NHADACA's Announcements

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: New Hampshire CRSW Test Preparation Group Trainer

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:42:26 GMT

New Hampshire CRSW Test Preparation Group Trainer

Issued By: New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association

Issue Date: 12/01/2025

Proposal Due Date: 12/22/2025

Point of Contact:

Maddie Kiernan

NHADACA

603-225-7060

Madison@nhadaca.org

The Credentialing Support Partnership program at the New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association (NHADACA) invites proposals from qualified individuals or organizations to develop and facilitate a test preparation group for candidates pursuing the New Hampshire

Certified Recovery Support Worker (CRSW) credential. The goal is to support participants in successfully passing the IC&RC Peer Recovery (PR) examination, which is required for CRSW certification through the New Hampshire Board of Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: New Hampshire CRSW Supervisor

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 14:44:29 GMT

New Hampshire CRSW Supervisor

Issued By: New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association

Issue Date: 09/02/2025

Proposal Due Date: 09/17/2025

Point of Contact:

Maddie Kiernan

NHADACA

603-225-7060

Madison@nhadaca.org

Questions regarding this RFP may be submitted to Maddie Kiernan at madison@nhadaca.org by September 17, 2025. Answers will be shared with all potential applicants. Late submission will not be accepted.

The Credentialing Support Partnership program at the New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association (NHADACA) is seeking proposals from qualified professionals to provide external supervision to Certified Recovery Support Workers (CRSWs) in accordance with New Hampshire Board of Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals (LADC Board) standards. The selected contractor will deliver professional supervision to ensure NH recovery support workers meet certification and renewal requirements, maintain ethical standards, and enhance the quality of recovery support services.

INTO LIGHT Project NH exhibition – Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:01:08 GMT

New Law Speeds Up Credentialing for Mental Health Providers in New Hampshire

Wed, 28 May 2025 18:13:05 GMT

Governor Kelly Ayotte has signed House Bill 507 into law, a major step forward in improving access to mental health care across the state. Starting January 1, 2026, health insurers will be required to process credentialing applications from mental health professionals within 30 days—matching the timeline already in place for primary care providers.

This legislation, championed by the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) and supported by healthcare leaders and mental health advocates, removes a key administrative barrier that has delayed care for many Granite Staters.

“This law brings mental health help closer to home for more people, faster,” said Insurance Commissioner DJ Bettencourt. “It strengthens our workforce and ensures qualified providers can get to work without unnecessary delays.”

The NHID will continue working with insurers and providers to ensure a smooth rollout of the new requirements.

Learn more at insurance.nh.gov .

Help Shape NH's Alcohol Fund Strategy

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:40:53 GMT

The Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs is seeking to gather information from professionals, those with lived experience around substance use, and all New Hampshire residents to inform strategic decisions around Alcohol Fund investments.

There will be four opportunities for participation:

Attend the in-person public forum on Tuesday, April 15th at NHTI – Sweeney Auditorium 122 (31 College Drive, Concord, NH 03301) from 4:00-6:00 pm.
Attend the in-person public forum on Wednesday, April 16th at The Rocks – Jane Difley Classroom (113 Glessner Rd, Bethlehem, NH 03574) from 4:00-6:00 pm.
Attend the online public forum on April 22nd via Z oom from 4:00-6:00 pm.
Provide your thoughts on your own time via this sho rt survey .

For more information, visit https://nhcenterforexcellence.org/governors-commission/ .

The Credentialling Support Partnership has Launched a New Free Training Series

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:45:38 GMT

Register for upcoming sessions below!

There is no fee to register or attend any of these training sessions as this CSP series has been made available through funding by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

CSP Lunch & Learn: ASAM 4th Edition Skill Building Training

January 15, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Virtual

CSP Lunch & Learn: Pain and Pain Management: Supporting Individuals with Chronic Pain and Co-Occurring Conditions

January 24, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Virtual

CSP Lunch & Learn: Demystifying Qualified Services Organization Agreements: Strategies for Preparing, Negotiating, and Implementing QSOAs under 42 CFR Part 2

March 12, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Virtual

CSP Lunch & Learn: A Primer on Non-Medical Prescription Opioid Misuse: Prevalence, Trends, and Clinical Implications

March 27, 2025 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Virtual

CSP Lunch & Learn: Autism spectrum disorders, co-occurring conditions, and substance misuse

June 5, 2025 | 9:00AM - 12:00PM
Virtual

Join a Peer Collaboration Group!

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:36:55 GMT

NHADACA's Clinician Wellbeing Network offers monthly groups, topics include:

Grief and Loss - 2nd Wednesday from 8:00am-9:00am; virtual; for clinicians experiencing grief and loss.
Wellness - 1st Wednesday from 8:00am-9:00am; virtual; for all clinicians.
Open Discussion - 3rd Thursday from 9:30am-11:30am; virtual; for all clinicians.
Independent Practice - 3rd Wednesday from 8:00am -9:00am; virtual; for those in or intending to be in a private practice.
Clinical Supervisors - 4th Thursday 12:00pm-1:00pm; virtual; for MLADCs providing clinical supervision
Vicarious Trauma - TBA

NHADACA is Welcoming Two New Board Members

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:21:52 GMT

We’re thrilled to welcome two exceptional new members to our Board of Directors! Please join us in welcoming Robert Meshna and Ivysue Hranac. Their expertise and commitment to our mission will be invaluable as we continue to expand our impact and strengthen our community.

Robert Meshna, LADC, CRSW, NCPRSS - The Doorway of Greater Nashua.

Biography:

I have worked in the substance use/behavioral health field for 13 years. I started my career in Florida working in inpatient substance use treatment facilities.

I moved to New Hampshire where I met my wife and now have a two-year-old son. I continued to work in a local inpatient treatment facility and eventually

found my way to the Doorway of Greater Nashua in 2020. I obtained my NCPRSS with NAADAC in 2018. I have been a licensed CRSW since 2019 and became a CRSW supervisor in 2022. I recently obtained my LADC in May 2024. I graduated from SNHU summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in human services with a concentration in substance use. I am currently enrolled in a Master of Social Work program at UNH. I have worked at the Doorway of Greater Nashua for over 4 years helping people access treatment and providing recovery support services. I enjoy advocacy work, helping people into and maintain recovery, and helping with professional and personal growth. I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, doing yard work and DIY projects.

Statement of interest:

I would love the opportunity to join the board to help other students through any questions about licensing career guidance, professional development. Sharing personal experiences and experiences of others can normalize and positively reinforce people’s goals and aspirations during what can be anxiety provoking times. I experienced limited career guidance with many schools when deciding which school to attend and there were many limitations that advisors faced when guiding students. Many of these experiences have also been shared by my peers and colleagues over the years. I also experienced challenges in the licensing process and wish I had someone to help me through them.

Ivysue Hranac, LICSW - Rockingham County Department of Corrections

Biography:

Ivysue currently works at Rockingham County Department of Corrections as the Mental Health Supervisor. She has worked with individuals who have mental health issues as well as cooccurring issues. She has been a case manager, intern, clinician and supervisor/program director prior to her current role. In her former role she was the program director for a program which placed individuals who were incarcerated for dangerous crimes and had a mental health issue

into the community for re-integration. Currently she is working on obtaining her MLADC credentials. She has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a MSW from the University of Wyoming and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in New Hampshire and Washington state. She has worked in the mental health field for 14 years and believes in bringing a humanistic approach to her work. She has provided training in Motivational Interviewing and continues to use this experience as she works with individuals who are incarcerated. She is raising two of her grandchildren with her partner and recently moved back to New Hampshire from Washington.

Statement of interest:

I would like to serve on the NHADACA board because I am excited to be in community with other individuals who believe in the mission of NHADACA. I look forward to discussions with people who have more knowledge than I do about the SUD system and how we can support all SUD clinicians to better the outcomes of the humans we work with. I have personal as well as professional insight into some of these issues and would hope to be helpful in shaping our state to be a leader in the SUD and Co-occurring milieu.

The Contract Lifecycle Series 3 is Open for Registration

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 15:15:43 GMT

The Contract Lifecycle is a series of finance trainings designed for those who contract with the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Register for upcoming sessions below!

There is no fee to register or attend any of these finance training sessions as this finance training series has been made available through funding by the Bureau of Drug & Alcohol Services in collaboration with the NH Charitable Foundation.

The Contract Lifecycle: Department of Health and Human Services Contracted Provider Finance Training

January 27, 2025 | 9:00AM - 12:00PM
In-Person - NH Audubon

The Contract Lifecycle: Uniform Guidance

February 10, 2025 | 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Virtual

The Contract Lifecycle: Indirect Costs - March 3, 2025

March 3, 2025 | 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Virtual

The Contract Lifecycle: Budgets, Revisions, and Ratio Requirements

April 7, 2025 | 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Virtual

The Contract Lifecycle: Mid-Series Overview

April 21, 2025 | 9:00AM - 12:00PM
In-Person - NH Audubon

The Contract Lifecycle: Subrecipient Monitoring

May 5, 2025 | 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Virtual

The Contract Lifecycle: Invoicing and Supporting Documentation

May 19, 2025 | 11:30AM - 12:30PM
Virtual

The Contract Lifecycle: Series Wrap-up - June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025 9:00AM - 12:00PM
In-Person - NH Audubon

Emerging Drug Threat: W-18

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 12:29:20 GMT

Revised Alc Rules

destiny@nhadaca.org (Destiny Heery) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:44:36 GMT

On August 8, 2024, the LADC Board adapted the revised Alc 400 rules, which will take effect in 60 days. The public has 30 days to email the LADC Board with any questions or concerns pertaining to the new rules. Additionally, The LADC Board also advised that they are re-opening the Alc 300s again.

Follow the process below, per the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), to submit a request:

Plc 209.01 Requests for Explanation of Adopted Rules .

(a) Any interested person may, within 30 days of the final adoption of a rule, request a written explanation of that rule by making a written request to the executive director, for any rule in title Plc, or to the board that adopted the rule, for rules in any title other than Plc.

(b) A request submitted pursuant to (a), above, shall include:

(1) The name and address of the person making the request and, if the requestor is an entity, the name, address, and email address of the individual authorized by the entity to make the request; and

(2) Identification of the specific rule for which an explanation is sought.

Click here to review the revised changes.

NAADAC 2024 Annual Conference & Hill Day: Learn, Connect, Advocate, Succeed

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:27:51 GMT

Join more than 1,500 addiction professionals in Washington, DC for the NAADAC 2024 Annual Conference & Hill Day from October 18 to 23, 2024! Engage in learning, networking, advocacy, and success.

