Despite the elevation of the opioid crisis in the U.S. to the level of a nationwide public health emergency in 2017, the number of opioid-involved overdose deaths has continued to rise. The impact of the opioid epidemic extends well beyond the tragedy of fatal overdose. Nonfatal overdose can result in brain injury and permanent disability, and…

In this report, the authors introduce one of the unexplored effects of the opioid crisis, the link between the opioid epidemic and the education outcomes of children in hard-hit areas. Children, of course, are not immune to the effects of what may happen in their homes and communities, and there is ample evidence that negative home or community…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2021" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. This year's Budget includes $4.4 trillion in savings--bringing deficits down each year, and putting the Federal Government on a path to a balanced budget in 15 years.…

The 2020 Budget builds off the foundation of the President's previous budgets and provides an avenue toward spending restraint. The Budget meets the President's directive on spending reductions by agency, proposing over $2.7 trillion in spending reductions--more proposed spending reductions than any previous administration in history--and closing…

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common non-genetic cause of learning disability, affecting around 1% of live births in Europe, and costing an estimated $2.9 million per individual across their lifespan. In adulthood, non-reversible brain damage is often compounded by secondary disabilities in adulthood, such as mental health…

The author's son Jeff is a heroin addict. He was not born this way, or maybe he was and the addiction was there, hiding, all through his childhood years. That is the thing with addiction, no one knows the cause. The author has spent a lot of time trying to ferret out the answer to why one of her two sons is an addict and the other is not. She now…

"The Challenge" provides information and resources to help schools create safe and healthy learning environments for students. Articles in this issue include: (1) Research Shows Consequences of Drug Abuse on the Teenage Brain (Don Vereen); (2) Interview: NIDA [National Institute on Drug Abuse] Director Discusses Drug Abuse among Teens; (3) Know…

This report addresses the question: "Where do interventions for concerns about substance use fit into the work of schools?" By way of background, we begin by differentiating between use and abuse and briefly summarizing some major issues and data relevant to substance use and treatment of abuse and dependency. And, to highlight the…

Schools have been identified as one of the appropriate settings for addiction prevention since this is the place where pupils may come into contact with drugs for the first time and experiment with them, with the possibility of becoming addicted. To be effective, school-based drug education must be firmly based on knowledge of oneself and…

Describing the state of the science of ABA, this comprehensive handbook provides detailed information about theory, research, and intervention. The contributors are leading ABA authorities who present current best practices in behavioral assessment and demonstrate evidence-based strategies for supporting positive behaviors and reducing problem…

Injection drug users (IDUs) are at risk for HIV and viral hepatitis, and risky injection behavior persists despite decades of intervention. Cognitive behavioral theories (CBTs) are commonly used to help understand risky injection behavior. The authors review findings from CBT-based studies of injection risk behavior among IDUs. An extensive…