EAP & SUD Provider Network Newsletter |
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Season's Greetings!
BPA Health wishes you a happy and
healthy holiday season!
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BPA Health News Updates and Reminders:
In October, Provider Network Management sent out a new contract to our EAP provider network via a DocuSign email. Thank you to those who have signed and sent it back! If you have not completed this, we’d like to ask that you please do so ASAP. Because this contract is not specific to certain lines of business, being signed to the new contract will make it smooth to opt in to new service lines. We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please contact us at providerrelations@bpahealth.com.
Move recently? Accepting new clients? Not taking new clients? – Please make sure to keep your profile current. Here are links to the correct form:
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Resources/TIPs:
Crossroads of Western Iowa has received a grant to start Project Hope, a series of free virtual mental health support sessions December – January for those impacted by Covid-19. While all sessions are free and open to the public, they will touch on areas of particular importance for first responders, essential workers, and students. Recordings are available for those who are unable to attend live. Learn more and register here.
Safe and Sober Housing providers may want to follow a bill designed to improve the quality and availability of “Recovery Housing.” It is expected to be submitted to Congress in 2021. More information and the press release can be found here.
The National Association of Recovery Residences (NARR) has developed a free Advocacy Tool Kit. Download the kit. NARR also invites all Recovery House (SSH) providers to join their monthly advocacy calls the Wednesday of the month at noon MST. Contact Danielle at danielle@ohiorecoveryhousing.org in order to get the call in information.
CMS Finalizes 2021 Physician Fee Schedule - This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final 2021 updates for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program, finalizing the expansion of certain telehealth services in Medicare and evaluation and management (E/M) payment redistribution. Specifically, the final rule adds more than 60 services to the Medicare telehealth list to be covered beyond the public health emergency and strongly encourages the adoption of electronic prescribing of controlled substances. The bulk of the rule will be effective on January 1, 2021. Click here for the final rule and the physician fee schedule fact sheet.
Counseling Assistance for Frontline/Essential Workers (Idaho): Know someone who provides face-to-face services in the community? Grocery workers, transportation workers, mental health or medical professionals, etc.? They may be eligible for five free counseling visits. Click here for details or call (866)536-0239 for a referral today.
Idaho Strong COVID Help Now Line (Idaho): 8 am – 8 pm MST/7 days a week. The COVID Help Now Line offers statewide support for Idahoans challenged by the stress associated with this global pandemic. Call or text (986) 867-1073 or toll free (866) 947-5186. You may also now chat with a live representative! Click here for more information.
Funding Opportunities:
Statewide Consumer Network Program - The purpose of this program is to improve efforts to address the needs of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) by developing and/or expanding peer support services, peer leadership, and peer engagement strategies statewide. SAMHSA plans to issue 12 awards of up to $95,000 per year for up to 3 years. Application Due: January 4, 2021.
Mental Health Awareness Training Grants - It is expected that this program will prepare and train others on how to respond appropriately and safely to individuals with mental disorders, particularly individuals with SMI and/or SED. SAMHSA plans to issue approximately 134 awards of up to $125,000 per year for up to 5 years. Application Due: February 5, 2021.
Building Communities of Recovery - The purpose of this program is to mobilize resources within, and outside of, the recovery community to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery support from substance abuse and addiction. SAMHSA plans to issue 19 awards of $200,000 per year for up to 3 years. Application Due: February 15, 2021.
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Training Opportunities:
January 6, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. MT - Enhanced Prevention Learning Series (EPLS): Leveraging Systems Change in Substance Misuse Prevention - This six-week distance learning series offers an interactive experience for participants to explore the role of systems change in substance misuse prevention. The distance learning series will include skill-based learning opportunities, individual and group activities, reading assignments, and group discussion. Other session dates include: January 13, 20, 27, and February 3, 2021. Free.
January 11, 2021 at 10:00 – 2:00 MST – Motivational Interviewing (MI) t raining for those new to MI or needing a refresher. Cost is $79 per person. Offered by the National Council.
January 12, 2021 at 11:00 – 12:00 MST. Risk Management Changes in Response to COVID-19. The National Council is sponsoring learning opportunity with Ron Zimmet, JD, Joe Parks, MD, and Sola King, SHRM to discuss risk-management strategies for organizations when considering both in-person and remote work. Free.
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Monthly Blog:
There is Hope for Compulsive Shopping
by Starr Shepard,
BPA Health Community Programs Manager
Overshopping and overspending around the holidays are things that many people can relate to, but according to Shopaholics Anonymous, between 5 – 9% of Americans are compulsive shoppers to the point that it causes serious consequences in their lives. While the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) does not recognize shopping addiction as a distinct behavioral disorder, it is something that does cause harm in sufferers’ lives such as relationship problems, financial difficulties, and loss of self-esteem.
Shopping addiction goes by many names including compulsive spending, compulsive shopping, shopaholism, and oniomania. All of these terms describe the obsessive or uncontrollable urge to purchase items that stems from a desire to decrease anxiety, to fill a void, or to distract from negative feelings. According to Shopaholics Anonymous, there are several types of these shoppers:
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Compulsive shoppers often shop to regulate negative emotions such as depression, loneliness, stress, and feeling out of control. Compulsive shopping often leads to a cycle of anxiety, shopping, elation, guilt, anxiety and thus the cycle begins again.
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Codependent shoppers: These people often think that owning just the right item or giving the perfect gift will gain them approval and love from others.
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Bargain shoppers: These shoppers are seeking the euphoria of finding a good deal even if it’s for something they don’t need. They’ll often buy something unnecessary just because they have a coupon or because they fear missing out on the deal. They also like the thrill of the hunt.
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Collector shoppers: These shoppers have a compulsive craving to complete sets of objects to have many colors or varieties of the same objects. They can take it to the extreme of having every surface of their homes filled with their collections, and they’re always out to get more of their desired object.
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Image shoppers: These individuals often buy status symbol items that they feel will gain them elevated social status. Most often these items are eye-catching and expensive which they use to boost their self-esteem by gaining the attention of others.
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Bulimic shoppers: These shoppers get caught in endless cycles of binge-buying and then subsequently returning their purchases.
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Trophy shoppers are shopping to find the perfect item, whether it be something that perfectly matches an outfit or a style of home décor. They are like bargain shoppers in that they enjoy the thrill of the pursuit, although for them it’s not the price that matters, but the exhilaration of finding it.
While the concept of “Retail therapy” is often approved of and even exalted in American culture, the behavior is more complex than can be explained by simple materialism. It can be a sign of an impulse control problem that can coexist with other mental health issues. It can cause a person to feel out of control and people who find themselves in this situation can benefit from the services of a therapist to help them break the cycles. There are also support groups such as Debtors Anonymous and Spenders Anonymous available online.
Compulsive shopping is often minimized in our society, but it does cause harm to people. Experts urge more research in this area as it affects upwards of 20 million Americans in such serious ways as increased marital discord and divorce, rising debt, and decreased savings. There are ways to overcome it, and help is out there.
PC-280-12-21-2020
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Provider Relations| BPA Health | 1 (800) 688-4013 | providerrelations@bpahealth.com | bpahealth.com
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