• Need-to-Know News: Oct. 7, 2011

    October 07, 2011

    Updates from Us

    • Monday's issue of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly taps the expertise of LAC Director and President Paul N. Samuels in an article on the future of OASAS. Mr. Samuels stressed that despite the uncertainty in New York, Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez "is providing leadership to ensure the redesigned Medicaid system will effectively address substance use disorders as well as mental health."
    • LAC's Legal Director, Sally Friedman, presented highlights from our soon-to-be released report, "Legality of Denying Access to Medication Assisted Treatment in the Criminal Justice System," at a meeting convened by SAMHSA on Oct. 6 Stay tuned for more on the report.
    • Reminder: Purchase your tickets now for the Legal Action Center's 2011 Arthur Liman Public Interest Awards Benefit, coming up on Oct. 25.
    Congrats to LAC State Policy Director Tracie
    Gardner (center, with Claire Simon, left, and
    Kymsha Henry), whose HIV/AIDS work was
    honored at YWCHAC's WE SPEAK Awards.

    Headlines on Our Issues

    State

    • Mayor Bloomberg has asked city agencies to trim $2 billion from their budgets in the next 18 months, citing a shaky economic forecast.
    • The case over how to count inmates for the purposes of redistricting arrived in State Supreme Court this week, with a decision expected in the next two months.
    • In the wake of the announcement of a new sex ed mandate in New York City, some advocates -- including LAC -- are calling for a more comprehensive program.
    • A Gotham Gazette article looks beyond needle exchange to examine the possibilities for cutting HIV transmission among New Yorkers who use intravenous drugs.
    National

    • With the release of a new report, "No Place for Kids," the Annie E. Casey Foundation has begun a program aimed at reducing juvenile incarceration by 50 percent in 10 years.
    • Legislators in Alaska are looking to other states' successes as they seek to lower a growing and expensive prison population.
    • A new SAMHSA report shows significant variation across the country in the rates of serious mental illness, providing insight for effective treatment and prevention programs.
    • Florida lawmakers are turning attention to the cycle of addiction and crime in hopes of reducing the recidivism rate and lowering prison costs.

    From Our Partners

    • Coming up Oct. 18 in New York, the Vera Institute will host "A Turning Point for Mass Incarceration?" a presentation on the social, economic, and political contexts needed for reductions in incarceration. Read more or register for the event here.
    • The next meeting of the New York Reentry Roundtable is coming up Oct. 19 at the Community Service Society in Manhattan. Follow this link for more information.
    • Green For All has released "Best Practices in Green Re-Entry Strategies" a report focused on creating green career pathways for individuals re-entering the workforce after incarceration. Read more here.