NAADAC's 2024 Conference offers a comprehensive six-day educational event focused on addiction, featuring intensive training sessions by renowned experts, a day dedicated to advocacy on Capitol Hill, poster presentations, an expansive exhibit hall, special events, ample networking opportunities, and many additional activities!

The NHADACA Board of Directors awards 2 of our members with a scholarship to attend this event annually.

As a NHADACA member, you can submit a scholarship application by July 22, 2024.

Scholarship Application

You can read more about this event here: https://www.naadac.org/annualconference

Online Training Modules for Each New England State With Free Narcan OTC by Mail

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Fri, 03 May 2024 13:11:01 GMT

The University of Rhode Island offers access to six free continuing education modules for healthcare professionals on substance use disorders (SUD), requesting bulk naloxone for distribution to your community, and/or requesting a free "live" overdose response training seminar for your group or organization. Seminars are offered via Zoom and are geared towards the general public or can be accredited for 1 hour of live CEU for healthcare professionals (live CEU available for pharmacists, nurses, social workers, or licensed mental health counselors).

Learn more here: https://web.uri.edu/rota-r/

Financing Peer Recovery Support: Opportunities to Enhance the SUD Peer Workforce

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Fri, 03 May 2024 13:03:31 GMT

A new report, released by SAMHSA, explores the financing, utilization, and regulatory structures of providing peer recovery support services (PRSS) for substance use disorder (SUD) recovery process within federal grant programs and state Medicaid programs. This report identifies challenges and opportunities to finance and strengthen the PRSS workforce. It also provides a description of the variation in peer recovery rates, supervision, credentialing, and substance use disorder vs mental health.

You can find it here: https://www.samhsa.gov/cfriutm_source=SAMHSA&utm_campaign=935ab5c617EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_04_08_05_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-935ab5c617-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]

In addition, SAMHSA also released a webinar covering the same topic. You can access the webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyMr6SA5Hy4

CMS Approves New Treatment and Billing Rules for Mental Health Counselors

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:15:43 GMT

New Opportunity for Master Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (MLADCs) and expansion of care!

Effective January 1, 2024:

Treatment and Billing by Mental Health Counselors (MHC) has been approved through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

With the publication of the new rules for CMS billing and services reimbursement, mental health counselors (MHC) can officially enroll in Medicare and begin to treat individuals with substance use disorders and mental health conditions. The term “mental health counselor” is defined broadly to include licensed and certified professional counselors, as well as addiction counselors and alcohol and drug counselors. Eligibility requirements specify that individuals:

(1) have a master’s or doctorate degree in counseling,

(2) are licensed or certified by the state in which they furnish services, and

(3) have performed at least 2 years or 3000 hours of supervised clinical experience after obtaining their degree.

For an brief overview of the updates for eligibility requirements for addiction professionals, please review https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-schedules/physician-fee-schedule/marriage-and-family-therapists-mental-health-counselors . A more comprehensive update for the rules can be found at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-11-22/pdf/2023-24293.pdf .

While there are some limitations with billing for Medicare services based on level of care (specifically for IOP/PHP programs), this is a positive step towards recognizing and supporting the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) in the State of New Hampshire. The approved billing services include:

Bundled substance use disorder (SUD) payments for:
SUD management and counseling
SUD services provided in an office setting, including:
Overall management
Care coordination
Individual and group psychotherapy
Substance use counseling

SAMHSA updates their Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:24:28 GMT

The revised Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit from SAMHSA provides comprehensive guidance to various stakeholders on averting and addressing overdoses. Highlighting harm reduction and treatment accessibility as crucial elements of overdose prevention, this toolkit complements existing training programs. It outlines the significance of opioid overdose reversal medications such as naloxone and nalmefene, along with strategies for prompt response during an overdose event. Additionally, tailored appendices cater to specific audiences, including individuals who use drugs, those prescribed opioids, first responders, healthcare providers, and more.

You can access this resource here: https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/overdose-prevention-response-kit-pep23-03-00-001.pdf

The 2024 NH Magnify Voices Artistic Expression Contest is Now Accepting Entries!

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:36:32 GMT

The 2024 NH Magnify Voices Expressive Art Contest is officially open for submissions from Granite State students in grades 5 through 12!

You’re invited and encouraged to share your creative pieces reflecting your personal experiences with mental health. The panel of judges, each bringing diverse expertise, will select winners from two grade categories: 5th-8th and 9th-12th. Winning entries will be showcased statewide to promote awareness, eliminate stigma, and drive positive change. Magnifying Voices is a vital component of the NH Children's System of Care (CSoC), a comprehensive approach to behavioral healthcare for children and families, encompassing prevention initiatives, community support, and clinical services.

You can visit CSoC’s website for more information and to submit your artwork: https://nhcsoc.org/magnify-voices/

HHS Finalizes Part 2 Revisions

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:03:30 GMT

On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alongside its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has officially unveiled the Final Rule modifications to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations at 42 CFR Part 2.

For more detailed insights, refer to The National Law Review's publication on February 14, 2024. Let's stay informed and ensure we're up-to-date with these significant advancements in healthcare regulation. Read more

Unpacking the No Surprises Act

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:55:40 GMT

brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Remote 1-hour webinar "Unpacking the No Surprises Act" presented by Zelis payment management systems.

Recorded link https://www2.zelispayments.com/No-Surprises-Act-Webinar

Highlights (Information relevant to those responsible for billing)

The No Surprises Act applies to ALL commercial Insurance plans
The No Surprises Act (NSA) does not apply to government plans (Medicaid & Medicare)
65% of Americans have commercial plans
Two parts of the (NSA) Post -service and Pre-service
Pre-service is "transparency" regarding policy benefits and terms must be available for the consumer and provider
Post-service "Balance Billing prohibited" (meaning provider cannot collect balance due from the client after service delivery)

NSA compliance date begins January 1, 2022

You can get other details (of which there are many!!) by watching the recording found below.

Pass along to others you know who are responsible for billing practice compliance.

https://www2.zelispayments.com/No-Surprises-Act-Webinar

Privacy Update for Substance Use Disorder Treatment from the Legal Action Center

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 20:08:24 GMT

Privacy Update for Substance Use Disorder Treatment

December 2020 Amendments to 42 CFR § 2.63

(Confidential Communications)

The federal privacy protections for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records, have changed again, effective January 13, 2021. This change follows on the heels of the “transitional” rule finalized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in July 2020 and amidst anticipated changes to Part 2 and possibly HIPAA. This resource explains the recent change and what it means for patients and providers ( PDF version with citations ).

Key Summary

What changed: A court may now authorize disclosure of a patient’s Part 2-protected records containing confidential communications if the disclosure is necessary to investigate or prosecute an extremely serious crime committed by anyone – no longer limited to extremely serious crimes allegedly committed by the patient. 42 CFR § 2.63 .

Effective date: January 13, 2021

Official source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-12-14/pdf/2020-25810.pdf

Discussion

Background: Federal privacy law protects the confidentiality of certain SUD treatment records (referred to here as “Part 2 records”) and generally prohibits the criminal legal system from using Part 2 records against a patient in a criminal investigation or prosecution. In individual cases, a court may authorize disclosures of Part 2 records if the court follows the procedures set forth in Part 2 and makes the necessary findings that there is “good cause” for the disclosure.

Confidential communications are subject to even stricter privacy protections in court. A court may only authorize their disclosure in very limited circumstances, including in connection with an extremely serious crime, like murder, rape, or kidnapping.

2017 amendments and 2020 amendments: In 2017, SAMHSA amended the regulations to further restrict disclosure by limiting these circumstances to extremely serious crimes allegedly committed by the patient. In 2019, SAMHSA said this change was introduced in error and proposed returning to the pre-2017 standard. Legal Action Center argued that SAMSHA should maintain the more protective standard in order to prevent fishing expeditions by law enforcement and unnecessary privacy violations, particularly in over-policed communities of color. Legal Action Center disagrees with SAMHSA’s recent emphasis on using federal law enforcement and the criminal legal system to address public health issues like substance use and overdose fatalities. However, SAMHSA finalized the amendment as proposed.

What the change means for patients and providers: Courts may now authorize disclosure of confidential communications where the disclosure is necessary to investigate or prosecute an extremely serious crime allegedly committed by someone other than the patient – for example, a fellow patient, a former patient, or an employee. Important: If the confidential communications will be used to criminally investigate or prosecute the patient, the court may only issue the order if it meets additional requirements in Section 2.65.

Confidentiality & Communication , revised 8th edition: The revised 8th edition of Confidentiality & Communication (Oct. 2020) flags this change in Chapter 3’s discussion of court orders. At the time of publication, the change was not yet finalized. Readers can supplement the discussion in Chapter 3 with this resource.

About Confidentiality & Communication . The revised edition of the book incorporates all the changes to Part 2 in the 2017, 2018, and July 2020 amendments, and also flags the areas subject to change in the anticipated rulemaking required by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. For more information about federal health privacy protections for substance use disorder treatment records, visit our resources or subscribe to our updates.

This document is informational and does not constitute legal advice.

The Legal Action Center (LAC) uses legal and policy strategies to fight discrimination, build health equity, and restore opportunity for people with criminal records, substance use disorders, and HIV or AIDS.

Wellness Wednesdays Start Tomorrow!

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 15:09:19 GMT

NAADAC's new specialty online training series, Wellness and Recovery in the Addiction Profession , starts tomorrow!

The importance of wellness, such as exercise, nutrition, mindfulness and other wellness principles, in recovery should not be underestimated in addiction treatment. This new series will provide you with education on holistic approaches towards sustainable recovery, including wellness or self-management strategies.

The first webinar in the series, Part One: Integrating Wellness Into Substance Use Disorder Prevention , takes place tomorrow at 3:00pm ET. Register now for $25 and earn 1.5 CEs!

Those who successfully attend the full webinar series and pass all six CE quizzes for this six-part series will be eligible to apply for the Wellness and Recovery in the Addiction Profession Certificate . The certificate application is free for NAADAC members , and non-members must pay $50 to apply. Please note that each training/certificate must be purchased separately.

Free On-Demand Webinar Series

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:16:18 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Check out this FREE on-demand webinar series

Addiction and COVID-19: Coping During COVID-19 CME Webcast Series

The Intersection of Addiction and COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities

In the sixth module of the eight-part video series, Saundra Jain, MA, PsyD, LPC interviews Arwen Podesta, MD, DFASAM, DFAPA, ABIHM about challenges patients with addiction encounter during the COVID-19 Era. Dr. Podesta discusses the overview of the problem, the impact COVID has on her practice, her professional and personal adjustments, and a patient perspective.

