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HEALTH & JUSTICE IN THE NEWS
Date: May 22, 2017
New on TASC's Blog
Collateral Consequences of Convictions
TASC Blog, 5/19/17
TASC submitted comments for the May 19 briefing of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on Collateral Consequences: The Crossroads of Punishment, Redemption, and the Effects on Communities. The briefing focused on the barriers to successful community reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals. Read on for a synopsis of TASC's comments.
Around the Nation
CBO score of GOP healthcare bill to be released Wednesday
The Hill, 5/19/17
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will release its analysis of the House-passed GOP healthcare reform bill Wednesday afternoon. The long-awaited analysis of the bill will give an idea of how the legislation will impact the deficit and how many people could lose coverage.
Shaheen, Hassan, Introduce Bill to Save Drug Control Office
U.S. News & World Report | AP, 5/16/17
New Hampshire U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan have introduced a bill to protect the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which would be weakened under the Trump administration's budget proposal. The office directs the National Drug Control Strategy and acts as the lead federal agency working to coordinate policy to combat the opioid epidemic. Legislation introduced Tuesday by the Democratic senators would reauthorize the office, increase funding for programs, and streamline the office to ensure efficient use of resources.
New Senate bill aims to boost Medicaid addiction treatment access
Modern Healthcare, 5/18/17
A bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday introduced a bill that would allow more substance use treatment center to receive Medicaid payments. The legislation would enable treatment facilities with up to 40 beds to be reimbursed by Medicaid for 60 consecutive days of inpatient services. If passed, the bill would modify the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease law, which currently only allows Medicaid coverage for facilities with less than 16 beds.
Senators urge DEA, CMS and insurers to improve enforcement of responsible opioid prescribing
RiverBender.com, 5/18/17
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have sent letters urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and commercial insurers to use public data to improve oversight of opioid prescribing practices and hold doctors accountable for overprescribing dangerous and addictive painkillers.
Four Police Programs Changing How We Address Addiction (Illinois mentioned)
Addiction Policy Forum, 5/18/17
Agencies and law enforcement leaders are redefining how police respond to individuals with substance use disorders. These law enforcement initiatives include "A Way Out" in Lake County, IL; the STEER program in Montgomery County, MD [TASC assisted in designing this initiative]; the Arlington Opiate Outreach Initiative in Arlington, MA; and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion.
Around Illinois
Marijuana, Heroin, Cocaine: Drug Test Results Vary Throughout Illinois
Peoria Public Radio, 5/22/17
The rate of positive test results for workplace drug testing is on the rise, both in Illinois and nationally. But drill down a bit and you'll notice regional differences in which drugs are more likely to show up. One of the leading testing firms, Quest Diagnostics, released a breakdown. It shows marijuana remains the most common drug to appear in test results. But the rate is higher in Sangamon County and other parts of central Illinois. Sangamon County is the only place in the state where more than 3% of tests were positive for marijuana. Heroin, meanwhile, is more likely to be detected in the Rockford area. Cocaine in Chicago's southern suburbs and opiates in southern Illinois.
Wojcicki Jimenez cheers passage of bill to expand veteran courts
Sangamon Sun, 5/21/17
Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez (R-Leland Grove) touted the recent passage of Senate Bill 1238 as a way to make it easier for veterans to receive the services they need rather than getting lost in the judicial system. "I am honored to sponsor this legislation along with Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) to expand veterans service courts that are giving our servicemen and women a second chance and avoid the traditional criminal justice system," Jimenez said of the bill, which expands Illinois Veterans Treatment Courts.
Half of the inmates shouldn't be here, says Cook County Sheriff
60 Minutes, 5/21/17
At one of the largest jails in the U.S., Sheriff Tom Dart sees his job as not just keeping people in jail, but helping some of them get out. Sheriff Tom Dart says Cook County Jail, with a population of about 7,500, has become a dumping ground for people who are poor and mentally ill. Cook County has implemented a mental health program for some individiuals that is now a model for other U.S. jails and includes medication, doctor's visits and group therapy.
Clients, therapists say culture plays key role in mental health treatment
Daily Herald, 5/21/17
There are nearly 8.4 million people in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, and they have more than 100 different ancestries, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. National averages say half of them will have a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetimes, and one in five adults face such issues in any given year. Understanding culture and the role it plays in the experience and expression of mental health is key to providing an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, experts say. And it seems every culture encounters and perpetuates its own hesitation to discuss mental turmoil, typically out of fear it makes those affected seem weak, crazy, or simply imperfect. The best way to address these fears, psychologists say, is to seek treatment from someone who "gets it" -- someone who shares your cultural background, or someone who is trained to understand.
Research, Reports, and Studies
Family Can Play Lifesaving Role in Overdoses by Using Naloxone: Study
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, 5/18/17
Family members can be active participants in responding to the overdose epidemic by rescuing loved ones with the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, a new study finds. Boston University researchers studied almost 41,000 people who underwent naloxone training, and found family members used the antidote in about 20 percent of 4,373 rescue attempts. Almost all the attempts were successful, HealthDay reports.
Poll: Doctors Are Still Prescribing Lots Of Opioids For Low Back Pain
NPR, 5/19/17
More than half of people say they've suffered lower back pain in the past year, according to the latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll. That's not a surprise; low back pain is very common, and one of the biggest reasons that people seek medical care. But people told us that they're making very different choices in how they treat that pain, with some stark differences among age groups and income levels. And doctors often aren't giving people advice based on the best medical evidence, instead prescribing treatments that don't relieve back pain and can expose people to serious risk, including addiction. In March 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that opioids not be the first choice for chronic pain, saying that patients should try things like exercise and non-steroidal pain pills first.
Youth
Most States Still Deny Juveniles Access to Counsel: Report
The Crime Report, 5/18/17
Fifty years after the Supreme Court ruling that recognized children's right to due process and legal representation, the National Juvenile Defense Center has issued a report that takes a granular look at the juvenile justice system across the states. "Defense representation for youth is indispensable. Unfortunately, state laws and practices largely tell a different story," the NJDC concludes. "Though every state has a basic structure to provide attorneys for children, few states or territories adequately satisfy access to counsel for young people."
Health & Justice in the News
is a summary of recent news stories relating to criminal justice, mental health, addiction, recovery, and related issues. It is compiled and published by TASC each Monday and Thursday.
Some headlines and text have been altered by TASC for clarity or emphasis, or to minimize discriminatory or stigmatizing language. Opinions in the articles and op-eds do not necessarily express the views of TASC or our staff or partners.
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