The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued requests for proposals for LME in May 2011.  Several bills in the North Carolina General Assembly were introduced that also supported these policy changes.  LMEs were applying to participate in the 1915(b)(c) Waiver Program.  This program has already been implemented at PBH (formerly known as Piedmont Behavioral Health Care or the Piedmont LME).  Waiver LME are required cover larger populations, therefore many LMEs grouped together for their applications.   An important component of the waiver is that the LMEs will be able to limit the number of providers that they contract with – other Medicaid systems require LME to work with any willing provider.

What this means for providers and their professionals is that waiver LME systems will likely have fewer numbers of larger provider organization.  The Critical Access Behavioral Health Agency plays a key role in this system – offering core services and partnering with small providers for specialty services.

The North Carolina Substance Abuse Federation, the North Carolina Substance Abuse Prevention Providers Association and the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Providers Association are continuing to evaluate this process with regard to the delivery of addiction prevention and treatment services.  Visit www.ncsapa.org for Federation news and notes on the subject.

 

The next available computer-based testing dates will be Saturday, September 3 – September 24th. Remember you must register 60 days prior to the test. If you would like to take a September exam you must register in before July.

For more information visit the Board’s website at www.ncsappb.org

  SAMHSA_Short_Report_2011.pdf (163.1 KiB, 215 hits)

In the wake of the unprecedented tornadoes that have occurred this month throughout the southeastern United States, it is important to recognize the impact on children and families of trauma caused by natural disasters and the link to future problems with alcohol, substance abuse and other behavioral health problems.

 

SAMHSA has recently published a new brief entitled Helping Children and Youth Who have Experienced Traumatic Events. A copy is attached above as SAMHSA Short Report.  It was released in preparation for National Child Mental Health Day which will be observed on May 3rd, 2011.

Substance abuse professionals must be aware of the impact that trauma may have on children and the future consequences.     Thirty-seven percent of youth over 11 years of age who experience only mild trauma used alcohol, tobacco or marijuana.  This number increases to one-half for adolescents who have experienced 3 or more traumatic events.

No new funding through the ESAP/PACT scholarship program will be available before  July 1, 2011. At that time, graduate students enrolled in one of the NCSAPPB masters programs who are nominated by their faculty will be eligible for awards.

At this time, we do not anticipate having funds to support students who apply directly to the program. We sincerely hope to provide more need-based financial aid in the future for a wider variety of substance abuse educational programs.

If additional funding options become available, we will announce the application process on this website.  Thank you for your interest and commitment to the substance abuse field.

On February 10th, John O’Brien, Senior Advisor on Health Care Financing made two presentations to the North Carolina Practice Improvement Collaborative.   Both presentations are available below.

Note:  Workforce preparation was a Core Consensus Principles he highlighted in his presentation on the subject.  Goal areas to increase the behavioral health workforce, use smart technology to deliver services, develop a national centralized credentialing process for all payment sources and a uniform system of licensing and regulation of service delivery are subjects that many impact the field during the careers of our current young professionals.

  Good_and_Modern_Health_Care_Environment.pdf (661.0 KiB, 482 hits)

  Healthcare_Reform_and_the_Core_Consensus_Principles.pdf (604.2 KiB, 439 hits)

North Carolina is home to the fourth largest population of active military service members and their families in the nation.   Substance abuse professional across the state of North Carolina should be prepared to serve these individuals and recognize that they may face a unique challenges.

In January, the White House presented a special report which combined the work of several federal agencies.  Strengthening Our Military Families:  Meeting America’s Commitment presents recommendations to address the needs of families.  Priority areas include:

1.  Enhance the well-being and psychological health of the military family

2.  Ensure excellence in military children’s education and their development

3.  Develop career and educational opportunities for military spouses

4.  Increase child care availability and quality for the Armed Forces

The full report is attached and contains details about proposals to accomplish these goals.

  Strengthening_our_Military_January_2011.pdf (4.5 MiB, 367 hits)

Scholarship funds have been available for many years through a contract between the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse and the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. Beginning in January 2011, these funds will be made available directly to graduate programs (master’s degree) approved by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board. Candidates will be selected by faculty based on criteria of financial need and academic excellence. To locate a program near you see the listing under Graduate Programs on this website. For more information contact David Zell at david.zell@governorsinstitute.org

Initially funded in 1992, the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers provide workforce development resources to the alcohol and drug abuse treatment field through the support of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. To obtain resources available nationally visit www.attcnetwork.org/index.asp

Expansion of health insurance coverage is expected to increase the need for licensed addiction professionals. In the current federal legislation the expansion of Medicaid benefits in 2014 will provide insurance to new individual in need of addiction treatment services. In North Carolina, that will mean an increase in the need for the professionals who can bill Medicaid through both the Enhanced Services Definitions for Addiction – licensed professionals – Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialists (LCAS).

The quickest and least expensive route to preparing to become a LCAS is to attend one of the masters degree programs approved by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board. These programs are listed on this site under the tab for masters degree programs.

The North Carolina Substance Abuse Providers Organization in collaboration with the Governor’s Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse was host a meeting on May 26, 2010 that featured Dr. Paula Horvatich of the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center.  Sponsored by the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, Dr. Horvatich is one of the premier national experts on the addiction treatment workforce in America.   Her presentation examined some of the most critical issues facing the addiction field in the next decade.

  Addressing Workforce Issues (1.5 MiB, 362 hits)