Approved for 0.25 CME/CNE/AAPA/APA/CPE/NAADAC/Social Work Credit

Remembering Bob Dorley

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 15:33:31 GMT

Good Day all and Happy New Year,

I wanted to share some sad news about the passing of Robert “Bob” Dorley on 12/30/20 from pancreatic cancer.

Bob was a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor who practiced in our community since the mid -1990s. He worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings-as well as having a private practice .Bob was loved by his clients, staff, and anyone who had the privilege to work collaboratively with him. He gave freely of his time and resources to others. He embodied the qualities of true Sobriety. Bob was a long time member of NHADACA .

During the course of his illness Bob incurred considerable medical expenses .It would be helpful if we could assist his wife with help to pay those bills. All donations can be sent to a Go Fund Me Bob Dorley page that has been set up for this purpose . Thank you.

I hope you might be interested in supporting this GoFundMe, https://www.gofundme.com/f/bob-dorley?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet .

Even a small donation could help Haley Bissonnette reach their fundraising goal. And if you can't make a donation, it would be great if you could share the fundraiser to help spread the word.

Thanks for taking a look!

Charlie Bussison LADC, LCMHC

NAADAC's New Code of Ethics Will Take Effect on January 1

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:44:47 GMT

NAADAC is excited to announce its updated NAADAC/NCC AP Code of Ethics , which takes effect on January 1, 2021!

The NAADAC/NCC AP Code of Ethics was written to govern the conduct of NAADAC's members and it is the accepted standard of conduct for addiction professionals certified by the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP). The code of ethics reflects the ideals of NAADAC and its members and is designed as a statement of the values of the profession and as a guide for making clinical decisions.

SAMHSA Releases Report on Behavioral Health Workforce Needs

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 16:01:27 GMT

SAMHSA has released the “ Behavioral Health Workforce Report [samhsa.us4.list-manage.com] ,” which documents effective mental and substance use disorder treatment models and pertinent staffing needs – as part of the agency’s goal to increase access to evidence-based mental and substance use disorder care.

ICD-10-CM Guidelines for 2021 Webinar

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 15:57:51 GMT

brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

ATTENTION! ICD-10-CM Guidelines for 2021

1pm December 23 On-Demand Webinar

On Demand Webinar

2021 Update for ICD-10-CM

Dec 23 ,2020 | 1:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM CT | 10:00 AM PT |

Presented By: Lynn Anderanin

Each year there are CPT® changes that affect the coding of medical services and procedures. This webinar will highlight the 2021 changes and the explanations to these changes so that attendees will have an understanding of how to appropriately apply these changes.

Join this webinar by renowned speaker Lynn Anderanin, where she will discuss all the updates in detail.

Session highlights:

Changes to the Official ICD-10-CMGuidelines for 2021
New codes for sickle cell conditions
The latest changes for COVD-19
ICD-10-CM codes changes are effective on October 1, 2020
Rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses changes
New code for headache
Utilization of invalid codes will cause claim denial

https://skills-academia.com/product/2021-update-for-icd-10-cm-2/

Join the Provider Well-Being Challenge!

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 16:06:56 GMT

What motivates you?

Feeling better?
Getting out of the house?
Fun prizes?
Making a difference?

The Provider Well-Being Challenge includes fun, self-care, and care for others, all while raising money to support scholarships for professional development.

Participate in wellness activities on our bingo card
Enter to win wellness prizes
Have fun, reduce stress, and do good in your community
Ask your friends, family and colleagues to support you as you make a positive difference

Sign up for the Provider Well-Being Challenge and receive a ‘bingo’ card of positive activities, including performing acts of kindness and care, going for a walk, turning off screens, and writing a card or note to a friend. Ask your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you as you make a positive difference for yourself and others. They can pledge a set amount for each bingo square you cover, or give a set donation to support you. You do NOT have to be a provider to enter the challenge; all are welcome.

Record your progress at RallyUp every time you do a new activity on the card. You’ll be entered to win prizes as you do good! All funds raised through this event will go towards NHADACA's Train It Forward Scholarship Fund. Please help us to make 2021 a year in which no one who needs a scholarship will be turned away.

NH Professional Health Program

corissa@nhadaca.org (Corissa Webb) — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 16:13:48 GMT

The NHPHP is contracted by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) to work with licensees of the NH Board Licensing for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals, as well as twelve other NH Health Professional Boards. I believe we can be a valuable addition to the wellness toolbox for your NHADACA members. We are a free and confidential resource that assists with identification, intervention, referral and monitoring of health care professionals who may be affected by substance use disorders, disruptive behavior, mental health conditions, burnout, professionalism concerns or other issues impacting work, health or well-being. NHPHP offers both a voluntary track and a Board mandated track. In addition, there are education, stress and burnout resources on our website: www.nhphp.org .

We are seeing the huge impact COVID-19 is having on the helping profession, and want to reach out to all those working with clients and their families affected by alcohol and other drugs that can carry our message of support and recovery. I have attached our PDF which I hope you will find suitable to post on your website as well as our hyperlink: www.nhphp.org , or perhaps include in email blasts to your members. Please contact me if you have any questions about our services and how we can work together to sustain our shared interests in the health and safety of New Hampshire Alcohol and Other Drug Use Professionals. I am also available to provide informational presentations about our organization and wellness resources at your membership meetings and conferences.

Confidentiality & Communication (Rev. October 2020) e-book

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 15:28:01 GMT

The recently revised edition of Confidentiality & Communication (October 2020) is available now as an eBook. It covers all the essentials for understanding confidentiality, plus the July 2020 changes to 42 CFR Part 2 and upcoming changes in the CARES Act, including answers to questions like:

When do 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA apply?
How did the 2020 amendments change the substance use disorder (SUD) privacy regulations, and what will happen in 2021?
What are the current requirements for consent forms, patient privacy notices, and the notice of prohibition on re-disclosure?
How to make disclosures for medical emergencies, audits, or research?
How can a program report a crime on program premises?
What should a program do if it receives a subpoena, search warrant, or arrest warrant?
What privacy rights do patients have?
How are the laws enforced and what are the security requirements?
What are best practices for common confidentiality issues?

Confidentiality & Communication is an indispensable guide for new members of the SUD treatment field, stakeholders who work with individuals receiving SUD treatment, and seasoned privacy experts with questions about the ongoing changes to the law and regulations.

Available for instant download for only $109. Click here to buy!

The revised October 2020 edition also explains the July 2020 amendments to 42 CFR Part 2, and flags areas where the regulations are subject to change in 2021, following the passage of the CARES Act. To see a full list of the topics covered in the revised 2020 edition of Confidentiality & Communication, visit the online Table of Contents. .

The 2020 edition of Confidentiality & Communication is available as an e-book only.

Peer Collaboration on Topic of Clinician Well-being and Cultivating Resilience

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 18:20:37 GMT

In response to the clinician well-being initiative training feedback, we have created a monthly peer collaboration group with the topic of clinician well-being.

Please join us on October 7, from 8-9 am via Zoom. Contact Angela at agtj@msn.com for the link.

Also as a result of feedback from the clinician well-being initiative training, the training format is being revised and will be launched in February 2021.

The two 2-hour trainings will be:

I. INTRODUCTION: What's this all about

II. ACTION: Crafting your Commitment Statement & Exploring Network Organization Benefits

For more information contact:

NHADACA Ethics Committee Chairperson

Angela Thomas Jones

AGTJ@msn.com

Mayo Clinic's Well-Being Index

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:25:52 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Mayo Clinic's Well-Being Index has joined the National Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being by becoming a Network Organization.

Check out their recent video update on how healthcare centers are bolstering staff well-being initiatives during the pandemic

Check out this week's video update to learn more about:

How medical centers are supporting clinician mental health through the COVID-19 pandemic
CommonSpirit Health CMO slated to speak at the Champions of Wellness Virtual Summit 2020
The latest findings on resident & fellow well-being

Virtual Care: Wave Of The Future, or Momentary Ripple?

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:21:50 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Qualifacts and the National Council for Behavioral Health recently polled more than 1,000 behavioral health providers to see how they are faring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read this article to learn about how our colleagues across the U.S. are handling a remote workforce, how operations and revenues are being affected, and what technology solutions are being put into place.

2021 Update for ICD-10-CM Webinar

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:31:25 GMT

Alert to Billing Administrators and those responsible for submitting Medicare and Medicaid claims .

Webinar on the 2021 updates for the ICD-10 |1pm EST September 22

This webinar will help you stay up to date and avoid delays and denials of claims!

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services annually updates the ICD diagnosis code manual on October 1st. There are 490 new codes, including those related to COVID-19 plus additional revisions and deleted codes. Not implementing these code changes in your office may cause delays or denial of professional medical claims.

Webinar

2021 Update for ICD-10-CM

Sept 22 ,2020 1:00 PM ET | Presented By: Lynn Anderanin AAPC Credit : 1.0

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS) annually updates the ICD-10-CM diagnoses code manual on October 1st. This year is no different. For 2021 there are 490 new codes, including those related to COVID-19, as well as 47 revised and 58 deleted codes. Not implementing these code changes in your office on October 1st may cause denial of claims and delay in reimbursement for professional medical claims.

Join this webinar by renowned speaker Lynn Anderanin, where she will discuss all the updates in detail.

Session highlights:

Changes to the Official ICD-10-CM Guidelines for 2021
New codes for sickle cell conditions
ICD-10-CM codes changes are effective on October 1, 2020
Codes added for vaping related disorders
The latest changes for COVID-19
Pathological fracture code expansion
Rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses changes

Isotonitazene - An Emerging Threat

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:47:46 GMT

Emerging Threat Bulletin from Gulf Coast HIDTA

Isotonitazene

July 2020

Background: Isotonitazene, also known as “Iso” or “Toni,” is being increasingly identified in overdose deaths throughout the United States. This synthetic opioid was first identified in August 2019 and has been most prominent in Midwestern states. The drug is a type of benzimidazole that is structurally similar to etonitazene, a potent internationally controlled opioid. Isotonitazene reportedly has a greater potency than heroin and morphine, and it is similar in strength to fentanyl. Isotonitazene has been encountered mostly in powder (brown, yellow, or white) tablet, and liquid forms as well as nasal spray to a lesser degree. Isotonitazene has also been found concealed as counterfeit Dilaudid (hydromorphone) tablets circulating in the US. On June 18, 2020, The Acting Administrator of the DEA issued a notice of intent to publish a temporary order to schedule isotonitazene in schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act, which are drugs that are illegal and have no medical uses. The drug is also not approved for medical use by the FDA.

