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Articles in the Health Disparities Category

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 …

Behavioral Health, Featured, Headline, Health Disparities, Office of Behavioral Health Equity, Public Awareness and Support »

[ 25 Jul 2012 | No Comment ]
OBHE

Written By: Larke Huang and Michelle Flores, Office of Behavioral Health Equity 
July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This gives us an opportunity to pause and ask ourselves: are we making progress in meeting the mental health needs of our diverse racial and ethnic populations across the country.  In terms of disparities for these populations, have we improved access to care?  Have we improved the quality of care?  And, as a result, are we seeing better mental health outcomes in terms of promotion of mental health and appropriate treatment and …

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

[ 15 Jun 2012 | 3 Comments ]
060612-LGBT-populations-100x65

Written By: Brian Altman, Legislative Director, SAMHSA
June is LGBT Pride Month and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration recognizes the importance of ensuring equity and meeting the behavioral health needs of the LGBT community.
SAMHSA’s mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities includes the LGBT community.  SAMHSA has developed manuals, training curriculums, treatment protocols and toolkits to address training needs. These materials are designed to address the 31 LGBT-specific/inclusive Action Steps in SAMHSA’s eight Strategic Initiatives.
Although SAMHSA is proud of these resources, there …

Featured, Headline, Health Disparities, LGBT, Mental Health, Public Awareness and Support, Treatment »

[ 31 May 2012 | No Comment ]
Panel discussion at the 65th World Health Assembly

Written By: Winnie Mitchell, International Officer, SAMHSA 
At the May 21-26 World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, SAMHSA Administrator, Pam Hyde, gave the U.S. statement in favor of a historic resolution on “The Global Burden of Mental Disorders” and the need for a comprehensive, coordinated response from health and social sectors at the country level that was enacted by the technical committee with only two minor amendments.  The resolution went on to the full Assembly where it passed without opposition.
Over thirty countries joined Administrator Hyde in stating support for the …