June 2010 - Sober News

If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant and you also someday want to be a grandmother, there's a new reason to not drink while you are pregnant, according to Danish researchers. Drinking while pregnant has been found to effect the sperm of...

“We found a 29 percent reduction in hospitalizations compared with the period immediately preceding the change to recovery-focused programs.” Position: President and CEO Organization: SERV Behavioral Health System, Inc. Location: New Jersey Services: Residential mental health, residential developmental disability (support for co-occurring disorders), day programs, outpatient treatment programs Staff: 750 As a high-school student, Gary...

“When I retire, I'll know that I did what my parents asked of me: I gave back.” Position: Executive Director Organization: Center for Dependency, Addiction, and Rehabilitation (CeDAR) at the University of Colorado Location: Aurora, Colo. Services: Comprehensive diagnostic assessment and treatment services to help individuals and their families overcome addiction and co-occurring disorders, including residential treatment, extended...

A recent CDC study found that while 89 percent of adults agreed with the statement that “treatment can help persons with mental illness lead normal lives,” just 57 percent agreed that “people are caring and sympathetic to those with mental illness.” Though study authors speak of the need for continued efforts, activities, and media relations to boost these numbers still higher, I took comfort in the findings. In my 25 years...

On June 9, the major associations representing the mental health and substance use fields assembled in a historic gathering to affirm that they will speak with one voice in implementing national health reform. Those gathered unanimously agreed to combine the efforts of the Whole Health Campaign and the Coalition for Whole Health into a single entity-represnting 110 organizations-with the latter name, all in support of implementing the provisions of...

In the 1980s and ‘90s, managed care companies first sought to use “disease management” strategies as a way to deliver better healthcare at lower costs. But these early approaches never caught on with customers for two reasons. First, they failed to meaningfully “engage” the customers in the process and second, their “disease only” focus missed the fact that people struggling with serious or chronic conditions...

Just a few years ago, Georgians in crisis or in need of behavioral health services had two options: find a provider on their own or call one of 25 “single-point-of-entry” lines serving portions of Georgia to get provider information. Both options required individuals to make their own appointments, which often weren't immediately available. Many who sought help ended up in hospital emergency rooms, state hospitals or local jails, significantly...