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GAO Report Calls on Government to Evaluate, Coordinate Education on Prescription Drug Abuse
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office calls on federal agencies to do a better job of coordinating and assessing the effectiveness of programs to educate prescribers and the public about prescription drug abuse.
The December 2011 report, "Prescription Pain Reliever Abuse: Agencies Have Begun Coordinating Education Efforts, but Need to Assess Effectiveness" notes that while all agencies have established measures to monitor the implementation and functional elements of their education programs, only ONDCP and NIH have established or are planning to set up ways to evaluate the impact of their efforts on audiences’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior.
Source: The Partnership at DrugFree.org
For local data and resources about prescription medication abuse in Washington state and its counties, see Washington State Substance Use Data & Resources on the ADAI website.
The Prescription Epidemic -- New Project from InvestigateWest and KCTS-9
On Sunday, local news organization InvestigateWest published a set of reports on prescription drug addiction in Washington State on their web site, Crosscut.com, and in the Spokane Spokesman-Review.
The project is the result of a six-month investigation led by InvestigateWest reporter Carol Smith into the origins of the epidemic, the challenges posed for communities, and lessons from and for other states dealing with this epidemic.
On Monday, January 30, at 9pm, KCTS-9 will air a companion documentary to this piece, highlighting the faces of addiction and featuring an interview with ADAI Research Scientist, epidemiologist Caleb Banta-Green, MSW, MPH, PhD.
For more information on substance abuse in Washington State, be sure to visit the new! ADAI web site: Washington State Substance Use Data & Resources.
WA State Substance Use Data & Resources - ADAI Launches New Web Site
The Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute Library and Clearinghouse, and the ADAI Drug Use Epidemiology Reporting Project at the University of Washington, have developed and launched a new web site that will serve as a place to gather existing data and resources about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use in Washington State and its 39 counties.
Visitors to the new Washington State Substance Use Data & Resources site can access statewide information, as well as data and resources for specific counties and regions.
Resources include:
- drug trend and risk factor data,
- treatment and prevention reports,
- criminal justice resources (local drug court contacts, e.g.),
- public health and harm reduction (e.g. local needle exchange programs),
- economical and fiscal issues,
- links to key agencies and organizations.
This is an ongoing project; new information will be added or updated as it becomes available.
44th Banff International Conference on Behavioural Science: FASD Challenges in Practice, Research & Policy
This 3-day conference will feature plenary speakers and workshop leaders from across North America who will be provocative in their approaches to ascertaining FASD from the clinical and basic principles in brain development; discussing evidence-based interventions to ameliorate or prevent the disorder; and discussing the legal, educational, and prevention challenges that are part of the complexities associated with FASD. The target audience includes clinicians, educators, researchers, and policy makers working in the field of FASD and children’s mental health.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder:
Challenges in Practice, Research and Policy
March 18-21 2012
Banff, Alberta, Canada
14th Annual Fundamentals of Addiction Medicine Conference, March 1-2, Marysville WA
Presented by Providence Regional Medical Center, Everett, this conference is aimed at primary medicine providers (physicians, nurses, ARNPs, PAs); addiction medicine providers; chemical dependency counselors; psychiatrists & therapists; and other healthcare providers interested in addiction medicine.
Fundamentals of Addiction Medicine Conference
March 1-2, 2012
Tulalip Resort & Spa
Marysville, Washington
Presenters inclue Bill Dickinson (Providence), Rick Ries (Harborview & UW), Larry Gentillo (UW Southwestern), and Nora Volkow (NIDA). CEUs confirmed or pending in several medical fields.
Click for more information or to register.
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