The Huntington (WV) Herald-Dispatch (4/17, Stuck) reports that eight years ago, Josh Parker, a physician at Prestera Center “decided to try something different and add a service to the center’s addiction treatment options – medication-assisted treatment.” At the time, there was little research to support “medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, other than for methadone, but Prestera began a pilot program with a group of women in the Renaissance program using Suboxone [buprenorphine/naloxone].” Today, there is growing evidence that “MAT can be an effective treatment for substance use disorders if done properly, which includes counseling and behavioral therapy.”

Related Links:

— “Medication-assisted treatment on the rise,” Taylor Stuck, Huntington (WV) Herald-Dispatch, April 20, 2016.

The Washington Post (4/14, Frankel) reports four former US surgeon generals on Thursday criticized the ban on “federal funding for gun violence research,” and called on Congress to end it. Regina Benjamin, Joycelyn Elders, and David Satcher, who were appointed by a Democrat, wrote to Congress, “It is only through research that we can begin to address this menace to our nation’s public health.” In his own letter, Richard Carmona, who was appointed by a Republican, argued that “without appropriate research ‘we really have no idea what policies and/or regulation may be needed in order to ensure the public’s safety.’”

Related Links:

— “Last four surgeons general call on CDC to resume gun violence studies,” Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, April 14, 2016.

In an 1,100-word piece, the Washington Post (4/14, Itkowitz) reports, “An estimated 70 percent of kids that cycle through the juvenile justice systems have a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI],” and approximately half of all youngsters “with a mental illness didn’t receive any treatment the year prior.”

Related Links:

— “His mom publicly compared him to killer Adam Lanza. Now the teen is opening up about his bipolar disorder.,” Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, April 14, 2016.

The Boston Globe (4/13, Teitell) reports that over the next 10 years, some “500,000 young adults with autism will age out of publicly funded day and residential special-education programs nationwide, according to a Drexel University researcher.” According to the Globe, the 22nd birthday “is…a significant milestone for individuals with autism and other disabilities,” and Massachusetts offers “a state program called ‘Turning 22’ that helps families transition into the adult service system.”

Related Links:

— “For parents of autistic kids, 22nd birthday often arrives with dread,” Beth Teitell, Boston Globe, April , 2016.13

HealthDay (4/13, Preidt) reports that a study published April 12 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reveals that Alzheimer’s disease affects visual perception, particularly the “ability to recognize faces.” What’s more, problems with visual perception appear to occur “in the early stages of the disease.”

Related Links:

— “Alzheimer’s Can Steal Ability to Know Loved Ones’ Faces,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, April 13, 2016.