Source: China has been identified as a main source country for isotonitazene. The restrictions placed by the US on Chinese fentanyl analogues have opened the market to the shipping of isotonitazene. The drug has been shipped from China to European and US markets with many orders originating from Darkweb vendors. Currently, the supply of isotonitazene from China may be limited by reduced production and speed of international shipping due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Isotonitazene can be purchased in bulk at a low cost from China. Bulk quantities of the drug are often mixed with other drugs to reduce costs. Isotonitazene has been most frequently identified with flualprazolam, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.

Overdoses: In November 2019, there were 40 to 50 isotonitazene-related deaths per month in the United States compared to about six per month from June 2019 to August 2019 according to forensic toxicology results reported by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Multiple Threat Alert Center. Due to the shortcomings of preliminary testing, isotonitazene has not been widely identified in laboratories throughout the US. While formal epidemiological studies on isotonitazine use have yet to be performed, self-reported experiences on user websites suggest that dosage regimens for the drug can differ between and within individuals depending on tolerance of the user, other drugs being concurrently used, desired effects, purity and composition of the substance, and dosage consumed. Consumers may be at a higher risk of acute poisoning as isotonitazene is often concealed in counterfeit pharmaceuticals as seen in Figure 1. Similar to other opioids, health risks associated with isotonitazene are often respiratory depression, which in overdose could lead to apnea, respiratory arrest, and death. Additionally, the risk of an overdose from isotonitazine is increased due to the high potency of this drug often requiring several doses of Naloxone to reverse its effects.

Isotonitazene concealed in counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs often have an “M” on one side and the number “8” on the other side – making them almost identical to an 8 mg Dilaudid tablet. Source: International Narcotics Control Board, Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances

Law Enforcement Encounters: As of March 5, 2020, there have been 8 NFLIS submissions of isotonitazene in the US. However, law enforcement within the Gulf Coast HIDTA AOR have not yet encountered this drug.

Public Health Encounters: While isotonitazene is on the NMS Labs Toxicology radar, 5 postmortem isotonitazene cases have been identified in the Gulf Coast HIDTA jurisdiction by NPS Discovery/CFSRE & NMS Labs as of April 2020. This information is being released to raise awareness of the unpredictability and danger of this drug. This bulletin was produced by the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Questions or comments may be directed to Strategic Programs Coordinator Sabrina Perez at (571) 362-4851 or perezs@gchidta.org. Feedback can be provided here: https://www.nhac.org/SurveySite/SurveyPage.aspx?LMSID=046df6b7-4c7e-413b-be2c-027010e25032 Sources: Chicago HIDTA DEA, National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction International Narcotics Control Board, Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances Journal of Analytical Toxicology Krotulski, Alex J, Donna M Papsun, Sherri L Kacinko, and Barry K Logan. “Isotonitazene Quantitation and Metabolite Discovery in Authentic Forensic Casework.” Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 2020. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Multiple Threat Alert Center, Threat Division U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1 Specified data for Shelby County, TN, Escambia County, FL, and Santa Rosa County, FL was not available.

Provider Relief Fund - NH Medicaid Program Announcement 7/14/2020

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 13:14:41 GMT

New Hampshire Medicaid Program

07/14/2020

Provider Relief Fund: Medicaid & CHIP Provider Distribution
On June 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the distribution of approximately $15 billion from the Provider Relief Fund to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and have not received a payment from the Provider Relief Fund General Distribution.

The payment to each provider will be approximately 2 percent of reported gross revenue from patient care; the final amount each provider receives will be determined after the data is submitted.

Funds will be distributed to eligible providers who apply through the Provider Relief Fund portal. The portal will be open until July 20, 2020. All eligible Medicaid/CHIP providers are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply For Funding:

Visit hhs.gov/providerrelief and choose “For Providers.”
Click on the Enhanced Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal within the Medicaid/CHIP Provider Relief.

More information on the Provider Relief Fund is also available at the following links:

For further information about eligibility and attestation requirements, please see the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) fact sheet: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/provider-relief-fund-medicaid-chip-factsheet.pdf

For Program Overview:
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/cares-act-provider-relief-fund/for-providers/index.html ,

FAQs:
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/cares-act-provider-relief-fund/faqs/index.html#medicaid-targeted

Thank you,
NH Medicaid Provider Relations

Key Points For Being Happy

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 13:41:08 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

From Dan Harris, CNN News Broadcaster and author of the books 10% Happier (2014) and Meditation for the Fidgety Skeptic (2018)

Key points for being “happy”

Shift thinking from isolation & fear of being part of a global community
Meditate to reduce this “anxiety”
Best time is early morning while our mind is most quiet (if you are busy during the day)
Acknowledge our enemies are also our brother & sister = breathe in and visualize all of this with their anger, suspicious, desperateness THEN breathe out the wish for them to be free of these burdens
Visualize these people as our neighbors living beside us right now
Whether we like it or not, we must live together
Only way to eliminate fear is to replace it with empathic understanding for self & others

Listen to this 40-minute podcast interview with the Dali lama and hear how Dan Harris “unpacks” the nuggets of wisdom from this interview. The podcast ends with Dan and his meditation expert summarizing the practical steps for applying meditation.

https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/the-dalai-lama-251?utm_source=cv_response&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hhdl_content

Collaborative for the Advancement of Recovery Excellence (CARE) Launched in May of 2020

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:46:15 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

CARE is launched in May 2020:

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only added to the urgency of working together across the continuum of care, but fueled the demand for new, virtual and online practices. Sometimes opportunity is created amid crisis. Behavioral health industry leaders faced an immediate challenge of unprecedented size, forcing a pivot toward employing technologies to fulfill their roles in providing services to patients and communities to help them heal.

Collaborative for the Advancement of Recovery Excellence (CARE), a vehicle to advance key principles promoting standards in high performance and outcomes measurement in behavioral healthcare was launched in May and calls on behavioral health providers, organizations, and clinicians to be part of the ongoing survey-and-feedback process to continue this important national dialogue. Read the full article with the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network to learn how to have your voice heard and see the resulting industry data.

Support the Telehealth Bill HB 1623 - Hearing This Thursday

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 13:51:28 GMT

Urgent!

Please support the Amendment to HB 1623, allowing telehealth and telephone options for providers and reimbursement at in-office rates.

They have made it incredibly easy to sign in and support the bill and the amendment - this will take you 3 minutes.

Go to: - http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/onlinemtgs/hhs/HHS_Notice_-_06-04-2020.pdf

Click on the link in #1. You can put in your name and information then select "support not speaking" for both the bill and the amendment.

To submit your testimony to the committee, please send all documents via email to remotesenate@leg.state.nh.us.

Please use the following talking points for letters of support:

Clinicians need to be reimbursed by private insurance for telehealth at the same rate as in-office. It is the same work, being done differently.
We must remove all barriers to substance use disorder treatment.
Mental health needs are more crucial now than ever before.
Telehealth is a necessary component to maintaining the mental and behavioral health needs of our NH residents, especially in the many rural areas where clients lack necessary transportation, and inclement weather makes it hard to travel to appointments.

Remember to put your reasons for this request (number of clients, client needs & safety).

HB 1623 and the amendment to HB 1623 will be heard this Thursday at 8 am in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee - http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/onlinemtgs/hhs2.aspx

This bill and amendment would put into statute the language of Governor Sununu's Emergency Order #8 and allow reimbursement for clinicians to provide telehealth and telephone therapy at in-office rates.

Warmest Regards,

Suzanne L. Thistle, MA, MLADC

Chair, NHADACA Public Policy Committee

NHADACA.org

May 21 Virtual Symposium

Fri, 15 May 2020 16:12:02 GMT

brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Hurry! Registration is FREE for this virtual symposium on May 21 –join for the whole day or for any session you find interesting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nam-opioid-collaborative-spring-2020-virtual-symposium-tickets-103474408742

During this virtual symposium, experts will discuss combatting stigma against those with opioid use disorder, strengthening provider education, advancing evidence-based pain management, and promising prevention practices, among other topics.

Join members of the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic on May 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET for a day-long virtual symposium that will address some of the highest-priority elements of the nation’s response to the opioid epidemic, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this virtual symposium, experts will discuss combatting stigma against those with opioid use disorder, strengthening provider education, advancing evidence-based pain management, and promising prevention practices, among other topics.

Register to attend this free, virtual symposium – you are welcome to join us for the whole day or for any session that you find interesting.

Symposium Agenda

Keynote

The stigma of addiction keeps many people from seeking out treatment, talking about their experiences, and costs lives. During the keynote address of the virtual symposium, two ambassadors from Shatterproof will share their stories and discuss how stigma has impacted them and their families.

Session 1 - 9:20 to 10:30 a.m. ET

Stigma remains a pervasive barrier to accessing and receiving quality addiction care. During session 1, an expert panel will discuss evidence-based strategies, initiatives, and other critical opportunities to reduce stigma toward opioid use disorder across the health care system and beyond.

Session 2 - 10:50 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET

It is essential that the health care workforce have the knowledge, skills, and training required to care for individuals with substance use disorder or pain, as well as to prevent and recognize the symptoms of these conditions. Session 2 will feature an expert panel who will discuss strategies to close gaps in health professional education and training to improve care for people with pain and substance use disorders.

Session 3 - 12:40 to 1:50 p.m. ET

Effective pain management is critical to curbing the opioid epidemic and preventing future prescription drug crises. During session 3, an expert panel will discuss promising practices and critical opportunities to strengthen person-centered pain management. They will also touch on innovations in care delivery and the state of the evidence around opioid prescribing guidelines for acute and chronic pain, tapering guidance, and more.

Session 4 - 2:10 to 3:20 p.m. ET

Treatment has been a major focus in addressing the opioid crisis, but experts are turning to prevention strategies in hopes of earlier and more effective intervention. Session 4 will feature an expert panel who will discuss strategies and promising opportunities to prevent opioid and other substance use disorders that span clinical care, social and community-based services, policy, and practice.

Session 5 - 3:40 to 4:50 p.m. ET

The current health care system is not adequately designed to address and promote the holistic needs of individuals with opioid and other substance use disorders. During this final session, hear an expert panel discuss how to build the needed capacity, competencies, quality of care, payment structures, and incentives to ensure effective, quality, and affordable health care for individuals with opioid and other substance use disorders.

2020 Consumer Resource Guide: How to Access Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits

Thu, 07 May 2020 16:16:46 GMT

(4/24/2020): New Futures and the UNH Law-Institute for Health Policy and Practice have released a 2020 Consumer Resource Guide on How to Access Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits. The purpose of the Guide is to help individuals and families access needed treatment services.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE QUICK GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS

Getting help in a time of need can seem overwhelming. To help individuals and families obtain needed care, the Guide provides detailed information on how to navigate health insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. Specifically, it addresses mental health parity and how to find treatment, enroll in health insurance, make sure treatment services are covered, and appeal when coverage is denied. It is updated and enhanced to reflect consumer feedback and changes in law and practice, and now includes information about New Hampshire's Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, the Doorways, and other resources, as well as a more detailed section intended to assist providers in helping their clients and patients.

