|
HEALTH & JUSTICE IN THE NEWS
Date: June 18, 2018
TASC in the News
Barbara Hillman, labor attorney who represented wide range of workers, dies
Chicago Tribune, 6/15/18
Barbara Hillman was an early and longtime member of TASC's board of directors
With Cornfield and Feldman, she worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Rev. Martin Luther King's Chicago Freedom Movement in 1965. [Melody M.] Heaps was working for the SCLC and met Hillman around that time. Heaps went on to found TASC Inc. of Illinois, originally Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime. The nonprofit aimed to relieve the burden on the courts by diverting people charged with nonviolent offenses into supervised community drug treatment. Hillman was Heaps' choice to assist in that: "When I founded TASC in 1976, I knew I needed an attorney who understood social justice issues."
Around the Nation
Broad health-care coalition opposes administration stance in anti-ACA lawsuit
The Washington Post, 6/14/18
A broad swath of health-care constituencies weighed in on Thursday to oppose a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act, forming an uncommonly united front against a decision by the Trump administration not to defend significant parts of the law. Hospitals, doctors, medical schools, patient-advocacy groups, the health insurance industry and others filed briefs in a federal court in Texas, disputing the argument of 20 Republican-led states and the Justice Department that all or part of the 2010 law is unconstitutional. In all, 11 friend-of-the-court briefs were filed. From various vantage points, each argues that a ruling in favor of this latest challenge to the ACA's constitutionality would "have a devastating impact on doctors, patients, and the American health care system as a whole," as a brief from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry puts it.
Congress tackles mounting opioid epidemic
The Hill, 6/17/18
Congress is touting its recent flurry of action - the House is on track to pass more than 50 bills addressing the issue by the end of this week - on an issue that is hitting many constituents hard, and one that lawmakers are sure to hear about on the campaign trail this year. Still, many public health advocates, who applaud the steps taken by the House, also caution that more work is needed to truly end the scourge of overdose deaths, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing congressional leaders.
Lawmakers ask for increase in suicide prevention funding
The Hill, 6/14/18
Two House lawmakers are asking for more funds for suicide prevention efforts in the wake of a report that showed rising rates across the country. Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.), co-chairs of the bipartisan House Suicide Prevention Task Force, noted Wednesday that funding for suicide prevention programs has remained flat or decreased in recent years.
FDA clears 1st generic film strip of addiction drug Suboxone
ABC News | AP, 6/14/18
U.S. regulators have approved the first generic version of an under-the-tongue film for treating opioid addiction. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a generic version of Suboxone, a film strip that dissolves under the tongue. Used daily, it reduces withdrawal symptoms, cravings for opioids and the high from using them. The medication combines buprenorphine and naloxone. It's used along with counseling and other behavioral therapy.
Overdose death toll declines in Ohio county hit hard by opioid crisis
The Washington Post | AP, 6/17/18
A hard-hit Ohio county that has expanded availability of naloxone during the opioid epidemic has been experiencing a decline in its overdose death toll. Hamilton County's program of increasing overdose antidote availability and quick response to requests for addiction treatment started last fall, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Public health officials increased distribution of the overdose-reversing Narcan nasal spray by 375 percent over a seven-month period.
Around Illinois
Rauner, Sanguinetti provide update on effort to combat opioid epidemic in Illinois
Northwest Herald, 6/15/18
Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti joined officials at the Human Service Center in Peoria on Friday to meet with individuals who are receiving treatment for substance use disorder and discuss the state's latest efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Illinois. "This epidemic is affecting every community and every demographic with tragic outcomes, but we've made it a priority to get people the help they need," Rauner said. "We've toured the state listening to people who need our help. We've helped over 4,000 people get connected to resources through our opioid helpline. We're limiting people's ability to doctor-shop, and we've put life-saving medications in the hands of people whose loved ones are struggling with opioid use. They're the first line of defense in an emergency, and over the past year, nearly 2,000 overdose reversals were reported. That's nearly 2,000 lives saved."
