N e w s I e t t e r o f T h e A m e r i c a n S o c i e t y o t· ~ A d d i 1C t i o n M e d i c i n e ASAM Members Elect New Officers, Approve Mission Statement In balloting completed January 31, ASAM research and prevention, and enlighten­ He also has been Program Chairman of members chose Marc Galanter, M.D., ing and informing the medical commu­ the Annual Medical-Scientific Conference F.A.S.A.M., as the society's President-Elect; nity and the public about these issues. The for 13 years, and has edited the book se­ Andrea G. Barthwell, M.D., as Secretary; Society serves its members by providing ries, "Recent De"¢elopments in Alcohol­ and re-elected James W. Smith, M.D., as opportunities for education and sharing ism" for the past 16 years. He was found­ Treasurer. Members also voted on ten Re­ of experiences, and by promoting the de­ ing Chair of the Committee on gional Directors and Alternates; re-elected velopment of a body of professional Credentialing for theASAM certification Michael Miller, M.D., as ASAM's delegate knowledge and literature to enhance the process and chaired that group for five to the American Medical Association and quality and increase the availability of years (Dr. Galanter has been ASAM cer­ David E. Smith, M.D., F.A.S.A.M., as Alter­ appropriate health care for people affected tified since 1986). nate Delegate; and approved a constitutional by the addictions." amendment that defines a formal statement Dr. Galanter also is Founding President of purpose for the society. of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (1977- Dr. Galanter will assume the post of Presi­ 1978), Editor of the journal Substance dent-Elect at the April 1997 Medical-Sci­ Abuse (1978 to present), a professor at entific Conference, and will take office as New York University and Director of its President in 1999. The current President­ Addiction Fellowship Program, and Sec­ Elect, G. Douglas Talbott, M.D., F.A.S.A.M., tion Chief in the university's World Health succeeds David E. Smith, M.D., as ASAM Organization Collaborating Center ( 19 8 8 President in April 1997. to present). He also has served as Presi­ dent of the American Academy of Addic­ Constitutional Amendment tion Psychiatry ( 1991-1993) and Secre­ The members voted to approve an amend­ tary of the Research Society on Alcohol­ ment to the Constitution (Article I, Sec­ ism (1983-1987). In 1993, Dr. Galanter tion 2, Purposes) that describes the was recognized with the Gold Award for Society's mission as follows: "The Ameri­ innovation in addiction treatment by the can Society of Addiction Medicine is an American Psychiatric Association; in association of physicians dedicated to 1994, he received the McGovern Award improving the treatment of alcoholism of AMERSA for his work in addiction and other addictions, educating physi­ education. cians and medical students, promoting Continued on page 7 I N S I D E ASAM President-Elect Marc Galanter, M.D., F.A.S.A.M. "I will lead our efforts to o Executive Vice President's Report I page 2 o ASAM Medical-Scientific Conference I page 3 assure that all practitioners o From the President: A Valedictory I page 4 President-Elect of Addiction Medicine can o Election Results I page 5 Marc Galanter, M.D., is Director of the provide their patients with o Alcohol Alert: Prevention I page 9 Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Member News: ASAM Fellows I page 13 at Bellevue Hospital, New York City, the excellent treatment o Chapter Update I page 14 where he oversees 80 beds and 800 out­ they need and deserve:' o ASAM Certification I page 16 patients; he also maint,ains a private prac­ o Ruth Fox Fund I page 18 tice in Addiction Medicine. He hils served o Advertising I page 19 on the ASAM Board of Directors for the Marc Galanter, M.D., F.A.S.A.M. o Conference Calendar I page 20 past 11 years, most recentl.)las Secretary. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT AM VA ADOPTS ASAM cAS PATIENT PLACEMENT CRITERIA American Society Dr. James F. Callahan of I am pleased to report to you that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has Addiction Medicine incorporated the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria into its addiction treatment guide­ 4601 North Park Avenue lines for use in the VA' s 171 medical facili­ Upper Arcade, Suite 101 ties nationwide. In reflecting on this achieve­ Chevy Chase, MD 20815 ment, ASAM President David E. Smith, M.D. has remarked that "the V~s use of the ASAM is a specialty society of ASAM Criteria signals a major endorsement physicians concerned about of the value oftheASAM PPC-2 for increas­ alcoholism and other addictions and ing treatment effectiveness and cost effec­ who care for persons affected by tiveness." We believe the V~s decision to these illnesses. adopt