How to talk or comfort those who may have witnessed a suicide, and what to listen for if a family member or friend is contemplating suicide.
Alcohol & Substance Abuse
State budget bill with $280 million in cuts due for House vote
The Senate may vote on its version of the budget on Saturday. Then the two houses will work to resolve the differences.
An Addict, Now Clean, Discusses Needle Exchanges And ‘Hope After Heroin’
At the height of her addiction to heroin, Tracey Helton Mitchell lived in an alley and sold her body. Now she works as an addiction specialist helping others. Her new memoir is The Big Fix.
Overdose antidote bill is one of few minority-sponsored bills that passes
Anchorage Democratic Sen. Johnny Ellis sponsored the bill. This made it unusual, since few bills sponsored by members of the minority party ever come up for votes.
Senate considers requiring prescription database checks to combat opioid abuse
The sponsors want to make sure patients aren’t going from doctor to doctor seeking pills.
Sobering center considered as an alternative to prison in Fairbanks
Recent deaths in Alaska prisons have underscored problems with jailing severely intoxicated individuals, pointing to the need for an alternative approach. Bethel operates a sobering center, where care and treatment are the focus, and a similar facility is being explored as an option in Fairbanks.
Public pushes back against House’s proposed budget cuts
The Republican-led majority released a budget proposal this week that included $145 million more in cuts than Governor Bill Walker’s budget.
House subcommittees cut state operating budget deeper
Health and Social Services was the department that received the deepest cuts. They include eliminating $5.18 million in cash assistance to seniors, and $3 million in behavioral health grants.
Ithaca’s Plan To Open A Safe Site For Heroin Users Faces Legal Hurdles
The goal is to reduce the city’s death toll from heroin. But it would be breaking various laws unless Ithaca gets a pass from the governor and federal authorities.
Health care officials pitch transformative mental health, addiction treatment reforms
“This is hard stuff. If it was easy, Alaska would have done it long ago,” Health Commissioner Valerie Davidson told lawmakers.