Monday, May 30, 2016

Congratulations Brenda Davis 2016 Recipient of the Lane/Holden Patient Advocacy Award


National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery
Press Release

Contacts Persons: 
Joycelyn Woods, Executive Director/Acting President, edirector@methadone.org
Phone/Fax: 1.212.595.NAMA  (1-212-595-62620

For Release
May 31, 2016

NAMA-R extends well-earned congratulations to Brenda Davis this year’s recipient of the Lane/Holden Patient Advocacy Award.

Brenda Davis has been a model patient in the Methadone Maintenance Program at the Mount Sinai /Beth Israel Program for approximately three decades.  For approximately 20 years she has been employed as a patient advocate for the thousands of patients treated in the various clinics.  During this period Ms. Davis has acquired a comprehensive background to accomplish her job duties. She has also assumed duties as treasurer of NAMA Recovery and was instrumental in establishing the MARS Project in the Mount Sinai/ Beth Israel Methadone program.

She is known for her knowledge of the intricate regulations and procedures of the clinics. She has mastered the medical and social aspects of methadone maintenance including: stabilization, side effects, and drug interactions; the major health concerns of patients including pregnancy, pain, infectious diseases; and the personal and social issues including the pervasive stigma which patients encounter in the course of their treatment and lives.

Brenda Davis is articulate and is capable of communicating intelligently with patients, physicians, counselors and administrative personnel in the program. She has attended conferences and participated in policy meetings with various governmental agencies including OASAS. The administration of the Mount Sinai/ Beth Israel Methadone program has also been impressed with the breath of her knowledge and her capacity to help settle problems which arise in the clinics between patients and the staff, issues that arise in the patients’ family, and criminal justice matters. Ms. Davis is a strong willed woman and takes her responsibility to speak for MAT patients as a sense of duty.

Requirements

·        Only one “consensus” nominee can be submitted to the Conference Awards Committee to receive this honor.   

·        The nominee must have been involved in the field of methadone advocacy for a period of five years.

·        The nominee must have made meaningful and consistent contributions, which have had a significant impact on opioid treatment within a state or region of the United States. 

This Award will be bestowed upon the recipient during the Awards Banquet Ceremony on November 1, 2016 during AATOD’s next National Conference which will convene at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.   

History of the Award

This award was established in 1995 and recognizes extraordinary achievements in patient advocacy.   

Richard Lane was a long-term heroin user who, upon release from prison in 1967, was instrumental in establishing one of the Nation’s first methadone treatment programs. In 1974, he became the Executive Director of Man Alive and later served as Vice President of the American Methadone Treatment Association (now AATOD) and as Vice Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Maryland.  Mr. Lane was a passionate advocate for methadone treatment and, by disclosing his own treatment experiences, provided inspiration to patients and colleagues alike.   

Robert Holden was also a recovering heroin user, who later became the Director of PIDARC, an outpatient methadone treatment program in the District of Columbia.  He was a friend of Richard Lane and succeeded Richard Lane’s term of office as the Vice President of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence. 

    Previous Winners of the Award

1995, Arizona                 Richard Lane                                
2001, St. Louis               Joycelyn Woods                                
2007, San Diego             Anthony Scro                                
2009, New York             Walter Ginter                                
2010, Chicago                 Lisa Mojer Torres                                
2012, Las Vegas              Roxanne Baker   
2013, Philadelphia          Ira Marion
2015, Atlanta                  Claude Hopkins

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Monday, April 11, 2016

Proposed Rule - 42 CFR Part 2 - Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations

  

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Attn: SAMHSA 4162-20
5600 Fishers Lane
Room 13N02B
Rockville, MD 20857

 RE:      Proposed Rule - 42 CFR Part 2 - Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations (SAMHSA-4162-20) (Published Federal Register 2-9-2016: p 6987 -7024)

To Whom It May Concern:

Since its beginning methadone treatment has been demonstrated to be the most effective treatment for narcotic addiction, resulting in the termination of heroin use and of criminal behavior. In spite of this success, methadone treatment is often disparaged as a “substitute drug” by those who ignore the positive benefits that it has clearly brought to society. These attitudes negatively impact on opiate treatment programs in a variety of ways, but it is the methadone patients themselves who are particularly stigmatized and harmed. With the introduction of buprenorphine it was hoped that the public would gain a greater understanding of opiate addiction and treatment. However, this has not occurred and rather than improving the situation buprenorphine patients experience the same discrimination and stigma as patients receiving methadone.  The atmosphere will not change as long as there is no organization or formal mechanism for patients receiving Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT i.e. methadone and buprenorphine) to voice their own needs and to form a strong unified public presence on their own behalf. The National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery (NAMA Recovery) is an organization of methadone and buprenorphine patients, healthcare professionals, friends, and associates working together for greater public understanding and acceptance of MAT. NAMA Recovery has 25 chapters across the United States and 15 international affiliate chapters from England to Denmark and India to Australia, providing information, education and advocacy support to patients receiving MAT. As the premier national advocacy organization for MAT patients NAMA Recovery will actively respond to the issues that affect the daily lives of MAT patients and work towards the day when they can take pride in their accomplishments.