theASAM Criteria will spur their use ASAMNews by other public and private health systems is an official publication of the (several states, managed care organizations, American Society of Addiction Medicine, and private treatment providers already have and is published six times a year. Please adopted the ASAM Criteria). This growing direct all editorial and advertising use of the ASAM Criteria throughout the inquiries toASAM News, U.S. is an indication of ASAM's success in c/o the ASAM office. achieving its mission of improving the treat­ ment of alcoholism and other addictions. Officers President Available: Opportunity to David E. Smith, M.D. Make a Difference President-Elect TheASAM Patient Placement Criteria for The Coalition seeks clinicians who are fa­ G. Douglas Talbott, M.D. the Treatment of Substance-Related Dis­ miliar with theASAM PPC-2 and its use. Immediate Past President orders: Second Edition (ASAM PPC-2) Knowledge of issues and problems with Anne Geller, M.D. was published in 1996 in response to re­ application of the PPC is a "plus." The Secretary quests from treatment providers and pay­ scope of activity of the work groups has Marc Galanter, M.D. ers for an objective set of guidelines for been defined as developing and/or en­ Treasurer use in determining whether a particular hancing criteria that have clinical integ­ James W. Smith, M.D. patient needs treatment and, if so, at what rity, credibility, user-friendliness, and intensity of care. The ASAM PPC-2 was applicability in the "real world" of lim­ Chair, Publications Committee published in cooperation with and is en­ ited resources. Elizabeth F. Howell, M.D. dorsed by the Coalition for National Clini­ cal Criteria, a group of approximately 50 Most work group meetings will be con­ Newsletter Review Board representatives of treatment providers, ducted by telephone conference calls, fax LeClair Bissell, M.D. managed care corporations, federal and and e-mail; however, some work may be Sheila B. Blume, M.D. Max A. Schneider, M.D. state health and addictions agencies, and done at meetings and conferences where Marvin Seppala, M.D. the major professional and trade associa­ work group members will be present. The tions of counselors, state directors, phy­ time commitment required has been esti­ Executive Vice President/CEO sicians and other treatment providers. mated as ranging from two to ten hours a James F. Callahan, D.P.A. month. (Some of the work can be done indi­ Now the Coalition for National Clinical Cri­ vidually, allowing for scheduling flexibility.) Founding Editor, 1985-1995 teria is seeking volunteers to serve on four At present, expenses (for phone calls and Lucy Bauy Robe newly created work groups charged with postage) incurred by work group members defining and developing the ASAM PPC-2 cannot be reimbursed by ASAM or the Coa­ Editor in the following areas: lition, although efforts are underway to find Bonnie B. Wilford a source of funding that will allow such ex­ 0 Development of a Level 0.5 (early in­ pense reimbursement. Subscriptions Free to ASAM members; tervention)/Level I (outpatient services) $25 a year (6 issues) to non-members. continuum; I encourage all members who are inter­ Order from the ASAM office at 0 Development of criteria for adolescents; ested in serving on a work group to con 301/656-3920, or 0 Further refinement of and discrimination tact Larry H. Hoffer, ASAM Publications Fax 301/656-3815. among the sub-levels within Level III (resi- Manager, at 301/656-3920. I look forward E-Mail: asamoffice@ aol.com dential/inpatient service~}; and ' to your continued support for this project, http://members.aol.corn/asamoffice 0 Integration of the issues of psychiatric which benefitsASAM and the field of Ad­ comorbidity (dual diagnosis) infJ the criteria. diction Medicine. ASAMNews 2 March I April 1997 ASAM MEDICAL-SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ASAM CONVENES 28TH ANNUAL MEDICAL-SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO ',SAM's 28th Annual Medical Scientific Con­ and' 'Alternatives to Abstinence for Nicotine De­ "Methamphetamine: Basic Science and Clini­ ference, to convene April17-20, 1997 in San pendence" (organized and chaired by John Slade, cal Response" (Richard A. Rawson, Ph.D., Diego, CA, is scheduled to include scientific sym­ M.D., F.A.S.A.M.). Course Director); "Relapse Prevention Skills" posia, clinical courses and workshops, as well as (Jan Swanson, D.O., Course Director); special sessions sponsored by the National Insti­ In addition to the scientific symposia, the Con- "Naltrexone in the Treatment of Alcohol Use tute onAlcoholAbuse andAlcoholism (NIAAA) ference features a number of component ses- ' ; Disorded'1.(Sarz Maxwell, M.D., Course Di­ and the National Institute on DrugAbuse (NIDA).