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DEA Eases Regulations for Mobile Methadone
DEA Eases Regulations for Mobile Methadone The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Feb. 26 proposed a regulation that revises the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to permit narcotic treatment programs (NTPs)—opioid treatment programs, detoxification services that use methadone, and compounders— to operate mobile components, or mNTPs, without separate registrations. The rule also proposes requirements related to security, recordkeeping, reporting, and inventory. The purpose of the rulemaking is to address the opioid epidemic by expanding access to methadone treatment, especially for residents of rural and underserved communities. Background Currently, each mobile component…
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NABH 2020 Directory Features Essential Behavioral Healthcare Sources
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) is pleased to share its online Membership Directory with the public for the first time. NABH’s Membership Directory is designed to help clinicians, hospital admissions staff, employee assistance directors, school counselors, policymakers, journalists, patient advocates, and families identify systems and facilities that provide essential behavioral healthcare services across the United States. Read more at PR Newswire
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Kirsten Beronio Joins NABH as Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kirsten Beronio has joined the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) as director of policy and regulatory affairs, effective Feb. 24. Kirsten Beronio comes to NABH with more than 20 years of experience developing mental health and substance use disorder policy in leadership positions she has held in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government and at a leading mental health advocacy organization. “We are excited to welcome someone with the depth and breadth of behavioral healthcare policy experience that Kirsten brings,” said Shawn Coughlin, president and CEO…
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White House Proposes Changes IMD Exclusion in 2021 Budget
The White House on Monday released a $4.8 trillion budget for 2021 that would modify Medicaid’s Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion to provide states with flexibility to provide inpatient mental health services to beneficiaries with serious mental illness (SMI). The budget requests $94.5 billion for HHS, a 10-percent decrease from the 2020 enacted level. Although Congress is likely to reject President Trump’s proposal, the budget is significant for outlining the president’s top policy priorities as he seeks re-election in November. Notably for NABH, those priorities address mental health and…
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ONDCP Issues 2020 National Drug Control Strategy and Treatment Plan
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has issued its 2020 National Drug Control Strategy (Strategy) and accompanying National Treatment Plan (NTP) that includes action items for federal agencies and external stakeholders to increase access to care and close the addiction treatment gap. The Strategy is presented using the domains of prevention, treatment and recovery, and supply-side strategies for reducing the availability and consumption of illicit drugs. These domains are established as ‘pillars’ that undergird the federal initiatives of expanding the early intervention, treatment and recovery infrastructure; improving the…