Lieutenant governor: Communities should be envious of DeKalb opioid collaboration
Daily Chronicle, 6/12/18
Since 2008, opioid overdoses have killed about 11,000 Illinoisans, Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti said. Sanguinetti has been traveling across the state as a way to raise awareness about the growing crisis. On Tuesday, she appeared in DeKalb to meet with community stakeholders and gather input about strategies to fight overdose deaths and effectively treat opioid and other substance use. After meeting with law enforcement, public health officials and other stakeholders, Sanguinetti said some of the collaborative steps DeKalb County is taking should be the envy of other communities.
Mental health resources in southern Illinois
WSIL, 6/16/18
Suicide rates across the nation are up, but there is help available for those who are thinking about taking their own life. News Three spoke with a clinical manager at Centerstone who explained how someone can find help for themselves or for a loved one here in southern Illinois.
Research, Reports, and Studies
Rural Areas Have The Highest Suicide Rates And Fewest Mental Health Workers
The Huffington Post, 6/18/18
There is a severe shortage of mental health workers across the U.S., but the problem is most pronounced in rural areas. There isn't a single psychiatrist in 65 percent of nonmetropolitan counties, and almost half of those counties don't have a psychologist, according to a report from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine released this month. Patients like Sue, who are desperate for care, will often turn to overburdened emergency rooms, which often don't have the systems in place to help people with mental health issues.
Dangerous MRSA Infection on the Rise Among People Who Inject Drugs
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, 6/14/18
Infection with the dangerous bacteria MRSA is on the rise among people who inject drugs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People who inject heroin and other drugs are 16 times more likely than other people to develop severe illnesses from MRSA, the CDC reported. MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, can live on the skin without causing symptoms. But the bacteria can become dangerous if it enters the bloodstream, where it can destroy heart valves or cause other serious health problems. An estimated 11,000 people die from MRSA-related causes in the United States every year, the Associated Press reports. In 2016, 9 percent of MRSA cases involved injection drug users, compared with 4 percent in 2011.
Reduced Hospitalizations After Recovery Coach Contact in Patients With Substance Use Disorder
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, 6/14/18
People with a substance use disorder (SUD) had lower hospitalizations after working with a recovery coach, a study presented at the recent American Society of Addiction Medicine annual meeting suggests. People with a SUD are almost twice as likely to be readmitted to the hospital compared to those without. Patients' visits to mental health and primary care outpatient services increased after recovery coach contact, the study found. Recovery coaches are trained peers with a history of SUD. Although recovery coach interventions are being implemented nationwide, Dr. Magidson noted there is limited data to support their impact on costs or clinical outcomes.
Youth
U.S. teens are taking fewer risks with their health, though drinking and unsafe sex are still common
Los Angeles Times, 6/14/18
The school year is over, and public health officials have issued a report card for America's high school students. On the whole, the marks are good. Fewer U.S. teens are having sex or using illicit drugs. (There's no mention of rock-and-roll.) They're also less likely to drink and drive, smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol on a regular basis. The overall prevalence of most health-risk behaviors has moved in the desired direction," wrote a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Adolescent and School Health. However, they added, "many high school students are engaged in health-risk behaviors associated with the leading causes of death" for their age group. The assessment is based on data from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The CDC conducts the survey every other year with a randomly selected, nationally representative group of students in grades 9 through 12. The students, from both public and private schools, answered up to 99 questions covering a wide range of topics. A total of 14,765 questionnaires were used to compile this report.
Many Recommend Teaching Mental Health in Schools. Now Two States Will Require It.
Pew Charitable Trusts, 6/15/18
Amid sharply rising rates of teen suicide and adolescent mental illness, two states have enacted laws that for the first time require public schools to include mental health education in their basic curriculum. Most states require health education in all public schools, and state laws have been enacted in many states to require health teachers to include lessons on tobacco, drugs and alcohol, cancer detection and safe sex. Two states are going further: New York's new law adds mental health instruction to the list in kindergarten through 12th grade; Virginia requires it in ninth and 10th grades. Nationwide, cities and states have been adopting a variety of initiatives over the past decade to address the rising need for mental health care in schools. But until this year, mandated mental health education had not been part of the trend.
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.
|