The NPRM for 42 CFR Part 2 recognizes that the regulation was enacted out of great concern about the potential abuse that disclosure of substance use information can create for persons in treatment and that the release of substance use information can cause individuals with substance use disorders to not seek needed treatment. When confidentiality is not maintained, the trust of the patients will be lost and many will not remain in treatment while those who do continue in treatment will have lost the trust in the clinic and the staff which is indispensable to successful patient treatment.

While NAMA-R recognizes that SAMHSA is attempting to create an appropriate balance between preserving the confidentiality rights of substance use disorder patients and the sharing of electronic health information we believe that currently there are not enough technologic safe guards in place.  In addition the fines for any violation of the NPRM like the current rule are very low and would be meaningless to many institutions.

Health information technology offers a greater opportunity to promote the health of individuals and the health of community.  However, sacrificing the wellbeing of a person seeking help for a substance use disorder in the name of convenience or administrative efficiency is not a constructive way to achieve it for either the person or their community when individuals avoid treatment for fear of retribution and discrimination.

NAMA-R recommends that changes in 42 CFR Part 2 be temporarily set aside until the technology is available to protect persons with a substance use disorder.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Joycelyn Woods, M.A., CMA
Executive Director

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Friday, January 29, 2016

Nominations Open for the Richard Lane/Robert Holden Patient Advocacy


National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery
Press Release

Contact Persons: 
Joycelyn Woods, Executive Director, Acting President edirector@methadone.org
Phone/Fax: 1.212.595.NAMA  (1-212-595-62620)

For Release
January 29, 2016

 
Nominations Open for the
Richard Lane/Robert Holden Patient Advocacy Award

Richard Lane was a long-term heroin user who, upon release from prison in 1967, was  instrumental in establishing one of the Nation’s first methadone treatment programs. In  1974, he became the Executive Director of Man Alive and later served as Vice President  of the American Methadone Treatment Association (now AATOD) and as Vice  Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Maryland.  Mr. Lane  was a passionate advocate for methadone treatment and, by disclosing his own treatment  experiences, provided inspiration to patients and colleagues alike.   

Robert Holden was also a recovering heroin user, who later became the Director of  PIDARC, an outpatient methadone treatment program in the District of Columbia.  He  was a friend of Richard Lane and succeeded Richard Lane’s term of office as the Vice  President of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence.  This  award was established in 1995 and recognizes extraordinary achievements in patient  advocacy.   

The following criteria should be applied in making your selection:             

·        Only one (1) nominee can be submitted to the Conference Awards Committee. There may be a number of nominees however only one (1) “consensus” nominee may receive this honor.             

·        The nominee must have been involved in the field of methadone advocacy for a period of five (5) years.

·        The nominee must have made meaningful and consistent contributions, which have had a significant impact on opioid treatment within a state or region of the United States. 

·        For each nominee a Nomination Form must be completed and submitted with two (2) Letters of Support. The Nomination Form is attached to this announcement and can also be downloaded from the NAMA Recovery website            http://www.methadone.org.   

NAMA Recovery will be responsible for collecting all the submissions for nomination and selecting a committee of advocates that will decide on the final candidate.  The  Candidate’s Name, Nomination Form and at least two (2) Letters of Support describing  the nominee’s achievements will be submitted to the AATOD Conference Awards  Committee for the final approval. 

The deadline for Submissions is February 26, 2016.  The completed Nomination Form along with at least two (2) Letters of Support should be sent to Joycelyn Woods at  edirector@methadone.org.                                          
 
        Previous Winners of the Award

   1995, Arizona              Richard Lane                                
   2001, St. Louis            Joycelyn Woods                                
   2007, San Diego          Anthony Scro                                
   2009, New York          Walter Ginter                                
   2010, Chicago              Lisa Mojer Torres                                
   2012, Las Vegas          Roxanne Baker   
   2013, Philadelphia       Ira Marion
   2015, Atlanta               Claude Hopkins

This Award will be bestowed upon the recipient during the Awards Banquet Ceremony  on November 1, 2016 during AATOD’s next National Conference which will convene  at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.   

The recipient will be provided with a roundtrip Coach Class airfare, up to  two (2) nights in the hotel and Conference Registration.   
      
Deadline:           February 26, 2016

Email Nominations To: 
Joycelyn Woods    edirector@methadone.org

If you have any questions about the award contact Joycelyn Woods at  edirector@methadone.org or by telephone at 917-846-9983

           
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