Integration of substance use disorder treatment in traditional mental health facilities: Timeseries and cross-sectional evaluations.

BACKGROUND: Despite efforts to increase substance use disorder (SUD) treatment provision in the United States (US), the extent to which traditional mental health (MH) facilities offer SUD treatment remains unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the trend in SUD treatment integration among traditional MH facilities in the US from 2014 to 2020 and identified facility-level factors associated with SUD treatment provision. METHODS: Data were extracted from the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS). A timeseries logit trend analysis for the multi-year dataset (2014-2020) was conducted to assess a yearly change in odds of SUD treatment provision. With the 2020 survey data, analyses were conducted to identify the differences between facilities offering SUD treatment and facilities not offering such treatment. Finally, exploratory multivariable logistic regression was conducted to estimate odds of SUD treatment provision by facility variables. RESULTS: US MH facility SUD treatment provision went from 51.7 % (2014) to 57.9 % (2020). A mean sample of 12,312 US MH facilities over seven years, demonstrated a significant but small yearly increase in SUD treatment provision (OR = 1.04, 95 % CI = 1.03, 1.04). Important facility characteristics related to SUD treatment provision for facilities without a core SUD focus were MH diagnostics offered (OR = 2.03), dual-diagnosis program offered (OR = 3.65), state drug/alcohol license maintained (OR = 6.66), and VA setting (OR = 7.94). CONCLUSIONS: Despite incremental progress in integrating SUD treatment services into US MH facilities, the SUD treatment gap remains large. Training and service development incentives for identified characteristics could help further reduce the treatment gap.

A qualitative study of women of color group psychotherapists: The wellspring of collective healing.

Understanding the psychological health of women of color (WOC) in a racialized and gendered society requires accessing, validating, and processing the lived experiences and emotions that stem from interlocking systems of oppression. Despite the importance of responding to the psychological health needs of this population, the group therapy literature on how to design and facilitate group therapy for women of color remains limited. For this reason, the present research aims to identify group therapy-oriented experiences based on data provided by ten women of color group psychotherapists practicing in the United States. Findings from the consensual qualitative research (Hill, 2012) revealed six domains: (a) group development, (b) personal and professional significance, (c) group facilitation behaviors, (d) perceived healing factors, (e) challenges, and (f) advice. Suggestions for future research and recommendations for women of color groups positioned as a wellspring of empowerment, liberation, and psychological health are also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Digital privacy in mental healthcare: current issues and recommendations for technology use.

Mental healthcare providers increasingly use technology for psychotherapy services. This progress enables professionals to communicate, store information, and rely on digital software and hardware. Emails, text messaging, telepsychology/telemental health therapy, electronic medical records, cloud-based storage, apps/applications, and assessments are now available within the provision of services. Of those mentioned, some are directly utilized for psychotherapy while others indirectly aid providers. Whereas professionals previously wrote notes locally, technology has empowered providers to work more efficiently with third-party services and solutions. However, the implementation of these advancements in mental healthcare involves consequences to digital privacy and might increase clients' risk of unintended breaches of confidentiality. This manuscript reviews common technologies, considers the vulnerabilities therein, and proposes suggestions to strengthen privacy.

Asian American and Pacific Islander substance use treatment admission trends.

BACKGROUND: A national analysis of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) substance use treatment admissions has yet to be studied. We sought to explore admission trends for AAPI, demographic and treatment variable change, and individual state admission change over time. METHODS: We used retrospective time-series logistic regression treating year as a predictor of yearly treatment admission trends, between-state test for heterogeneity of treatment effects among states' AAPI admissions, and percent-changes of AAPI demographic and treatment characteristics. Participants included AAPI (n=135,356) and comparison non-AAPI (n=8,938,982) treatment groups' first-time admissions (N=9,074,338) in United States treatment centers receiving public funding from 2000 to 2012. RESULTS: AAPI demonstrated a greater increase in admissions than non-AAPI from 2000 to 2012 (p<0.0001; OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.019-1.022). Large percent increases were demonstrated in multiple demographic and treatment characteristic, most notably in prescription opioids as a problem substance, age of first use for the oldest and youngest groups, and homelessness. In addition, trends are provided for individual states to help prioritize resource need. CONCLUSIONS: The present demographic and treatment characteristics revealed specific variables that may help to improve a culturally competent understanding of increasing risk factors among AAPI clients. The present findings may help to demonstrate which states may need to increase AAPI-specific resources and interventions.