| Court makes it easier for patients to enter rehab
Pennsylvanians battling drug and alcohol addiction will not need a second opinion from their HMO before entering treatment programs, a state appeals court ruled. In a unanimous decision released Thursday, Commonwealth Court ruled that group insurance companies and HMOs must cover drug and alcohol treatment costs for policy holders referred to detoxification, rehabilitation and outpatient programs by a doctor or psychologist. The ruling will help about 15,000 state residents with private insurance who seek substance abuse treatment each year, said Deborah Beck, president of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania. It's a really important decision that I think gives power back to doctors and psychologists, said Beck, whose Harrisburg-based organization represents licensed treatment centers and school-run counseling programs.
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TEN years have passed this week since John Howard torpedoed the proposed ACT heroin trial. However, judging by the last few weeks, the basis on which he makes decisions seems to have improved very little. The proposal had been approved on scientific grounds by the highest drug policy body in the country the Australian Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy. The Prime Minister, under pressure from the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" and the John Laws radio show, overturned the decision. Comparing Howards recent decisions about Tasmanian hospitals and a local timber mill with his approach of 10 years ago reveals little change. The decision to end the ACT heroin trial was made by Howards cabinet on August 14, 1997. It overturned more than five years of preparatory work by scientists from around the country led by ANU Professor Gabriele Bammer, of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health.
More Middle-Aged Want Divorce after Their Children Get Admitted to College
A female government worker filed for divorce last January, a few days after her daughter got admitted to a college. The worker, 48, insisted on using the alias of Jeong Mi-suk. Her husband had indulged himself in his alcohol addiction for the past ten years. His addictive life became worse since he quit his job five years ago. Jeong then took the role of the breadwinner, and her paycheck was not enough to cover the familys living and educational costs. Jeong was barely able to keep the family above the water. She once asked her husband to take rehab courses, but he refused. She recently decided to get a divorce. But she did not jump to action. She waited for one more year thereafter until her daughter got a college admission acceptance letter. Her daughters new life in college meant a new life for Jeong, too.
School drug tests 'highly unlikely'
FEDERAL Health Minister Tony Abbott says it is "highly unlikely" mandatory drug testing would be introduced to Australian high schools. "I think that's highly unlikely, and I suspect undesirable," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney today. "The only people who should be tested are people for whom there is some obvious urgent need, and I can't imagine that would be the case for kids at school. "I can't see that would apply to the overwhelming majority of school kids." Mr Abbott spoke following reports the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) was conducting research into whether drug detection was needed in schools. Students may be subjected to saliva swabs, urine testing, pat downs or sniffer-dog searches under an Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) research project, it was reported today.
Law takes aim at TennCare drug fraud
Toothaches, back pain, migraine headaches. Dr. Corey Slovis has seen people fake all kinds of illnesses to try to get narcotics from the emergency room. To convince doctors of kidney stone attacks, he said, some people have gone so far as to prick their finger to bloody their urine sample. .
Badal calls for accountability in police force
Chandigarh, Aug 9 : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called for "responsiveness and accountability" in the functioning of the police force. Addressing a meeting of the police officers from across the state here this morning, Mr Badal also called for an "all out war on crime, especially against the menaces of drug trafficking and addiction, fake travel agents, gambling and crimes against women".He emphasised the need for "a more rapid response" to the problems faced by the NRIs especially with regard to land or property grabbing. In the meeting Mr Badal announced setting up of a security training academy to train youth for security services. He directed the Home Department to complete the modalities for setting up modern infrastructure for the purpose within a period of two months.
Wonder tickets on sale Saturday
Tickets for Stevie Wonder's first tour in 12 years will go on sale this week and Palace Sports and Entertainment released price information for Wonder's hometown stop Monday. Tickets, which go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, will be $79.50 for pavilion seats and $35 for lawn seats for the Sept. 12 show at Meadow Brook Music Festival. .
Jamie's kitchen tough on kids
MORE than half the young down-and-outs who started apprenticeships with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver in Melbourne failed to finish. Eleven of the 20 who started the Fifteen Melbourne program dropped out, the Herald Sun can reveal. One relapsed into heroin addiction, two have struck trouble with the law, one slumped back into homelessness and another threw it in to work in a pastry shop. The TV series Jamie's Kitchen Australia charted the first four months of the 16-month apprenticeship scheme, aimed at helping the young disadvantaged. But youth workers said the conditions were too tough. Youth welfare worker Les Twentyman said young people felt more pressure to perform under the public's gaze. "If they're not successful, it can throw them into further depression," Mr Twentyman said. "Those who fall by the wayside could be at higher risk of self-harm." Fifteen Foundation boss Peter Brown said he was glad the cameras would not be rolling during the next course.
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