CASAC Association News and Blog
The Neuroscience of Addiction: A Clinical Overview for NYS CASAC Continuing Education
The Neuroscience of Addiction: A Clinical Overview for NYS CASAC Continuing Education The brain research on substance use disorder has moved fast in the last decade. For credentialed CASAC professionals, staying current on this research is not just a box...
Kratom in 2026: What CASACs Need to Know About Potency, Risk, and the Changing Market
Kratom in 2026: What CASACs Need to Know About Dependence, Withdrawal, Tolerance, and High-Potency Products Five years ago, most substance use counselors in New York barely heard clients mention kratom. Now it is everywhere. Gas stations. Vape shops. Convenience...
NYS Overdose Deaths Dropped 32% in 2024. What That Number Means and What It Does Not.
NYS Overdose Deaths Dropped 32% in 2024. Here Is What That Number Does Not Tell You. The headline is real. The full picture is more complicated. CASACs on the front lines need both. An estimated 4,567 New Yorkers died of a drug overdose in 2024, down from 6,688...
Youth SUD Is Not Adult SUD, Smaller: What the New ASAM Criteria Changes
New ASAM Youth SUD Criteria guidance for adolescents and transition-aged youth strengthens level-of-care decisions, co-occurring care, and payer accountability. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has introduced new, youth-specific standards for...
3 Micro-Skills Every CASAC Can Use Tomorrow to Boost Engagement and Retention
Real session tools for substance use counseling that reduce power struggles, strengthen relapse prevention, and make documentation faster. You don’t need another training filled with ideas you’ll never use. Instead, what you truly need is focused guidance on...
News Brief: SAMHSA Updated Funding Guidance for Harm Reduction Services
News Brief: SAMHSA issues new federal funding restrictions on harm reduction supplies (April 24, 2026) On April 24, 2026, SAMHSA released an updated “Dear Colleague” guidance letter that changes how SAMHSA discretionary grant funds may be used for harm...
SOMOS Conference; Albany on April 18,2026
Maria Mendez (Founder) attended the SOMOS Conference in Albany on April 18, 2026. She had the opportunity to introduce the NYS Association of CASAC Professionals and to engage in meaningful conversations with the OASAS Commissioner, Dr. Chinazo Cunningham, and Senator...
Know Our Role: What the CASAC Actually Does in SUD Treatment in New York
Start recognizing the importance and vital role of the CASAC clinician in substance use treatment in New York State CASACs are the backbone of New York’s substance use treatment system. And it’s time we are recognized, supported, and elevated. You hear it all...
Myth vs Fact: What People Get Wrong About NYS CASACs
CASACs are the backbone of New York’s addiction treatment system. And it’s time we are recognized, supported, and elevated. A lot of the public conversation about addiction treatment is built on bad assumptions. Not harmless misunderstandings. Assumptions that shape...
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