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Task Force Recommends Physicians Ask Adult Patients About Illicit Drug Use The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this week recommended that physicians ask all U.S. adults aged 18 or older about possible illicit drug use—including opioid painkillers—as part of the federal government’s ongoing effort to address America’s opioid crisis. The recommendation from the independent panel of medical experts marks the first time the task force has determined there is enough evidence to support screening adults. According to the recommendation, an estimated 11.5 percent of Americans aged 18 or older reported current illicit drug use in a national survey. Illicit drug use is more commonly reported in young adults between the ages of 18-25 (24.2 percent) than in older adults (9.5 percent), or in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 (7.9 percent), the announcement noted. In a story about the recommendation, The Washington Post said the guidance is also important because the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires that services recommended by the task force should be covered for free or with very small co-payments. Public comments on the task force’s draft recommendation are due Sept. 9. HHS Offers Resources to Providers During and After Mass Violence Events HHS has released tip sheets and other resources to help U.S. healthcare providers prepare for and respond to mass violence events. The resources are from HHS’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) and include tip sheets on topics such as emergency medical system considerations, expanding traditional roles, fatality management, non-trauma hospital considerations, and more. Additional information includes topic collections on crisis standards of care, mental health, explosives, surge capacity, and information sharing. HRSA Awards About $400 Million to Fight Opioid Crisis HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently released nearly $400 million in awards to combat the nation’s deadly opioid crisis. The investments are intended to help HRSA-funded community health centers, rural organizations, and academic institutions establish and expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services. “HRSA programs play a key role in the Trump Administration’s efforts to battle the nation’s opioid crisis,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Tom Engels said in an announcement about the funding. “From implementing and expanding substance use disorder services at HRSA-funded health centers to increasing support and training to our nation’s behavioral health workforce to improving access to treatment in rural areas, today’s announcement demonstrates the administration’s commitment to ending this crisis.” According to HRSA, the agency is awarding more than $200 million to 1,208 health centers nationwide to increase access to high-quality, integrated behavioral health services, including the prevention or treatment of mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder through the Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) program. NIMH Director Highlights Effects of Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression The director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) this week examined the effects of the medication ketamine to reduce depressive symptoms. In his NIMH director’s column, Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D noted previous research showing ketamine’s effectiveness in having “strong, rapid effects” on treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and bipolar disorder. He also highlighted what he called the “robust antidepressant effects” of the drug esketamine but called for more research into both medications. “The job is not done for TRD,” Gordon wrote. “Ketamine and esketamine work, but both have significant drawbacks. Many patients experience uncomfortable dissociate symptoms, hypertension, or other side effects for a few hours after administration,” he added. “Because of these symptoms, as well as the potential for abuse, both need to be administered in a doctor’s office.” Study Shows More Than One Tenth of Older Americans Are Binge Drinkers More than a tenth of older U.S. adults are estimated to be current binge drinkers and a large proportion of them have chronic diseases that are exacerbated by binge drinking, according to a new study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society. The study used data from the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2017) and provides information on the prevalence of binge drinking in individuals 65 years and older. It found that between 2001 and 2013, there was a 22.4 percent increase in past-year alcohol use; a 65.2 percent increase in high-risk drinking; and a 106.7 percent increase in alcohol use disorder among adults aged 65 years and older. “Excessive alcohol use, including binge drinking, is a risk factor for a range of health problems, including injury,” the study concluded. “This is especially true for older adults due to physiological changes related to aging and increasing comorbidity,” it continued. “Binge drinking, even episodically or infrequently, may negatively affect comorbid conditions by exacerbating disease and complicating disease management.” IPFQR Program Webinar to Examine 2020 IPF PPS Final Rule on Aug. 28 The Quality Reporting Center will host a quality and education webinar for those who participate in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. ET. Titled the IPFQR Program: FY 2020 IPF PPS Final Rule and APU Determination, the webinar will feature Jeffrey Buck, Ph.D., program leader and senior advisor for behavioral health at the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); and Lauren Lowenstein, a program specialist at the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality. Webinar slides will be available to download from the Quality Reporting Center under “Upcoming Events” one day before the presentation. Click here to register. For questions or comments about CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.