The National Impact   An update for friends of the National Advocacy Campaign for Smarter and More Effective Alcohol and Drug Policies June/July 2011 In This Issue Multifaceted Work on ACA Implementation CWH comments on ACO SAAS comments on proposed unified block grant   Educating the Field Webinar: How to comment on federal regulations Webinar: Prevention provisions of the ACA   Action Alert: Second Chance Act Reauthorization History of LAC and SAAS work  Action Alert   LAC and SAAS vs. Barriers to Reentry LAC one-pagers  Letter to Senate on Veterans Comments on Workforce Investment Act reauthorization   Quick Links The Roadmap for Smarter and More Effective Alcohol and Drug Policies 2009 Benchmarks Opportunities and Threats Join the Campaign Now!         Welcome back to “The National Impact,” our monthly e-newsletter to keep you updated on the campaign’s advocacy efforts! Many thanks to all the supporters who have made our successes possible.  Together, we can dramatically alter the national landscape so that fewer people suffer from alcohol and drug problems, the addicted receive the care they need, and people in recovery can live healthy and productive lives.  Multifaceted Work on ACA Implementation Legal Action Center and SAAS continue to work to ensure that the federal healthcare reform law will be implemented well for people with substance use disorder and mental health service needs:  On behalf of the Coalition for Whole Health, LAC staff prepared and submitted comments to the Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed Accountable Care Organization (ACO) regulations.  The comments focused on the critical importance of meeting the mental health and substance use disorder needs of enrollees, including proper MH/SUD provider involvement, patient confidentiality, and a commitment by ACOs to address the full range of MH/SUD needs through specific required health quality measures.   The coalition, co-chaired by LAC, continues our advocacy through its work groups: The benefit design group is working to draft a recommended MH/SUD benefit. The criminal justice-involved work group is developing consensus principles on ACA implementation for the justice-involved population. SAAS continues work through its Prevention Committee to develop policy recommendations for substance use prevention in a post-ACA world.   In May, SAAS and LAC participated in a summit on integration with membership from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and the National Association of Community Health Centers. Both organizations will be participating in a small group planning session later this month to discuss additional ways to work together. SAAS recently submitted comments to SAMHSA on the proposed unified application for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant.     Stay tuned for more soon on this important work!   Educating the Field We continue to present to a number of groups and have conducted a series of webinars aimed at educating the field about implementation of the ACA: Presentations to the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Addiction Studies Program, and at state-wide conferences in California, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Oklahoma. Webinars by LAC staff for SAMHSA on how to comment on federal regulations and the prevention provisions of the ACA.  Webinars by SAAS on provider preparation for implementation of the ACA.    Action Alert: Second Chance Act Reauthorization The Second Chance Act (S. 1231) is up for reauthorization! LAC and SAAS worked to pass this historic legislation in 2008 to help address the needs of people returning home from incarceration. Legislation to reauthorize it was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week, but bi-partisan co-sponsors of the legislation are needed to move it along in the legislative process. Follow this link for an LAC alert on the bill.   LAC and SAAS vs. Barriers to Reentry  As always, we’re working to eliminate and reduce legal and policy barriers that make reentry and recovery more difficult:   LAC-drafted one-pagers describing eight barriers in federal law and policy and making recommendations to eliminate or lessen these barriers. An LAC-drafted sign-on letter to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee encouraged members to address barriers that impact veterans with criminal records during their job search. Nearly 70 national, state and local organizations signed on in support.  LAC sent comments to the Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in preparation for legislation being introduced to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act. The comments stress the need to include programming to assist individuals with criminal records and/or addiction histories in entering the labor market. Join the Campaign!!   These advocacy efforts are just the beginning. As a friend of the substance use disorder field and as someone who believes in the power of advocacy and the reality of recovery, we know that you will find the National Advocacy Campaign for Smarter and More Effective Drug and Alcohol Policies as exciting as we do. In order to make the work of the campaign possible, please consider joining the effort to change alcohol and drug policies. Become a member by making a secure online contribution today (and select the National Advocacy Campaign from the drop-down box). Thank you for your support! Innovators Illinois Alcoholism & Drug Dependence Association • Jason R. Flom   Champions The Association of Substance Abuse Programs in Texas • Community Partnership of Southern Arizona • The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation • Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceutical    Founders Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. • Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc. •  Association for Behavioral Healthcare of Massachusetts • Baltimore Behavioral Health • Bridges for America  •  Terry Brown • Charles Bush California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources • CARON-Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Recovery for Life • Randolph E. Cloud • Colorado Association of Alcohol & Drug Service Providers, Inc. • John Coppola • County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators Association of California • DePaul Treatment Centers, Inc. • Richard J. Dillon • Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania • Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association • Florida Certification Board • Debra Gilmour • Adam Harrington • Cynthia Humphrey • JBS International, Inc • Robert B. Levy • Maine  • Mississippi Association of Addiction Services  •  Richard J. Nance • National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - Maryland • Nevada Alliance for Addictive Disorders Advocacy, Prevention and Treatment Service • Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers • Operation PAR, Inc. • Oregon Prevention Education and Recovery Association • Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance • Michael F. Reagan • Rosecrance Substance Abuse Treatment Centers • Paul N. Samuels • Arthur J. Schut • Julie Shepard • Spectrum Programs, Inc/Miami Behavioral Health Center, Inc. • David Sterling • The Harbor Behavioral Health Care Institute • The Refuge, a Healing Place • TopLine Professional Strategies, LLC • Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities of Illinois • Utah Behavioral Healthcare Network • Thomas Van Wagner • Becky Vaughn • Washington Association of Alcoholism and Addiction Programs   Friends BayCare Behavioral Health  •  Central Florida Behavioral Health Network  •  Drug Abuse Treatment Association  •  EPIC Community Services •  Franklin-Williamson Human Services, Inc. • Gateway Community Services  •  Patrick Maloy • Craig Peck • The South Suburban Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse • Sutton Place Behavioral Health  •  Parker Thomson  •  Tri-County Human Services  •  The Village South (Westcare)     Donors Herbert Barish McKyle Clyburn • Thomas M. Del Vecchio • George Demarest • The Janssen Foundation • Beth Lang • Bruce Lesman • Barrett L. Silver • John B. Trammell • Arthur Wallace Thank you for supporting the National Advocacy Campaign!