Continuum of Care News

HHS Establishes New Task Force on Pain Management The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced the creation of a new task force to develop best practices for prescribing pain medication and for managing chronic and acute pain. HHS, along with Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, will provide oversight of the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force. HHS is seeking member nominations from the public that include representatives of the mental health treatment and addiction treatment communities, individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, and groups with expertise on overdose reversal. Information about how to nominate individuals to serve on the task force is available in the Federal Register . View the Federal Register Notice The task force was authorized by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Action of 2016 and is assigned the follo...

Inaugural Meeting of the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee Thursday, August 31, 2017 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern Time The Secretary of Health and Human Services will open the inaugural meeting of the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) on Thursday, August 31, 2017, in accordance with the 21st Century Cures Act. The meeting will include information on federal advances related to serious mental illness and serious emotional disturbance, including data evaluation and recommendations for action. Committee members will also discuss workgroups, future meetings, and the Report to Congress. Members of the public can attend the meeting via telephone or webcast. To join by telephone conference, dial 1-888-469-0942 and enter the passcode 4560055#. Join the Meeting Via Webcast For more information, visit SAMHSA's ISMICC webpage . ...