State
- The State Legislature passed the budget for the 2012 fiscal year this week, marking the first on-time passage in five years. Follow this link to read our story on the budget, or go to our NYS Budget Central page for all of our work on the FY2012 budget.
- Kudos to OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez for a letter to The New York Times stressing the state's commitment to improving treatment for incarcerated people with alcohol and substance abuse problems. Her letter was in response to a Times editorial based on a study by the Correctional Association that showed serious deficiencies in the system.
National
- In a federal case that speaks to the importance of our work, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) fined a Pennsylvania manufacturer $85,000 for turning away a job applicant based on his participation in a drug treatment program.
- The founder of Radar magazine announced the launch of TheFix.com, a new site intended to service those in recovery with feature writing, news, video and reviews of rehabilitation facilities.
- As Florida lawmakers consider big cuts to mental health services, law enforcement authorities are concerned that more people in need of treatment will end up behind bars instead.
- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has proposed altering the early release program by eliminating most time off for good behavior and replacing the earned-release program with a substance-abuse treatment option for those with a history of dependency.
- Alabama and several other states are adjusting sentencing laws in efforts to reduce costs.
- With the incarcerated population steadily declining, Texas towns that turned to private prisons have been left struggling financially.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it would extend health care to eligible veterans in halfway houses and other temporary, post-incarceration housing under a new program intended to decrease recidivism.
- A new report by the Urban Institute explores the ways states could use resources provided by the healthcare reform law to improve care, cut costs, and hold insurers accountable.
|
Search
RSS