2020 Quick Guide for MH SUD Consumers.pdf

2020 Resource Guide for MH SUD Consumers-compressed.pdf

NAM & ASAM Webinar Series

Fri, 01 May 2020 16:20:15 GMT

Individuals experiencing addiction are a vulnerable population that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical distancing protocols have separated patients from their clinicians, made medications to treat addiction much more challenging to obtain, and shuttered many long-term recovery groups.

A new webinar series from the NAM and the American Society of Addiction Medicine will provide insight and targeted guidance on how to ensure that these individuals are cared for and protected during this ongoing public health crisis.

The first webinar in this series will focus on how to ensure that patients remain connected to and engaged in addiction treatment during the pandemic, and provide practical approaches to ensuring continuity of care.

The webinar will feature a panel of expert speakers, including:

· Kelly Clark, MD, MBA, DFAPA, DFASAM (Moderator) - Immediate Past President, American Society of Addiction Medicine

· Brian Hurley, MD, MBA - Director of Addiction Medicine, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services

· Chris Bundy, MD, MPH - Executive Medical Director, Washington Physicians Health Program

· Cortney Lovell - Recovery Coach and Co-Founder, Our Wellness Collective

Speaker presentations will be followed by a Q&A session with the webinar audience.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine designates this internet live course for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACCME Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the essential areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and National Academy of Medicine. The American Society of Addiction Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

To register: https://nasem.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6wTYB-JbROus2sx9j4OWyA

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Survey of Drug Use Patterns

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 16:31:24 GMT

Colleagues and Friends,

Please help us all better understand changes in substance use patterns in New Hampshire during COVID 19 by completing this brief (< 3 minute) survey. http://hitchcock.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Erb6tjiJFoSDhX

There have been many recent reports of changes in drug availability, use patterns, treatment seeking, overdoses, and other drug related variables in NH during the COVID 19 pandemic, but reports have been somewhat inconsistent. This survey intends to gather and examine the observations of diverse stakeholders in order to better characterize these changes, integrate them with other lines of evidence, and help inform appropriate public health responses. Survey results will be disseminated to respondents who provide an email address at the end of the survey and they will be posted at the DH Substance Use and Mental Health Initiative website.

Feel free to circulate the survey link to others who are in a position to observe drug use patterns in NH, including professionals, community members, people who use drugs, and others. Survey input will close midnight Monday, April 27 ^th . Advance apologies for any duplicated emails you may receive.

Questions may be directed to Seddon.savage@dartmouth.edu .

Thank you for sharing your observations!

The D-H Substance Use & Mental Health Initiative SUD-COVID-19 Survey Team Luke Archibald, Charlie Brackett, Sally Kraft, Seddon Savage, Ariel Pike, Laura Fineberg

SUMHI envisions a health care system where mental health & substance use disorders are treated with the same urgency, respect and seriousness of purpose as other illnesses and where discrimination does not occur.

https://med.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/sumhi.html

Education & Clinical Practice Resources to Improve Care of Substance Use & Mental Health

Update from NHADACA and Peer Collaboration

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:02:10 GMT

An update from NHADACA,

Please be mindful of your self care needs. Ask for help when you need it, and even when you don't need it. If you need connection or understanding, we are here for you. Remember to take extra breaks, stretch and get fresh air. Use the tools you teach your clients. Find inspiration, laugh and cry when needed and turn to each other and to us. You are not alone. We are here for you...

Our staff are all working remotely, however we are still accessing our phone system, emails and mail. We are doing our best to make sure we are safe, our trainers are safe and our participants and friends are also safe in their attempts to meet their professional development needs. We post different articles and information on our announcement page. Check it out for updates.

At the end of February we had 52 trainings planned to occur between March 1-June 30, 2020. By mid-March we were shifting gears and scrambling to adapt the training offerings to a remote platform. That necessitated contacting every trainer and helping them discern either offering the training electronically or cancelling. Trainings were cancelled when the content required interaction that could not be adapted to an electronic format. Out of 52 trainings, 25 events were cancelled, and one was modified then rescheduled. We are sorry to all you that experienced a cancelled training, if you have not done so, you are able to request a refund or request that your payment be saved as a credit on file that can be applied to any other event over the next 12 months.

In order to support your credentialing and professional development needs, we held 9 trainings in March, four of which were in-person in groups smaller than 50, and 5 of which were held remotely. March 14 was the last in-person training. March 19, 2020 was our first remote training. We are now beginning to add other trainings back into the calendar for June and later, but by remote format only.

We currently have 8 trainings scheduled for April (one of which is a 3-day training), 4 trainings in May; and 5 trainings in June. We are hoping to add several short trainings in by the end of June. Because these trainings are live and interactive, we have been assured that the LADC Board will accept them as in-person events.

We also have approximately 40 webinars available online. The topics include ethics, suicide prevention and 7 of the 12 core functions among many others. They are also an effective means of gaining the topics you need for certification, licensure and renewal of credentials.

We are also hosting an open peer collaboration group. We meet the third Thursday from 9:30 am to 11:45 am. Beginning in April (April 16th), we will be hosting this over Zoom as well. Also, because Peer Collaboration requires small groups of 8 people or less, if more than 8 people sign in, we will use the break-our room feature in Zoom to keep the discussions to the appropriate size. Attendance is tricker in this format, however Zoom tracks who logs on as well as when that person logs on. This feature can help us verify attendance if you log on with your full name and credentials after your last name. When it is time to renew your credential, the LADC Board will need your signature and well as that of other participants (we still need to solve that challenge, but I hope it can be done by mail or in-person when the social distancing needs are subsided). Here is the Zoom invitiation: When: Apr 16, 2020 09:30 AM ET. Sign in with your full name and credentials: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uJUqcOuqrjMq-dTR71EsMNgMd-Uxe5U9DA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Thank you for your support. You have our support and gratitude as well.

Sincerely,

Dianne

Put the "We" In Wellness During COVID-19

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:07:23 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Put the "We" In Wellness During COVID-19:

Wellness Tips to Help You Care for Your Patients and Yourself

As the world continues to adjust to the "new normal" during COVID-19, everyone is working diligently every day to overcome challenges personally and professionally. Click on this link to select video clips from experts on applying resilience coping for ourselves as providers and helpers and with the people who are seeking our help. We are truly in this together!

https://www.psychcongress.com/psych-topics/coping-during-covid-19?utm_campaign=Elevate%202020&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86026065&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9NF5lnltIjd7xLCYpr4QTbeRl0m9JXCBPMLD5ogzo1T2yKXwA91JuuCYKyeFOmXLRM1wU7ijnzgbGa1-gAPaX1GSAoLw&_hsmi

Free Online Self-Help Meetings and Virtual Platforms

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 18:24:49 GMT

Brought to you by Sue Thistle, MLADC

Free Online Self-Help Meetings and Virtual Platforms

12 Steps.org

Listing of online 12-step meetings on various platforms.

Al-Anon Electronic Meetings

This forum and recovery chat room for Narcotics Anonymous members features voice chat, Skype, and text chat meetings connecting people from around the world.

Alcoholics Anonymous Online Intergroup

Listing of online meetings from AA Intergroup.

Smart Recovery

Message board, chat room, online meetings, and online library.

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Phone and Online Meetings

In The Rooms (Online Meetings)

An online platform supporting a wide range of 12-step and non-12 step meetings

Bridge Club Virtual Meetings

Meetings that are specifically focused on women and LGBTQIA+ folks who are sober or interested in sobriety.

Refuge Recovery Online Meetings

Listing of daily online meetings

Families Anonymous Virtual Meetings

Online meetings for parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, significant others, other family members and friends of those with a current, suspected or former drug problem.

Life Ring Recovery

Listing of online meetings.

The Temper

An online publication/site that explores life through the lens of sobriety, addiction, and recovery. Includes links to resources

My Recovery

Online 12-step meetings

Sober Grid

A free online social networking platform for people in recovery. Available in mobile app stores

Narcotics Anonymous

Listing of online meetings provided by NA

Overeaters Anonymous

FAQs Regarding COVID-19 and liability insurance with HPSO

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:01:08 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

The HPSO FAQ page has excellent references for practical questions regarding "liabilities" providers are navigating with COVID-19. Please follow the link for info.

http://www.hpso.com/support/faq/Index?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=&utm_content=

CMS Medicare-Telemedicine Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 11:27:31 GMT

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet

MEDICARE TELEMEDICINE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FACT SHEET

Mar 17, 2020

Telehealth

Medicare coverage and payment of virtual services

INTRODUCTION:

Under President Trump’s leadership, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. These policy changes build on the regulatory flexibilities granted under the President’s emergency declaration. CMS is expanding this benefit on a temporary and emergency basis under the 1135 waiver authority and Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. The benefits are part of the broader effort by CMS and the White House Task Force to ensure that all Americans – particularly those at high-risk of complications from the virus that causes the disease COVID-19 – are aware of easy-to-use, accessible benefits that can help keep them healthy while helping to contain the community spread of this virus.

Telehealth, telemedicine, and related terms generally refer to the exchange of medical information from one site to another through electronic communication to improve a patient’s health. Innovative uses of this kind of technology in the provision of healthcare is increasing. And with the emergence of the virus causing the disease COVID-19, there is an urgency to expand the use of technology to help people who need routine care, and keep vulnerable beneficiaries and beneficiaries with mild symptoms in their homes while maintaining access to the care they need. Limiting community spread of the virus, as well as limiting the exposure to other patients and staff members will slow viral spread.

EXPANSION OF TELEHEALTH WITH 1135 WAIVER: Under this new waiver, Medicare can pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth across the country and including in patient’s places of residence starting March 6, 2020. A range of providers, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, will be able to offer telehealth to their patients. Additionally, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is providing flexibility for healthcare providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal healthcare programs.

Prior to this waiver Medicare could only pay for telehealth on a limited basis: when the person receiving the service is in a designated rural area and when they leave their home and go to a clinic, hospital, or certain other types of medical facilities for the service.

Even before the availability of this waiver authority, CMS made several related changes to improve access to virtual care. In 2019, Medicare started making payment for brief communications or Virtual Check-Ins, which are short patient-initiated communications with a healthcare practitioner. Medicare Part B separately pays clinicians for E-visits, which are non-face-to-face patient-initiated communications through an online patient portal.

