Opioid Epidemic Showcases The Tie Between Economic Health and Citizen Health
As the Covid crisis curbs, it’s clear that the devastating effects go far beyond those who were hit by the virus itself. The state of the U.S. economy is a prime example. With U.S. unemployment at an all time low before the pandemic (3.5 percent),…
Why Online Intensive Outpatient Treatments Work
Did you know, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are as effective as inpatient and residential treatments? According to an article titled, “Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Programs: Assessing the Evidence,” and published by Psychology Online, when studies compare IOPs with inpatient or residential care, they find comparable…
Telehealth care for mental health boomed during COVID-19. Will it continue?
New data released last month by Blue Cross Blue Shield revealed that between March 2020 and March 2021, the company accounted for 8 million telehealth visits, an uptick of 9,500 percent from the prior year. Given the state of the world during the year in…
It’s PTSD Awareness Month: Resources for Treatment and SUD Support
June marks the 8th annual PTSD Awareness Month. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (USVA), about 8 million people in the U.S. currently suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD), which can result from several different types of trauma including military combat,…
Lawyers Struggle with Mental Health and Risky Drinking Amidst Pandemic
It’s no secret that substance use disorders carry a heavy stigma. Many people associate alcoholism or drug abuse with a certain type of person, someone who doesn’t contribute to society, lives out of their car or on the street and can’t hold down a job….
New Data Reveals Discrepancies Between Employers and Employees on Mental Health Needs
Mental health became a hot topic for employers several years ago, when workforce expectations demanded a more frequent and open dialogue around mental health issues. Many employers reacted by introducing mental health perks, programs and campaigns for their employees. And since then, the state of…
Why and How Employers Must Break the Stigma of SUDs in the Workplace
Lionrock CEO Peter Loeb recently contributed an article to HR.com about the importance of breaking the stigma of substance use disorders (SUDs) at work. From a business perspective, the impact of lost productivity due to SUDs has been projected to be $180 billion annually and…
The Connection Between Substance Abuse and Mental Health
What is the connection between substance abuse and mental health? According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.2 million U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2018. However, even though there is a high rate of comorbidity (the…
Stigma: A Dangerous Barrier to SUD Treatment
According to the National Institutes of Health, 75 percent of people who need help with substance use disorders (SUDs), don’t get treatment – often due to shame and stigma. When you consider that, per The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Survey…
If You’re Not Offering SUD Treatment Benefits, You’re Losing Money
If you’re not offering your employees substance use disorder (SUD) treatment benefits as part of your healthcare coverage, you’re probably losing money. Despite the fact 20.7 million Americans, or approximately 8 percent of the U.S. population, are in need of SUD treatment, only 4 million…
2020 Was a Game Changer for Online Recovery
When the Coronavirus pandemic prevented almost any kind of public gathering, people quickly sought alternative ways to do almost everything – work, connect, manage their health needs, participate in recovery groups. As a result, telehealth, once considered “alternative,” experienced massive growth in 2020. Included in…
Fight Stigma; Lift Our Industry
Recently, NPR published an article about the treatment industry and the ethical crisis it faces. The story isn’t wrong, and neither is the problem new. You can read the article here. Of course, there are plenty, even most of us in the field, who are…