Latest News

Partners for Recovery releases a summary report of SAMHSA's first-ever School for Prevention Leadership and includes State health care reform informational sheets

In the context of the Affordable Care Act's increased emphasis on substance use prevention and mental health promotion in the nation's health care delivery system, PFR piloted SAMHSA's first School for Prevention Leadership (SPL) designed specifically for substance use prevention professionals. This pilot integrated general leadership skill-building exercises for professionals with specific knowledge relevant to the prevention field. The SPL assisted community-level and state-level prevention professionals in developing a set of leadership skills and a knowledge base to effectively navigate the anticipated changes brought about by health reform.

A summary report (21pp, PDF, 915KB) prepared by PFR provides a snapshot of the SPL and includes a synopsis of the School's objectives and structure, participants' feedback, and lessons learned.

State health care reform informational sheets (104pp, ZIP, 16MB) distributed during an in-person SPL training session are also now available. These sheets--one for each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico--serve as a quick and easy reference for:

• State data such as health spending or percentage of uninsured residents;
• The status of efforts to create a health insurance exchange;
• Health insurance enrollment services offered in the State; and
• Other enrollment opportunities offered by the State, such as Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or other miscellaneous assistance.

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Partners for Recovery and SAAS develop a series of webinars that include presentations and tools for marketing behavioral health provider organizations in the new health care environment

Succeeding and thriving in the changing healthcare marketplace depends on how leaders in the behavioral health field brand, market, and strategically position their organizations. To build the marketing capacity and know-how of the provider community, PFR and the State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) developed and delivered a comprehensive educational series for organization leaders. This training series combined in-person training sessions with webinars and coaching calls designed to build provider capacity in several core marketing competencies:

1. Communicating the new business paradigm;
2. Conducting and using market research to make strategic business decisions;
3. Gathering and using competitive intelligence;
4. Developing the marketing workforce;
5. Understanding the customer value proposition; and
6. Understanding and using the 5 Ps of marketing: promotion, place, price, people, and product.

If you missed the training series, you can download the PowerPoint presentations and accompanying marketing tools and also watch a video of each session by visiting SAAS' website.

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Partners for Recovery and Legal Action Center host Webinar series on alcohol and drug confidentiality regulations

To assist State agencies and providers of substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment, Partners for Recovery and the Legal Action Center created and hosted a Webinar series about how to apply the Federal alcohol/drug confidentiality regulations - 42 C.F.R. Part 2 - to Health Information Technology (HIT), and to further explore the two sets of FAQs issued by SAMHSA on the subject. The four Webinars dissected and explained the confidentiality regulations in the context of the HIT and Health Information Exchange (HIE) environment, including which programs must follow 42 C.F.R. Part 2, situations in which patient information may or may not be disclosed, different HIT patient choice models, issues relating to patient consent and information-sharing agreements, and current SAMHSA HIT programs and activities.

The Webinar PowerPoint presentations and audio can be accessed on the Legal Action Center website, along with the 42 C.F.R. Part 2 confidentiality regulations and FAQs.

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Partners for Recovery releases report on the proceedings of the National Summit on Recovery from Substance Use Disorders

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) co-hosted the National Summit on Recovery from Substance Use Disorders in 2010. It was intended to assess the progress made since the 2005 Recovery Summit and the remaining work to be done. This time participants integrated the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its creation of national health care reform into its effort advancing Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) and recognized it will have a major impact in promoting resiliency and recovery and inclusion of behavioral health care to support wellness and recovery. PFR assisted in planning the meeting, preparing materials, facilitating and recording break-out group sessions, and writing the final report. For more information, see the report on the proceedings of the National Summit on Recovery from Substance Use Disorders (61pp, PDF, 1.5MB).

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Partners for Recovery develops a Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) Resource Guide

The Partners for Recovery (PFR) Initiative supports the development of Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC). PFR prepared a comprehensive "Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) Resource Guide" (30pp, PDF, 1.1MB) to assist policy makers and treatment and recovery providers with enhancing prevention, treatment, and recovery services in an evolving health care environment. This Guide outlines steps for planning and implementing ROSC and aligns the tenets of national health care reform to the history, framework, and benefits of ROSC. To facilitate efforts to organize and establish ROSC, readers will find website links to valuable resources in each section of the guide, such as research studies, manuals, white papers, practice guides, and conference presentations.

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Partners for Recovery produces report on pathways to healing and recovery from alcohol and drug problems

To inform stakeholders and the public about the process of recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs, PFR produced a report, "Pathways to Healing and Recovery: Perspectives from Individuals with Histories of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems" (39pp, PDF, 975KB). This report summarizes qualitative findings from focus groups and in-depth interviews with individuals in recovery. It describes individuals' unique journeys through recovery as well as specific facets of the healing process: the terminology that individuals in recovery use to describe their experiences; the range of recovery pathways that exist; and the barriers to and supports for successful recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. This document offers insight into the varied perspectives and trajectories of people in recovery.

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Partners for Recovery prepares report on State activities and resources for returning veterans

PFR and the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) prepared a report entitled, "Addressing the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Needs of Returning Veterans and Their Families: The Training Needs of State Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies and Providers" (74pp, PDF, 2.2MB). It investigates the training, outreach, and resources offered by Single State Agencies (SSAs) in charge of drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services to meet the needs of returning veterans and their families. Data for the report was collected from nine States identified as conducting a high level of substance use disorder activities targeting veterans. This report provides data trends in the number of veterans who sought admission to publicly funded treatment centers from 2000 to 2007. Case studies of each State selected for the report are also included, which detail the perceived training needs of substance use disorder treatment providers who endeavor to improve service delivery and address the complex experiences of veterans and their family members.

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Partners for Recovery releases White Paper examining military culture

"Understanding the Military: The Institution, the Culture, and the People" (38pp, PDF, 1.4MB) offers an overview of the practices and individuals that comprise the Armed Forces as well as techniques for treating military personnel in behavioral health settings. In light of ongoing military action overseas, mental health and addictions treatment clinicians are faced with an influx of soldiers and veterans in need of professional services and care. This White Paper is a helpful resource for those who want to acquire a fundamental understanding of military service and the effects of combat. The document is also a useful tool for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment professionals who currently treat or intend to work with members of the Armed Forces and their families.

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