Medicare beneficiaries will be able to receive a specific set of services through telehealth including evaluation and management visits (common office visits), mental health counseling and preventive health screenings. This will help ensure Medicare beneficiaries, who are at a higher risk for COVID-19, are able to visit with their doctor from their home, without having to go to a doctor’s office or hospital which puts themselves and others at risk.

TYPES OF VIRTUAL SERVICES:

There are three main types of virtual services physicians and other professionals can provide to Medicare beneficiaries summarized in this fact sheet: Medicare telehealth visits, virtual check-ins and e-visits.

MEDICARE TELEHEALTH VISITS: Currently, Medicare patients may use telecommunication technology for office, hospital visits and other services that generally occur in-person.

The provider must use an interactive audio and video telecommunications system that permits real-time communication between the distant site and the patient at home. Distant site practitioners who can furnish and get payment for covered telehealth services (subject to state law) can include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives, certified nurse anesthetists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, registered dietitians, and nutrition professionals.
It is imperative during this public health emergency that patients avoid travel, when possible, to physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals, or other health care facilities where they could risk their own or others’ exposure to further illness. Accordingly, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing a policy of enforcement discretion for Medicare telehealth services furnished pursuant to the waiver under section 1135(b)(8) of the Act. To the extent the waiver (section 1135(g)(3)) requires that the patient have a prior established relationship with a particular practitioner, HHS will not conduct audits to ensure that such a prior relationship existed for claims submitted during this public health emergency.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Effective for services starting March 6, 2020 and for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Medicare will make payment for Medicare telehealth services furnished to patients in broader circumstances.
These visits are considered the same as in-person visits and are paid at the same rate as regular, in-person visits.
Starting March 6, 2020 and for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Medicare will make payment for professional services furnished to beneficiaries in all areas of the country in all settings.
While they must generally travel to or be located in certain types of originating sites such as a physician’s office, skilled nursing facility or hospital for the visit, effective for services starting March 6, 2020 and for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Medicare will make payment for Medicare telehealth services furnished to beneficiaries in any healthcare facility and in their home.
The Medicare coinsurance and deductible would generally apply to these services. However, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is providing flexibility for healthcare providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal healthcare programs.
To the extent the 1135 waiver requires an established relationship, HHS will not conduct audits to ensure that such a prior relationship existed for claims submitted during this public health emergency.

VIRTUAL CHECK-INS: In all areas (not just rural), established Medicare patients in their home may have a brief communication service with practitioners via a number of communication technology modalities including synchronous discussion over a telephone or exchange of information through video or image. We expect that these virtual services will be initiated by the patient; however, practitioners may need to educate beneficiaries on the availability of the service prior to patient initiation.

Medicare pays for these “virtual check-ins” (or Brief communication technology-based service) for patients to communicate with their doctors and avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor’s office. These virtual check-ins are for patients with an established (or existing) relationship with a physician or certain practitioners where the communication is not related to a medical visit within the previous 7 days and does not lead to a medical visit within the next 24 hours (or soonest appointment available). The patient must verbally consent to receive virtual check-in services. The Medicare coinsurance and deductible would generally apply to these services.

Doctors and certain practitioners may bill for these virtual check in services furnished through several communication technology modalities, such as telephone (HCPCS code G2012). The practitioner may respond to the patient’s concern by telephone, audio/video, secure text messaging, email, or use of a patient portal. Standard Part B cost sharing applies to both. In addition, separate from these virtual check-in services, captured video or images can be sent to a physician (HCPCS code G2010).

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Virtual check-in services can only be reported when the billing practice has an established relationship with the patient.
This is not limited to only rural settings or certain locations.
Individual services need to be agreed to by the patient; however, practitioners may educate beneficiaries on the availability of the service prior to patient agreement.
HCPCS code G2012: Brief communication technology-based service, e.g. virtual check-in, by a physician or other qualified health care professional who can report evaluation and management services, provided to an established patient, not originating from a related e/m service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an e/m service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion.
HCPCS code G2010: Remote evaluation of recorded video and/or images submitted by an established patient (e.g., store and forward), including interpretation with follow-up with the patient within 24 business hours, not originating from a related e/m service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an e/m service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment.
Virtual check-ins can be conducted with a broader range of communication methods, unlike Medicare telehealth visits, which require audio and visual capabilities for real-time communication.

E-VISITS: In all types of locations including the patient’s home, and in all areas (not just rural), established Medicare patients may have non-face-to-face patient-initiated communications with their doctors without going to the doctor’s office by using online patient portals. These services can only be reported when the billing practice has an established relationship with the patient. For these E-Visits, the patient must generate the initial inquiry and communications can occur over a 7-day period. The services may be billed using CPT codes 99421-99423 and HCPCS codes G2061-G2063, as applicable. The patient must verbally consent to receive virtual check-in services. The Medicare coinsurance and deductible would apply to these services.

Medicare Part B also pays for E-visits or patient-initiated online evaluation and management conducted via a patient portal. Practitioners who may independently bill Medicare for evaluation and management visits (for instance, physicians and nurse practitioners) can bill the following codes:

99421: Online digital evaluation and management service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 5–10 minutes
99422: Online digital evaluation and management service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days cumulative time during the 7 days; 11– 20 minutes
99423: Online digital evaluation and management service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 21 or more minutes.

Clinicians who may not independently bill for evaluation and management visits (for example – physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, clinical psychologists) can also provide these e-visits and bill the following codes:

G2061: Qualified non-physician healthcare professional online assessment and management, for an established patient, for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 5–10 minutes
G2062: Qualified non-physician healthcare professional online assessment and management service, for an established patient, for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 11–20 minutes
G2063: Qualified non-physician qualified healthcare professional assessment and management service, for an established patient, for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 21 or more minutes.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

These services can only be reported when the billing practice has an established relationship with the patient.
This is not limited to only rural settings. There are no geographic or location restrictions for these visits.
Patients communicate with their doctors without going to the doctor’s office by using online patient portals.
Individual services need to be initiated by the patient; however, practitioners may educate beneficiaries on the availability of the service prior to patient initiation.
The services may be billed using CPT codes 99421-99423 and HCPCS codes G2061-G206, as applicable.
The Medicare coinsurance and deductible would generally apply to these services.

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA): Effective immediately, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will exercise enforcement discretion and waive penalties for HIPAA violations against health care providers that serve patients in good faith through everyday communications technologies, such as FaceTime or Skype, during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. For more information: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/index.html

Summary of Medicare Telemedicine Services

SAMHSA Releases Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health Fact Sheet

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 11:14:20 GMT

SAMHSA Releases Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health Fact Sheet: Tips For Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation during an Infectious Disease Outbreak

In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, local officials may require the public to take measures to limit and control the spread of the disease. This tip sheet provides information about social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. The government has the right to enforce federal and state laws related to public health if people within the country get sick with highly contagious diseases that have the potential to develop into outbreaks or pandemics. This tip sheet, produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), describes feelings and thoughts you may have during and after social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. It also suggests ways to care for your behavioral health during these experiences and provides resources for more help.

https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-social-distancing-quarantine-isolation-031620.pdf

NAADAC Partners with ClockTree Telehealth

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:55:07 GMT

NAADAC has partnered with Clocktree Systems Inc. to provide an affordable, HIPAA compliant telehealth platform to its members.

Try Clocktree for FREE for 90 days, then select the plan that's right for you!

Try Clocktree Today!

NAADAC members receive a 15% discount off all plans for the lifetime of their NAADAC membership. Enter promo code NAADAC when choosing a plan.

Clocktree’s pricing is unique in that monthly prices are per practice for unlimited practitioners and unlimited clients and no long-term contracts are required.

New Hampshire Medicaid Telehealth Fact Sheet during COVID-19

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:50:19 GMT

New Hampshire Medicaid Telehealth Fact Sheet during COVID-19 State of Emergency Declaration March 18, 2020

This guidance is being issued in light of the State of Emergency, and the Governor’s March 18, 2020 Emergency Order #8 temporarily expanding telehealth services during the COVID-19 State of Emergency Declaration.

This expansion and guidance is only in effect for the duration of the State of Emergency. In order to protect the public’s health and mitigate exposure to, and the spread of, COVID-19, Governor Sununu has signed an emergency order, effective immediately, that expands the coverage of telehealth for Commercial insurance and Medicaid including for Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in regards to eligible providers, originating site, and modality of telehealth platform.

Telehealth reimbursement typically requires live video and audio, however, during the declared state of emergency period related to COVID-19 in New Hampshire, audio only telehealth is eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible Providers:

Physicians/Physician Assistants/APRNs/Clinical Nurse Specialists/Nurse Midwives Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers,
Master’s Level Psychiatric Nurses School Psychologists licensed by the Board of Psychologists Pastoral psychotherapists,
Marriage and Family Therapists,
Clinical Mental Health Counselors LADCs, MLADCs, CRSWs,
Applied Behavioral Analysts Providers licensed by the Board of Mental Health Practice Community Mental Health Programs designated by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Dentists Registered Dietitians or Nutritional Professionals Originating Sites: There are no restrictions, and may include a private residence.

Reimbursement: Medicaid pays the same rate as if the service was provided face-to-face. Billing for the service delivered should follow routine practices as if the service was provided face-to-face, with the addition of a modifier GT indicating the service was provided via telehealth and indicate place of service (POS 02: Telehealth). There is no additional payment to originating sites. Documentation standards follow the regular standards as if the service was delivered face-to-face. Confidentiality and Privacy Protection

Considerations: On March 17th, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced discretion in enforcement of HIPAA rules during the national declaration of a state of emergency related to COVID-19 in order to allow or expanded use of telehealth. In addition to HIPPA compliant telehealth platforms, practitioners may use popular applications that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, or Skype. Facebook Live, Twitch, TikTok, and similar video communication applications that are public facing, should not be used. Telephone only audio may also be used. If you have questions regarding please call the New Hampshire Medicaid Provider Call Center 866-291- 1674 or 223-4774, or email NHProviderRelations@conduent.com.

Attachment: March 18, 2020 Emergency Order.

NH Emergency Order #8 related to Telehealth

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:59:37 GMT

https://www.governor.nh.gov/news-media/emergency-orders/documents/emergency-order-8.pdf

Clinician Well-Being Updates from NAM

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 12:44:02 GMT

brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

The following updates related to the work of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience (Clinician Well-Being Collaborative).

Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout Report

The NAM released the consensus report, Taking Action Against Clinician Burnout: A Systems Approach to Professional Well-Being , in October 2019. The report calls upon leaders in health care organizations, health professions educational institutions, government, and industry to prioritize major improvements in clinical work and learning environments across all care settings, and for all disciplines to prevent and mitigate clinician burnout and foster professional well-being for the overall health of clinicians, patients, and the nation.

