CASAC Association News and Blog
News Brief: Teen Fentanyl Awareness Study Raises New Concerns
A newly published national study is raising concerns about how adolescents perceive the dangers of fentanyl. Researchers found that many middle and high school students significantly underestimate the risks associated with fentanyl use, despite the drug's role in...
What Your Session Notes Actually Need to Say: OASAS Documentation Standards in Plain Language
What OASAS Actually Wants in Your Documentation Most CASAC training covers documentation once, during initial certification. Then it assumes the lesson is stuck. It usually does not stick at the level OASAS actually checks. Audits catch documentation gaps more than...
News Brief: NYS CASAC Association Calls for Broader Recognition of the CASAC Advanced Credential
The New York State Association of CASAC Professionals has submitted formal public comments to the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports regarding proposed amendments to 14 NYCRR Parts 800 and 836. The proposed changes were published in the July 1,...
New Synthetic Opioid N-propionitrile brorphine Identified in Upstate New York Raises Serious Safety Concerns
News Brief: New Synthetic Opioid Identified in Upstate New York Raises Serious Safety Concerns The New York State Department of Health has issued a Public Health Alert after identifying N-propionitrile brorphine, a newly emerging synthetic opioid, in the illicit drug...
42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA: What NYS CASACs Get Wrong About Confidentiality
42 CFR Part 2 vs. HIPAA: What the 2024 Update Means for CASACs Most CASAC training covers 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA back-to-back. Counselors walk out, treating them like one rule with two names. They are not the same rule. Part 2 is stricter than HIPAA in ways that...
News Brief: SAMHSA Announces More Than $281 Million to Expand Behavioral Health, Addiction Treatment, and Recovery Services
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced more than $281 million in funding opportunities through 15 grant programs designed to strengthen behavioral health services across the United States. The announcement, released on...
Vicarious Trauma Is Not Burnout. Knowing the Difference Changes What You Do About It.
Burnout or Vicarious Trauma? Why the Difference Matters for CASACs Burnout and vicarious trauma are used as synonyms in most wellness content written for counselors. They are not in the same condition. They come from different sources, show up in different ways, and...
The CASAC Who Has Lived Experience: Why It Is a Clinical Asset and a Personal Risk
Recovery experience can build trust, inspire hope, and strengthen the therapeutic alliance. It can also test boundaries, activate personal history, and require thoughtful clinical self-awareness. Lived experience has always been part of the substance use treatment...
Study Finds Even “Moderate” Alcohol Use May Increase Health Risks
For years, many people have believed that moderate alcohol consumption carries little or no health risk. A newly published study is challenging that assumption, suggesting that even relatively low levels of alcohol use may contribute to an increased risk of...
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