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Articles Archive for December 2012

Drunk Driving, Featured, Headline, Impaired Driving »

[ 20 Dec 2012 | One Comment ]
Give your car keys to a friend. Don't drive while impaired.

Written by: Angela Rampton
Thousands of lives are lost each year due to drunk, drugged, or distracted driving, and these numbers don’t even take into account the harm done to families and friends who are left behind.
Each year a proclamation is made declaring December to be National Impaired Driving Prevention month to raise awareness of the devastating effect this problem has on our nation, and to help highlight the steps we can take to prevent it.
In this year’s proclamation, President Obama urges families to “talk about the risks and set clear …

Crisis, Disaster Response, Featured, Headline, Trauma »

[ 14 Dec 2012 | 5 Comments ]
Sad girl sits with a helping hand extended

The headlines coming out of Connecticut are heartbreaking and our thoughts are with those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
Questions are many at a time like this.
 How can we cope with the tragedy?  How can we speak about the events with young children? What can health professionals or emergency responders do at these times? How can we make our schools even safer? What other resources are available?
In response, we’ve set up a website with information and resources titled “SAMHSA Coping with Violence and Traumatic Events.”
You can find …

Featured, Headline, Prescription Drugs, Treatment »

[ 14 Dec 2012 | No Comment ]
Capsule Pills

 SAMHSA Medical Officer Melinda Campopiano addresses concerns about provider care and prescription drugs raised by a recent TEDS Report  on benzodiazepene and narcotic pain reliever treatment admissions.
 What needs to be considered by providers when they’re prescribing drugs that can lead to misuse or addiction?
Judgment is crucial, but having accurate information upon which to base one’s judgment is a necessary first step.
How does a provider fulfill this “necessary first step” and obtain accurate information?
The APA guidelines recommend all patients be screened for substance use disorders prior to being prescribed psychiatric …

Behavioral Health, Featured, Headline, Health Disparities, Public Awareness and Support, Trauma »

[ 10 Dec 2012 | 9 Comments ]
Trauma

Increasingly, multiple federal agencies representing various service sectors have recognized the impact of trauma on the children, adults, and families they serve.  In 2011, in its strategic action plan, SAMHSA designated Trauma as one of its key initiatives.  This led SAMHSA to revisit its trauma-related concepts and programming and their applicability not only to behavioral health but to other related fields.
In May 2012, after an extensive literature and policy review, SAMHSA convened a group of national experts to assist in the development of a working definition of trauma and trauma-informed …

Children, Education, Featured, Headline, Health Disparities, Training, Trauma and Justice, Uncategorized »

[ 7 Dec 2012 | One Comment ]
How Can We Prevent the Use of Seclusion and Restraints with Children?

By Larke Huang and Paolo del Vecchio
Too often, children and youth with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders are subject to seclusion and restraint (SR) in settings that are intended to help children and promote their healthy development. 
Once thought to be “therapeutic” techniques, we now recognize these as non-therapeutic, often re-traumatizing for the youth, and disruptive of a therapeutic relationship.  Use of restraints can often result in injuries to both the child and the staff and even deaths. 
A front page article in today’s Washington Post reported on allegations of the repeated …