Check out the related products that have been released since October:

The NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative is committed to elevating the findings, conclusions, and recommendations from the report, as well as translating the report recommendations into action. We look forward to keeping you updated on these endeavors.

Top 10 NAM Perspectives of 2019

In 2019, NAM Perspectives papers were released on a variety of topics, including reducing clinician burnout. Half of the 10 most popular titles of 2019 were products of the NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative! Check them out below:

Visit nam.edu/PerspectivesTop10 to access additional information about all of the top 10 papers, as well as a social media kit to share these papers with your colleagues and friends. Read additional publications from the NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative.

Health Policy Institute of Ohio’s Evidence-Based Policy Brief on Clinician Well-Being and Patient Safety

Bernadette Melnyk, Vice President for Health Promotion, University Chief Wellness Officer, and Dean & Professor of the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University, worked on an evidence-based policy brief on clinician well-being and patient safety with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, which builds upon the work of the NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative. They released the brief during a successful state-wide forum at Ohio State with policymakers and health care leaders across the state of Ohio. Additionally, they are launching a state-wide action collaborative to address clinician burnout, and encourage others to form similar state-wide efforts. Access the brief and executive summary .

Psychotic Symptoms in Some Marijuana Users Challenge Providers

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 13:55:32 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

https://psychcongress.com/article/psychotic-symptoms-some-marijuana-users-challenge-providers?utm_campaign=NCAD%20Enews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=83223151&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_m6EkNDJhBJnaDw4TxlT_se67XMuOxYpx0uhPUf_VGKGeqldtGA1fxmcKOlQJbct31gtrHZmsUfNU5RLZrU3QLoedUKA&_hsmi=83223151

Psychotic Symptoms in Some Marijuana Users Challenge Providers

Today's increasingly favored delivery systems for the psychoactive compound in marijuana have heightened the risk of psychotic symptoms among users, according to leaders in the treatment and research communities. An addiction treatment center medical director tells Addiction Professional that in a growing number of cases he encounters, the effects of vaping THC or using marijuana wax have become so pronounced that the individual cannot successfully be helped in a traditional substance use treatment setting.

Developing a Standard Set of Outcome Measures for Addiction

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 14:02:25 GMT

From Maury Elsasser...

I hope this finds you well. As you know of my obsession with Outcome Measures and Value-based care as the future of sustainable affordable healthcare but most immediately a pathway to saving more lives in the opioid epidemic. I’ve been extremely lucky to have been a member of ICHOM’s Workgroup this past year developing a Standard Set of Outcome Measures for Addiction. Well, we need your feedback for our work thus far. I’ve copied the email below from our Research Fellow Dr. Nicola Black (she is brilliant) describing how to complete a short survey. Please pass this on to all contacts . I really appreciate it and all the work do. Thank you so much….Please continue to read and click the links.

What is this work about?

Understanding and measuring the outcomes that matter most to patients is essential for delivering value-based healthcare. To facilitate this, we have developed a proposal for a standard set of outcomes to assess following treatment for substance use and addictive behaviour disorders. Implementation of this standard set will better allow informed decision making, quality improvement, and reduced costs . We are now seeking feedback on this standard set from professionals in the field to improve this recommendation, which we hope will be a minimum global standard in clinical practice.

What are we asking?

We are seeking professionals to provide feedback on the proposed standard set of outcome measures via our 15-30 minute survey , by February 16, 2020. We are also seeking individuals to share this survey within their networks, either via forwarding this email, including information about the survey in any relevant newsletters, and/or retweeting it . We hope that this will be shared and completed as widely as possible, so every little bit helps.

Who can complete the survey?

We are seeking anyone with professional experience with substance use and/or addictive behaviour disorders (disorders related to alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, gambling, gaming, specifically). This includes researchers or educators, health or social care practitioners (e.g., clinicians, allied health professionals, social workers), government, policy or commissioning professionals, advocacy or charity professionals, commercial or industry representatives, and any other individuals with relevant professional experience. We are seeking professionals from any country. The survey is only available in English.

Why are we seeking feedback?

We hope that this standard set will become a minimum global standard. This can only be achieved if the set is truly fit-for-purpose in all settings. Through our working group, we have drawn on a diverse range of experiences of 26 experts in order to develop the current proposal. Now we want to expand this and draw on as many diverse perspectives as possible to ensure that we are validly and reliably capturing the outcomes that matter to people who seek treatment across all of the different populations and settings around the world.

Who is conducting this work?

This work is led by the International Consortium of Health Outcome Measurement ( ICHOM ). The project team consists of the project managers, Sophie Chung and Luz Fialho (ICHOM), the chair, Prof Michael Farrell (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre), and the research fellow, Dr Nicola Black (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre). All major decisions in the project have been made via consensus from an international, multidisciplinary group of 26 experts from 11 countries: Dr Apinun Aramrattana (Chiang Mai University), Prof Sawitri Assanangkornchai (Prince of Songkla University), Prof Alex Blaszczynski (University of Sydney), Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones (Imperial College London), Adrian Brown (Central and North West London Trust), Dr Qiana Brown (Rutgers University), Dr Linda Cottler (University of Florida), Maury Elsasser*, Dr Marica Ferri (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction), Dr Maria Florence (University of the Western Cape), Dr Ralitza Gueorguieva (Yale School of Public Health), Ryan Hampton*, Dr Suzie Hudson (Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies), A/Prof Peter Kelly (University of Wollongong), Prof Nicholas Lintzeris (University of Sydney), Lyn Murphy*, Dr Abhijit Nadkarni (Sangath), Prof Joanne Neale (King’s College London), Prof Daniel Rosen (University of Pittsburgh), Dr Hans-Jürgen Rumpf (Universität zu Lübeck), Dr Brian Rush (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), Gabriel Segal* (Alcoholics Anonymous), Dr Gillian Shorter (Ulster University), Prof Marta Torrens (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), Prof Wim van den Brink (University of Amsterdam), Chris Wait* (Build on Belief). *Working group members with lived experience.

Action Alert: Urge Your Senator to Oppose SB 621!

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 14:12:13 GMT

New Hampshire needs your voice.

On Tuesday, February 4th , the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 621 , which would allow ready to drink spirit based cocktails (products such as "Tequila Paloma" and "Rum and Cola") available in convenience and grocery stores, making these higher alcohol percentage drinks widely accessible and available. The size of these cocktails can range from a single serving size to 749 milliliters - one milliliter less than a bottle of wine!

Make your voice heard on why SB 621 is wrong for New Hampshire and join us at the hearing.

Committee Hearing on SB 621

Tuesday, February 4th at 2:30 p.m.

State House Room 100

107 N. Main St. Concord, NH 03301

This policy change would be a monumental shift in New Hampshire's current regulatory system which requires liquor products like these to be sold in state run liquor stores. Polices such as this one, which regulate the percentage and location of where liquor is sold, are in place to protect public health and safety. New Hampshire is currently struggling with a substance misuse epidemic and alcohol remains the most prevalent substance misused in the United States and New Hampshire. Now is not the time to weaken New Hampshire's alcohol regulations.

Can't make it to the hearing? We need strong advocates to call committee members today and urge them to oppose SB 621.

Thank you for your continued advocacy for our Granite State communities!

42 CFR Part 2 eBook - Available NOW!

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 15:31:25 GMT

Available Now!

Download Instantly!

A newly updated and abridged version of the Legal Action Center’s Book, Confidentiality & Communication, is now available as an eBook. It covers all the essentials for understanding confidentiality, including answers to questions like:

When do 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA apply?
How did the 2017 amendments change the requirements for consent forms, patient privacy notices and the notice of prohibition on re-disclosure?
How to make disclosures for medical emergencies, audits, or research?
How can a program report a crime on program premises?
What should a program do if it receives a subpoena, search warrant, or arrest warrant?
What privacy rights do patients have?
How are the laws enforced and what are the security requirements?
What are best practices for common confidentiality issues?

BUY NOW

Confidentiality & Communication is an indispensable guide to substance use disorder (SUD) privacy for new members of the SUD treatment field and stakeholders who work with individuals receiving SUD treatment, as well as seasoned confidentiality experts with questions about the 2017 and 2018 amendments to 42 CFR Part 2.

Available for instant download for only $109. Click here to buy!

The 2020 edition also explains the newest proposal by SAMHSA to amend the confidentiality regulations again, and flags areas where the regulations are subject to change in the future. If the regulations change in 2020, LAC will publish a new edition with fully updated information and offer a discount to customers who purchased the current edition. To see a full list of the topics covered in the abridged and updated 2020 edition of Confidentiality & Communication, visit the online Table of Contents .

The 2020 edition of Confidentiality & Communication is available as an e-book only.

Roads to Recovery: Overdose and Brain Injury (PBS News Release)

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 14:45:33 GMT

New Hampshire PBS

Roads to Recovery: Overdose and Brain Injury

(Durham, August 29, 2019) - For years, Laurie Branchaud lived in fear of a phone call. “I was scared every day,” she says. Her son Ryan was struggling with opioid addiction and she dreaded a call from authorities telling her he had overdosed and died. “I always used to say he would turn around or he would die. There were two options. I never thought of the middle option.”

While Ryan Branchaud did eventually overdose, he survived due to medical intervention but sustained a severe brain injury. His story and others are featured in the upcoming New Hampshire PBS documentary Roads to Recovery: Overdose and Brain Injury that premiered on Thursday, September 5 ^th . The latest in a series of programs on substance misuse and recovery in New Hampshire, this installment investigates how brain injury can result from an overdose and how it can complicate addiction treatment.

A recent increase in brain injuries among overdose survivors is partially a result of improved medical treatment of overdoses. While the injuries are not always severe, they can complicate the treatment and recovery process.

“Brain injury symptoms can be misinterpreted as ‘they’re not really trying,’” says Lindy Keller, a Treatment and Recovery Specialist with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. “If this person has had multiple overdoses they may be trying as hard as they can, but they’re limited in their capacity.”

John Corrigan, a psychologist at Ohio State University, concurs, “One of my missions is to help substance use professionals to understand the importance of knowing what the brain injury history is of the person across from them.” Corrigan notes that an individual with a brain injury often requires greater support, over a longer period of time, from providers, friends and family. “When you think treatment is over, it’s not.” To view this series, online please visit nhpbs.org/recovery .

Funding for Roads to Recovery: Overdose and Brain Injury is provided by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health and the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire.

