5 Million Parents Have Alcohol Problems SAMHSA recently released new data that show nearly 5 million alcohol-dependent or alcohol-abusing parents have at least one child living at home with them. According to the report, these parents are more likely than other parents to smoke cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and report household "turbulence." Data from SAMHSA'S 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Use, show that the 5 million parents with alcohol problems who have children under age 18 at home account for more than 25 percent of all adults with alcohol problems. The data also reveal a connection between alcohol misuse and the use of illicit drugs. According to the survey, more than 35 percent of parents with past-year alcohol dependence or abuse also used illicit drugs in the past year. In comparison, only 11 percent of parents without alcohol problems used illicit drugs. "There is good news," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie M.A., A.C.S.W. "Children of alcoholic parents can be helped to build on their strengths and develop resilience to overcome their difficulties." SAMHSA partnered with the National Association for Children of Alcoholics to develop and distribute materials to community organizations. A Children's Program Kit is available. (See SAMHSA The report, Alcohol Dependence or Abuse Among Parents with Children Living in the Home, is based on interviews with 68,126 respondents in their homes. For a print copy of the report or the Children's Program Kit, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. Telephone: 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). The report can also be downloaded from the SAMHSA Web site at www.drugabusestatistics.samhsa.gov.▸ Rules Proposed for Workplace SAMHSA has proposed a new rule that would allow Federal agencies to use sweat, saliva, and hair in Federal drug testing programs that now test only urine. The proposal would also allow selected specimen testing at the time and place it is collected. The proposal is based on scientific advances that will allow use of hair, saliva, and sweat specimens to be used with the same level of confidence applied to urine specimens. The proposed rule spells out when these alternative specimens and testing devices may be used, the procedures that must be used in collecting samples, and the certification process for approving a laboratory to test these alternative specimens. "These proposed rules will largely affect Federal employees and job applicants in safety and security-related positions," explained SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W. About 400,000 Federal workers in testing-designated positions—those who have security clearances, are presidential appointees, carry firearms, or deal with public safety or national security-are drug tested when they apply for jobs. Under the proposed rule, Federal agencies will choose whether to use the new tests. There is no requirement to test hair, saliva, or sweat. Agencies will consider their own needs and whether employees may consider these tests less intrusive and less invasive of privacy than collecting urine specimens. The proposed rule would implement procedures to ensure that all Federal agencies divide each collected specimen—whether hair, oral fluid, sweat, or urine-into two parts: one-half for immediate testing, and one-half to be held in reserve. This added safeguard benefits both the person tested and the agency, by providing a system that would permit the person tested to request an immediate double-check if a specimen comes back from the laboratory as positive for drugs. SAMHSA also has issued a new rule to establish standards for certification of laboratories engaged in urine testing for Federal agencies. These new standards ensure that validity testing and reporting procedures are uniformly applied to all Federal agency urine specimens. This specific revision has been added in response to increased availability in the marketplace of products used to try to beat drug tests by adulterating urine specimens. Although this is a final rule, comments are requested on one element of this revision creatinine levels, which are used to help establish whether a urine specimen has been adulterated. Comments are requested because the information on which this change is based came in after the close of the comment period on the proposal. For more information, visit SAMHSA's Web site at www.samhsa.gov. SAMHSA Launches Two Major Efforts on Underage Drinking SAMHSA introduced two major public education programs on underage drinking in April, Alcohol Awareness Month. At a press conference on April 20 in Washington, DC, SAMHSA launched Too Smart To Start, a new national program to keep pre-teens, age 9 to 13, from initiating alcohol consumption. Later in the month, SAMHSA teamed with Scholastic, Inc., for the Reach Out Now National Teach-In Week, April 26 to 30, to educate students in fifth-grade classrooms nationwide on the dangers of underage alcohol use. SAMHSA'S 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that more than 2.6 million adolescents age 12 to 17 binged on alcohol in 2002 and 630,000 were heavy drinkers already. One-third-2.3 million— of alcohol-dependent adults age 21 or older in 2002, had first used alcohol before age 14. More than 80 percent-5.8 millionhad first used before they were age 18. The rate of dependence for those who first drank at age 21 or older was 1 percent. Too Smart