By Jamelia R. Hand MHS CADC CODP I On August 31, 2026, CDC launched the new Overdose Prevention Data Channel, bringing fatal and nonfatal overdose data, prevention strategies, and federal resources into one centralized platform. The channel combines information from three major CDC surveillance systems: NVSS, SUDORS, and DOSE. The timing matters. CDC’s latest provisional estimate predicts 67,798 overdose deaths for the 12 months ending March 2026, a 12.3% decline from the pri

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I During a compliance review several years ago, I sat with the leadership team of a substance use treatment program that believed they were fully prepared for any regulatory review. Their conference table was covered with carefully organized binders. Policies were labeled, sections were tabbed, and each document referenced the appropriate regulatory language. From the outside, the program appeared well organized and confident in its compliance sy

The new 42 CFR Part 2 rules are in effect… This week marks a big shift in how federal privacy rules are enforced for substance use treatment data. As of February 16, 2026 , the updated Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records rules under 42 CFR Part 2 are officially enforceable by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) . This means OCR can now investigate complaints, require breach reports and issue civil penalties if

A Christmas Shift, a Quiet Hallway, and a Full Heart Christmas Day at 6:45 a.m., a nurse I used to work with texted me from the parking lot of her hospital. Snow on the windshield. Coffee in hand. A knot in her stomach. Her family was already gathering at home, but she was heading in for a 12-hour shift. She wrote, “I love my work. I really do. But today feels heavier than usual.” That one message captures the reality for many healthcare professionals during the holidays. You