About New Hampshire PBS: New Hampshire PBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs and services on-air, online, via mobile, in classrooms and in communities. Beyond its award-winning television programs, New Hampshire PBS is a leader in education and community engagement. www.nhpbs.org

Visit the NHBS PRESSROOM at www.nhpbs.org/pressroom • Follow NHPBS on Facebook and Twitter

New Hampshire PBS 268 Mast Road Durham, NH 03824 603.868.1100 • nhpbs.org

NHPBS | NHPBS EXPLORE | NH WORLD | NH CREATE | NHPBS KIDS
Digital channels 11 Durham, 34 Pittsburg, 48 Littleton, 49 Keene, 50 Hanover

Check out current research, resources, and solutions on the topic of Clinician Resilience and Well-Being!

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 14:54:22 GMT

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee.

https://nam.edu/initiatives/clinician-resilience-and-well-being/

Clinician well-being is essential for safe, high-quality patient care.

However, clinicians of all kinds, across all specialties and care settings, are experiencing alarming rates of burnout. Among the most telling of statistics, more than 50 percent of U.S. physicians report significant symptoms. Burnout is a syndrome characterized by a high degree of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (i.e., cynicism), and a low sense of personal accomplishment at work.

Clinician burnout can have serious, wide-ranging consequences, from reduced job performance and high turnover rates to—in the most extreme cases—medical error and clinician suicide. On the other hand, clinician well-being supports improved patient-clinician relationships, a high-functioning care team, and an engaged and effective workforce. In other words, when we invest in clinician well-being, everyone wins.

Supporting clinician well-being requires sustained attention and action at organizational, state, and national levels, as well as investment in research and information-sharing to advance evidence-based solutions.

About the Action Collaborative

In 2017, the National Academy of Medicine launched the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, a network of more than 60 organizations committed to reversing trends in clinician burnout. The Collaborative has three goals:

Raise the visibility of clinician anxiety, burnout, depression, stress, and suicide
Improve baseline understanding of challenges to clinician well-being
Advance evidence-based, multidisciplinary solutions to improve patient care by caring for the caregiver.

The Action Collaborative is composed of five working groups that will meet over the course of four years to identify evidence-based strategies to improve clinician well-being at both the individual and systems levels. Products and activities of these five working groups include an online knowledge hub, a series of NAM Perspectives discussion papers, and an all-encompassing conceptual model that reflects the domains affecting clinician well-being.

Gender-Based Differences in Burnout: Issues Faced by Women Physicians

Women now account for an increasingly large percentage of medical school students and practicing physicians, yet there is still a scarcity of research on how gender-related differences can affect clinician burnout and well-being. Recognizing gender-related differences is critical in designing effective strategies to improve clinician well-being and to identify, treat, and prevent burnout. This recently-released discussion paper examines how gender-related differences can manifest, and some strategies for ensuring well-being for all health professionals.

Expressions of Clinician Well-Being

The National Academy of Medicine recently called on artists of all skills and abilities to explore what clinician burnout, clinician well-being, and clinician resilience looks, feels and sounds like to people across the country. 100 pieces of artwork were selected by a panel of reviewers to be displayed in a digital gallery. Explore the digital art gallery >>

Clinician Well-Being Knowledge Hub is Live!

The Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience is proud to announce the launch of the Clinician Well-Being Knowledge Hub, a comprehensive resource repository for those seeking to promote clinician well-being at their organizations and in their personal lives. Visit the knowledge hub>>

Help us share the knowledge hub by clicking here .

Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic

Thu, 09 May 2019 15:06:17 GMT

Meeting recording and slides now available!

This public meeting of the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic included an open, public session on Tuesday, April 30 from 9am – 1pm. The session included a keynote presentation and updates from the four working groups of the Action Collaborative.

Watch the recording and view the presentations here >>

very day, an estimated 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose – a grim statistic that has devastated families and communities across the nation. Due to its complex and urgent nature, reversing the opioid crisis will require a multi-sectoral and multi-pronged response; no organization, government agency, or sector can solve this crisis on its own. Within the past year alone, numerous initiatives, reports, guidelines, and recommendations have been developed to address the epidemic across the public and private sectors. With so much activity underway, strong mechanisms to support better coordination, information-sharing, and evidence-based practice are needed.

To improve coordination and accelerate the pace of change, the National Academy of Medicine has partnered with the Aspen Institute and more than 55 other organizations to form an Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. This one-of-a-kind public-private partnership comprises government, communities, health systems, provider groups, payers, industry, nonprofits, academia, and more – all committed to sharing knowledge, aligning ongoing initiatives, and advancing collective, multisector solutions. Learn more>>

Opportunity to Participate in Study Regarding Types of Trauma Treatment Provided by SUD Clinicians

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:10:53 GMT

Opportunity to Participate in Study Regarding Types of Trauma Treatment Provided by SUD Clinicians

Understanding the depth and spread of the co-occurrence of trauma and substance use disorders within the population, the urgency of the need for treatment by qualified and prepared clinicians cannot be overemphasized.

This 3-4 minute survey developed by Tom Alexander, PhD, Mary Hoke, PhD, and Karlene Barrett, PhD (Department of Graduate Psychology – Purdue University Global) intends to gain a better understanding of the type of trauma treatment provided for individuals with substance use disorders and the clinicians who treat such individuals.

Participation is totally voluntary and anonymous; no information will be collected that could possibly identify individual participants; no one at NAADAC will ever know if a member chose to participate or not; and there are no consequences for choosing to participate or not in the study.

NHADACA's Commitment Statement

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 15:13:33 GMT

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from difficult situations or circumstances, is often discussed in regard to clients and patients. Rarely is it discussed in regard to those providing care and services to these individuals, it is merely assumed. The mental and emotional well-being of providers in the substance use disorder profession, or indeed, in any type of healthcare, is often overlooked, dismissed, or shrugged off. There seems to be an underlying assumption that providers come into the profession with inborn resilience and that we can move on from difficult experiences without lasting harm. Burn-out and compassion-fatigue are often seen as weaknesses, rather than a natural consequence of a service that can take a huge emotional toll. We are often more compassionate toward clients and patients than we are toward our employees, supervisees and ourselves. Recently, people have been becoming more aware that pretending the problem of burn-out doesn’t exist, or dismissing those with compassion fatigue as weak, is not making those problems go away, and may in fact be exacerbating them. Like many other problems, we must first be able to openly talk about these issues, without fear of being shamed by supervisors and colleagues, in order to combat them.

In an effort to help combat the stigma around burn-out and compassion fatigue, the NHADACA Board of Directors, as guided and proposed by the Ethics Committee, submitted a Commitment Statement outlining our commitment to improving provider well-being to the National Academy of Medicine, Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience (NAM). NAM has requested organizations in the healthcare field submit statements in an effort to foster a national commitment to fight burn-out and fatigue. It is NHADACA’s hope that participating in this effort will help further a conversation about the need to foster provider well-being on both a national and local level.

Within the coming months, NHADACA will further this effort throughout NH by reaching out to local organizations and invite them to also post organizational commitment statements that support provider well-being. For more information contact the NHADACA office at 603.225.7060.

NHADACA's Announcements

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: New Hampshire CRSW Test Preparation Group Trainer

New Hampshire CRSW Test Preparation Group Trainer

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: New Hampshire CRSW Supervisor

New Hampshire CRSW Supervisor

INTO LIGHT Project NH exhibition – Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories

New Law Speeds Up Credentialing for Mental Health Providers in New Hampshire

Help Shape NH's Alcohol Fund Strategy

The Credentialling Support Partnership has Launched a New Free Training Series

Join a Peer Collaboration Group!

NHADACA is Welcoming Two New Board Members

The Contract Lifecycle Series 3 is Open for Registration

Emerging Drug Threat: W-18

Revised Alc Rules

NAADAC 2024 Annual Conference & Hill Day: Learn, Connect, Advocate, Succeed

Online Training Modules for Each New England State With Free Narcan OTC by Mail

Financing Peer Recovery Support: Opportunities to Enhance the SUD Peer Workforce

CMS Approves New Treatment and Billing Rules for Mental Health Counselors

SAMHSA updates their Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit

The 2024 NH Magnify Voices Artistic Expression Contest is Now Accepting Entries!

HHS Finalizes Part 2 Revisions

Unpacking the No Surprises Act

Privacy Update for Substance Use Disorder Treatment from the Legal Action Center

Privacy Update for Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Key Summary

Discussion

Wellness Wednesdays Start Tomorrow!

Free On-Demand Webinar Series

Remembering Bob Dorley

NAADAC's New Code of Ethics Will Take Effect on January 1

SAMHSA Releases Report on Behavioral Health Workforce Needs

ICD-10-CM Guidelines for 2021 Webinar

Join the Provider Well-Being Challenge!

NH Professional Health Program

Confidentiality & Communication (Rev. October 2020) e-book

Peer Collaboration on Topic of Clinician Well-being and Cultivating Resilience

Mayo Clinic's Well-Being Index

Virtual Care: Wave Of The Future, or Momentary Ripple?

2021 Update for ICD-10-CM Webinar

Isotonitazene - An Emerging Threat

Emerging Threat Bulletin from Gulf Coast HIDTA

Provider Relief Fund - NH Medicaid Program Announcement 7/14/2020

New Hampshire Medicaid Program

Key Points For Being Happy

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Collaborative for the Advancement of Recovery Excellence (CARE) Launched in May of 2020

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Support the Telehealth Bill HB 1623 - Hearing This Thursday

Urgent!

Please support the Amendment to HB 1623, allowing telehealth and telephone options for providers and reimbursement at in-office rates.

May 21 Virtual Symposium

brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Symposium Agenda

Keynote

Session 1 - 9:20 to 10:30 a.m. ET

Session 2 - 10:50 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET

Session 3 - 12:40 to 1:50 p.m. ET

Session 4 - 2:10 to 3:20 p.m. ET

Session 5 - 3:40 to 4:50 p.m. ET

2020 Consumer Resource Guide: How to Access Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE QUICK GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS

NAM & ASAM Webinar Series

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Survey of Drug Use Patterns

Update from NHADACA and Peer Collaboration

Put the "We" In Wellness During COVID-19

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

Free Online Self-Help Meetings and Virtual Platforms

Brought to you by Sue Thistle, MLADC

FAQs Regarding COVID-19 and liability insurance with HPSO

Brought to you by your NHADACA Ethics Committee

CMS Medicare-Telemedicine Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet

MEDICARE TELEMEDICINE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FACT SHEET

INTRODUCTION:

TYPES OF VIRTUAL SERVICES:

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Summary of Medicare Telemedicine Services ﻿

SAMHSA Releases Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health Fact Sheet

Summary of Medicare Telemedicine Services