To Start The idea behind Too Smart To Start is to reach out to children and caregivers before these children start drinking alcohol. The program provides materials to community groups with the objective of enhancing communication between parents and children about the harm of underage alcohol use. A community action kit is available that provides step-by-step information on how to raise awareness about underage drinking in local communities. Field tests of the program took place in New Castle County, DE; Miami, FL; Noble County, IN; Newaygo County, MI; Cincinnati, OH; Portland, OR; Pittsburgh, PA; Nashville, TN; and San Antonio, TX. National partner organizations are now taking the program Too Smart To Start Menu Too Smart To Start gies and marias for Community Professionals and 2000 nationwide. Funding for the program Reach Out Now This is the third year of Reach Out Now. Fifth-grade teachers received a two-part Graders About Underage Drinking. This The materials have been enthusiastically spouses from states across the country, and the teach-ins included the participation of the first ladies of 15 states and other public figures. For more information on the Too Smart To Start program, visit SAMHSA's Web site at www.samhsa.gov. For Reach Out Now, visit www.teachin.samhsa.gov. To order materials available for these programs, contact the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345; or call 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). ► Kit Links Service Providers to Resources for Older Adults To help service providers address alcohol abuse and medication misuse among older adults, SAMHSA, the Administration on Aging (AOA), and the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) recently released a toolkit, Get Connected! Linking Older Adults with Medication, Alcohol, and Mental Health Resources. Older Americans comprise fewer than 13 percent of the population, but receive between 25 and 30 percent of all prescriptions and account for more than half of the hospitalizations resulting from drug reactions. About 17 percent of older adults experience problems with abuse of alcohol or misuse of prescription drugs, and 20 percent of the mental health problems experienced by those over 55 are not part of the normal aging process. The toolkit is designed for organizations that provide services to older adults, such as senior centers, adult day care services, nutrition programs, state agencies, health and social service programs, and faith-based initiatives. It introduces service providers to substance abuse and misuse issues and mental health problems in older adults. The toolkit also gives them a 5-step process to establish a program, develop resources, conduct education sessions, and plan future programming. What's in the Toolkit? of SAMHSA's Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 26, gives service providers information to help them screen and assess substance abuse among older adults and make referrals for appropriate treatment. • A selection of handouts, brochures, sample forms, and a video. To order the Get Connected! toolkit, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. Telephone: 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). Ask for publication GCKIT.▸ According to Assistant Secretary on Aging Josefina G. Carbonell, "Too many of our elders struggle to cope with difficult life situations or mental health and substance abuse concerns that negatively affect their ability to participate fully in life. This exciting collaboration between SAMHSA, AOA, and NCOA makes important information and resources available that can enhance the well-being of all older Americans." "The Get Connected! toolkit addresses the needs of this population by promoting new linkages that will help older adults gain access to needed substance abuse and mental health services," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W. The materials provided in the toolkit allow a services coordinator to: Determine if the organization is ready, willing, and able to establish the program. Create or enhance the organization's resource database. Conduct educational sessions for staff and older adults, or identify an appropriate person who can conduct these sessions. Help the organization draft a plan for future programs. See box for a description of toolkit contents and directions for ordering. D -Sarah E. Michaud D R Disaster Assistance Center Offers Natural and manmade disasters affect every member of a community-including those struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. State governments and local service providers seeking to prepare for and respond to the need for trauma-related mental health and substance abuse services after a disaster can find support and guidance at the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (SAMHSA DTAC). SAMHSA DTAC offers a toll-free number through which states, territories, and local service providers can access resources and information and request technical assistance. SAMHSA DTAC's Web site provides a wealth of information about disaster-related and trauma-related services, including Dialogue, SAMHSA DTAC's quarterly publication for state mental health commissioners, substance abuse commissioners, and disaster mental health coordinators. The Web site also includes emergency plans from several states; Federal resources for disaster, trauma, and mental health as well as publication information; and, an events calendar. Corrections & Clarifications The March/April 2004 issue of SAMHSA News, Volume 12, Number 2, should have noted that most of the funding for the program described in "Buprenorphine in Action: One Community's Story," was provided by the Mifflin County Commissioners and Mifflin County District Attorney, with some additional revenue raised via application fees and in-kind and monetary contributions from other segments of the community. The article, "SAMHSA Helps Bring Buprenorphine to the Field," which appeared in the March/April 2004 issue of SAMHSA News, Volume 12, Number 2, did not intend to imply that specialized methadone clinics are not an important treatment option for people addicted to opioid drugs. SAMHSA supports the use of both methadone and buprenorphine in the medication-assisted treatment of opioid-dependent patients. The "Buprenorphine Resources" box in the March/April 2004 issue of SAMHSA News, Volume 12, Number 2, | %%f ©r? S© % མ SAMHSA Announces Funding Opportunities SAMHSA recently announced grant funding opportunities for Fiscal Year 2004. Selected Notices of Funding Availability include the following: Cooperative Agreement for Ecstasy and Other Club Drugs Prevention Services (Application due date: June 18, 2004)-15 awards, up to $300,000 for 5 years, to prevent youth involvement with Ecstasy and club drugs through effective and culturally appropriate prevention services. (SP 04-004, $4.5 million) State Incentive Grants for Treatment of Persons with Co-Occurring Substance Related and Mental Health Disorders (Application due date: June 8, 2004)— 4 grants, up to $1.1 million per year in two phases, to increase state and local capacity to provide accessible, effective, comprehensive, coordinated, integrated, and evidence based treatment services to persons with Access to Recovery Grants (Application due date: June 4, 2004)— 15 grants, up to $15 million per year for 3 years, for states to implement voucher programs that support client choice among substance abuse clinical treatment and recovery providers, expand access to clinical treatment and recovery support options, and increase substance abuse treatment capacity. (TI 04-009, $100 million) Program To Aid Reentry of Young Offenders into the Community (Application due date: June 15, 2004)12 to 14 awards, from $300,000 to $500,000 for up to 4 years, to expand and enhance substance abuse treatment and related reentry systems for juveniles and young adults sentenced to prisons, jails, or juvenile detention centers. (TI 04-002, $6 million) Substance Abuse Services Research (Application due date: June 1, 2004)— 5 grants, up to $30,000 for 2 years, to support dissertation research involving data analysis on substance abuse services issues. The dissertation must examine in a quantitative way a problem or issue in the area of substance abuse. (PA 04-001, $150,000) Infrastructure Grants State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement (Application due date: June 16, 2004)—51 awards, up to $150,000 per year for 3 years, to support state and local mental health authorities to improve the management of delivery of mental health services. (SM 04-005, $8.25 million) Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Abuse State Infrastructure Grants (Application due date: June 3, 2004)-7 awards, up to $750,000 per year for 5 years, to expand and strengthen treatment services for children, adolescents, and youth in transition with serious emotional disturbances, substance abuse disorders, and/or co-occurring disorders, and their families. (SM 04-006, $5.3 million) Drug-Addiction-Treatment-Act-of2000 (DATA) Physician Clinical Support System (Application due date: June 2, 2004)-1 award, up to $500,000 per year for up to 3 years, to develop a coordinated, clinical support program for physicians who are treating addicted patients with buprenorphine products. (TI 04-005, $500,00) State Incentive Grants To Build Capacity for Alternatives to Restraint and Seclusion (Application due date: June 1, 2004)-8 awards, up to $237,000 per year for up to 3 years, to support state efforts to adopt best practices to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of restraint and seclusion in all mental health services settings. (SM 04-007, $1.9 million) Services Grants Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Their Children (Application due date: June 2, 2004)-14 awards, up to $500,000 per year for up to 3 years, to expand the availability of comprehensive, high-quality, resident substance abuse treatment services for pregnant, postpartum, or parenting low-income women, and parenting women and their minor children with limited access to health services. (TI 04-004, $7 million) Development of Comprehensive Drug/Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment Systems for Persons Who Are Homeless (Application due date: May 28, 2004)—35 awards, up to $400,000 each year for 5 years, to expand and strengthen treatment services for homeless individuals with substance abuse disorders, mental illness, or with co-occurring substance abuse disorders and mental illness. (TI 04-001, $13.9 million) More Information For the most up-to-date listings, and for information regarding applications, visit www.SAMHSA.gov/grants. Information is also available at www.grants.gov and the Federal Register. Or, telephone the National Mental Health Information Center at 1 (800) 789-2647 or the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1 (800) 729-6686. D -By Melissa Capers |