News from the States
- Missouri health organizations endorse new opioid prescribing recommendations
- Ohio announces $2.5 million in grant funding for recovery housing
Around the Agencies
- SAMHSA names Peggie Rice as new Legislative Director
- AHRQ reports 17 percent decline in hospital acquired conditions since 2010
- NIDA announces 2016 National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
- CMS reports 5.3% growth in healthcare spending during 2014
In the News
- NGA announces Scott Pattison as new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
- White House releases updated federal HIV/AIDS strategy
- National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse releases new guide on best policies for reducing substance use disorders at the State and federal level
Upcoming Events
- SAMHSA announces new quarterly Health IT Webinar series
- SAMHSA announces webinar on increasing health insurance marketplace open enrollment
News from the States
Missouri health organizations endorse new opioid prescribing recommendations
A group of Missouri health providers announced a a new policy recommendation on opioid use. The strategy for reduced misuse and abuse of opioids includes a comprehensive pain assessment prior to prescribing opioids, among nine other suggestions. The sponsoring organizations include the Missouri Hospital Association, the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians, the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, the Missouri College of Emergency Physicians, the Missouri Dental Association, and the Missouri State Medical Association.
Ohio announces $2.5 million in grant funding for recovery housing
Last week the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction (OhioMHAS) announced $2.5 million in grants for the improvement and expansion of recovery housing for Ohio residents with substance use disorders. The grants will support 25 projects in 18 counties in an effort to add 200 new beds to Ohio’s recovery housing system. Tracy Plouck, OhioMHAS Director and NASADAD member, outlined the importance of recovery housing stating, “Recovery housing provides a safe, supportive environment where a person in recovery can adjust to sobriety, rebuild shattered relationships, obtain employment and seek permanent housing.” Ms. Plouck noted that funding was prioritized for high-need communities that have previously not received State funding for recovery housing.
Around the Agencies
SAMHSA names Peggie Rice as new Legislative Director
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) selected Peggie Rice as its new Legislative Director late last month. The Legislative Director position serves as SAMHSA’s primary Congressional liaison and works with constituency organizations to improve the country’s health care systems. Ms. Rice joins SAMHSA following years of experience working with Congress. She previously worked as Legislative Analyst with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and most recently served as a health policy analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Washington, D.C. office. SAMHSA also announced the hiring of Brian Payne as a new Legislative Analyst.
AHRQ reports 17 percent decline in hospital acquired conditions since 2010
A new Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report indicates that a 17 percent decline in hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) occurred between 2010 and 2014. A total of 2.1 million fewer HACs were experienced by patients, saving approximately 87,000 patient lives and $19.8 billion in health care costs. The cause of the decline in HACs remains unclear, yet AHRQ asserts that increases in hospital safety as a result of Medicare payment incentives may be partially responsible.
NIDA announces 2016 National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) announced the dates for the 2016 National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week this past week. The week-long observance will be held from January 25-31, 2016. NIDA encourages organizations to plan and promote educational events or activities for teens during the week. NIDA will offer support for registered events, including free science-based materials and activity ideas.
CMS reports 5.3% growth in healthcare spending during 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that healthcare spending in the United States grew 5.3% during 2014. CMS attributes the growth to major coverage expansions generated by the Affordable Care Act, especially for Medicaid and private insurance populations. New Hepatitis C drugs drove a 12.2% increase in prescription drug spending. Medicaid spending increased 11% in 2014, yet Medicaid spending per enrollee decreased 2%. The report also notes that overall hospital care spending increased 4.1% in 2014, yet hospital prices increased at a slower rate. Federal government healthcare spending grew more quickly in 2014 than other healthcare spending sources, “creating a 2 percentage-point increase in total healthcare spending between 2013 and 2014.”
In the News
NGA announces Scott Pattison as new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
The National Governors Association (NGA) announced Scott Pattison as the new NGA Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer last month. Mr. Pattison previously worked as the Executive Director of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) since 2001, and has also served within the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget and in the office of the Virginia Attorney General. Mr. Pattison began his new position at the NGA on December 1st.
White House releases updated federal HIV/AIDS strategy
The White House released an updated federal plan for addressing HIV/AIDS last week. The plan includes four main goals: 1) reducing new HIV infections through increased prevention efforts and evidence-based approaches, 2) increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV, 3) reducing HIV-related disparities and health inequities, and 4) achieving a more coordinated national response to the HIV epidemic. The plan sets new short- and long-term goals for federal agencies to meet within the next three to five years.
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse releases new guide on best policies for reducing substance use disorders at the State and federal levels
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse released a new guide last week. The Guide for Policymakers: Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment of Risky Substance Use and Addiction outlines best policies and practices for dealing with substance use disorders at the State and federal levels. The guide is the result of more than 20 years of work at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Use, and contains resources and references for individuals working within the substance use disorder field in both the public and private sectors. Contemporary topics such as marijuana legalization, e-cigarettes, and medication-assisted treatment are discussed in depth.
Upcoming Events
SAMHSA announces new quarterly Health IT Webinar series
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a new series of webinars, the first of which will be held on Tuesday, December 8th from 2-3PM EST. The series will partner with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to discuss new developments in health information technology. The first installment will concentrate on the integration of substance use disorders and mental health into health information exchanges (HIE), and will feature several speakers from SAMHSA, ONC, the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization (CORHIO) and the Quality Health Network (QHN) of Colorado.
SAMHSA announces webinar on increasing health insurance marketplace open enrollment
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHA) announced a new webinar focusing on increasing health insurance marketplace enrollment for States targeting substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. SAMHSA has partnered with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to present the webinar, and will discuss strategies for increasing health insurance enrollment for individuals with substance use disorders. Kana Enomoto, Acting Administrator of SAMHSA; Michael Botticelli, Director of ONDCP; and Tom Hill, Acting Director of CSAT will speak during the webinar. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, December 8th from 2-3:30PM EST.
Should you have any questions, or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Robert Morrison, Executive Director, (202) 293-0090 or Shalini Wickramatilake-Templeman, Public Policy Associate, at (202) 293-0090.