities

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has published “Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives,” a collection detailing crisis intervention services, best practices and related components of crisis services, to be used by a wide array of community leaders and health care providers to work toward better outcomes for Americans in crisis.

The book is composed of SAMHSA’s “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care: Best Practice Toolkit” and related papers on crisis services. The toolkit reflects relevant clinical and health services research and reviews top national program practices and replicable approaches that support best practice implementation. The related papers address key issues relevant to crisis services, homelessness, technology advances, substance use, legal issues impacting crisis services, financing crisis care, diverse populations, children and adolescents, rural and frontier areas, and the role of law enforcement.

All drug overdoses rising in children ages birth to 10 and 11 to 14

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently conducted a retrospective analysis of emergency department syndromic surveillance data to detect quarterly trends in suspected drug overdoses from April 2016 through September 2019. Trends in suspected nonfatal drug-related overdoses (all-drugs, opioids, heroin, and stimulants) were examined for youth aged 0 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 to 24 years.

The researchers observed a 2.0- and 2.3-fold increase for youth ages birth to 10 years and ages 11 to 14 years, respectively, for suspected all-drug overdoses, on average. For youth ages 15 to 24 years, suspected heroin overdoses decreased by an average of 3.3 fold per quarter. “Our results suggest that targeted interventions, even with young children, such as multifaceted approaches, including school, family, and medical providers, may be warranted to prevent overdoses requiring medical treatment.” the authors write.

Matters of Substance Radio Broadcast

The Porter County Substance Abuse Council (PCSAC) hosts a weekly radio broadcast, Matters of Substance, which provides an informative look at how addiction plays an ever-increasing role in our communities. "Matters of Substance" take on the opioid epidemic, but includes discussion on other issues touching addiction and usage of all kinds. The broadcast is on Sunday’s (6 p.m. - 7 p.m.), Tuesday’s (10 a.m. - 11 a.m.), Friday’s (4 p.m. - 6 p.m.) and Saturday’s (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.). Visit the website to tune in.

Follow us! @INDTrauma

Check out our website:

UPCOMING EVENTS

Taking it to the streets: Treatment, Housing and Recovery during COVID-19

Time TBD   Dec. 16

PTACC (Police, Treatment and Community Collaborative) is offering a seminar which will examine the current COVID-19 landscape with respect to its impact on criminal justice deflection systems at a community level.The panel of nationally recognized experts from law enforcement, behavioral treatment and recovery services will discuss challenges in community recovery support systems that COVID has impacted as well as potential solutions at a policy and funding level. Additionally, the panel will discuss the ongoing migration at a national policy level from a focus on abstinence alone to recovery services and its impact on deflection and the systems that support the process.

To register for this event, click here.

Substance Use Disorder Care: Pandemic and Beyond

12 PM - 1:30 p.m., Dec. 16

The Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addiction (IRETA) is hosting a webinar on the impact of the current global pandemic on substance use, overdose, and health care utilization. Presenter Mary Jo Cerepani will discuss telehealth legislation and regulation, including temporary waivers that have permitted broader access to care, the evidence to support telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment, specifically, and future considerations once the public health emergency has finally ended.

To register for this event, click here.

COSSAP Webinar: Operation Safe Station Addressing the Opioid Crisis – News on a Multidisciplinary Effort

2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Dec. 17

Arlington County (Virginia) leaders will provide an overview of “Operation Safe Station”, a multidisciplinary effort designed to reduce the dangerous impacts of opioids and other drugs in the community, as well as promoting treatment options for individuals who are seeking them. The County Office of the Commonwealth Attorney, the police department, the Sheriff’s office, and the department of human services have collaborated to develop a process by which individuals who seek help with their drug use can self-report and receive these services without fear of prosecution and incarceration.