SAMHSA’s Award-Winning Newsletter

July/August 2010, Volume 18, Number 4

Text: S | M | L

Oil Spill Response: Making Behavioral Health a Top Priority

We’ve all seen the heartbreaking images of oil-covered beaches and wildlife; what we haven’t seen is the families grieving the loss of their way of life. SAMHSA and four Gulf states recently received $52 million from BP to fund mental health and substance abuse support services. Read more . . .

SAMHSA, Gulf States Receive $52 Million for Behavioral Health

To help relieve stress and anxiety in the Gulf Coast region, BP has contributed $52 million to fund behavioral health support services and outreach programs.

Social Media: Staying Connected

SAMHSA’s Facebook and Twitter pages offer ongoing updates to the oil spill response.

Tip Sheets Can Help

SAMHSA recently released several tip sheets to help people cope with the oil spill disaster. Topics include how to help children cope, dealing with grief, and stress relief for workers.

Federal and Local Resources

HHS and Federal agencies maintain Web sites dedicated to oil spill information.

Multicultural Outreach & Data

Campaigns Focus on Three Populations

In Chinese. In Spanish. For American Indians or Alaska Natives. SAMHSA partners with the Ad Council to create public service campaigns on mental health.

Data Highlight Special Populations

Three recent reports focus on Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native adults.

Trauma

Responding to Child Traumatic Grief

When children lose loved ones, what happens then? A recent publication and CD provides a training curriculum.

— Creating a Trauma Narrative

Policy Academy Promotes Behavioral Health for Service Members

To help states plan and provide services to returning service members, veterans, and their families, SAMHSA recently convened a Policy Academy to help soldiers as they return from the battlefield.

Trends

Treatment Admissions: Dramatic Rise in Abuse of Pain Relievers

More and more treatment admissions are reporting abuse of pain relievers.

Admission Patterns over a Decade

Marked changes have occurred in admissions for substance abuse treatment in the past 10 years. Read the report from the Treatment Episode Data Set.

Statistics

In the ER: Reports on Suicide Attempts

What are the substances showing up in emergency rooms around the Nation related to suicide attempts by adolescents and young adults? Read two reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network.

States Report on Substance Use, Mental Health

State-by-state analyses update data on alcohol abuse, cocaine, pain relievers, and more from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Oil Spill Distress Helpline—Call toll-free 1-800-985-5990. Information, support, and counseling is available for families and children affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The toll-free helpline links callers to behavioral health care services in the Gulf Coast states. Read the press release.

Subscribe to SAMHSA News

Go green with our eNewsletter!

Enter Email

Download & Share

From the Administrator

Coping with the Oil Spill

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D., talks about participating in public forums in the Gulf states with Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin. Read more.

Your Latest Comments . . .

SAMHSA has received additional comments for a total of 250 emails in response to “What’s in a Term?” Read latest responses.

Recovery Month

Ready for Recovery Month?

September is here! Visit RecoveryMonth.gov for details on the biggest celebration yet!

Women & Substance Abuse

New Data on Women Who Work Full Time

How does employment affect women’s substance abuse and treatment admissions?

Suicide Prevention

Remember the Lifeline!

Feeling desperate, alone, or hopeless? Call SAMHSA’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Medicaid

Medicaid Eligibility & Mental Illness

Read about a model program in Oklahoma that helped increase Medicaid enrollment by 17 percent.

Other News

Treatment Directory Available

National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2010 is now available.

Entertainment Industry Meets with Treatment Experts

SAMHSA’s Dr. H. Westley Clark participated in an expert panel of treatment professionals to answer questions about accurate depictions of substance abuse in the entertainment industry.