Addiction
Critics say GOP Medicaid cuts could slash fentanyl addiction treatment
Republicans hope to save a lot of tax dollars by cutting Medicaid. Drug policy experts say as many as a million Americans in treatment for addiction could lose coverage.
Misinformation about fentanyl exposure threatens to undermine overdose response
Fentanyl overdoses occur from ingesting the synthetic opioid. But popular culture has misrepresented the risks to first responders.
Trump team revokes $11 billion in funding for addiction, mental health care
The Trump administration says it hopes to save $11.4 billion by freezing and revoking COVID-era grants. Addiction experts say clawing back the federal funding is risky and could put patients at risk.
Reporter’s notebook: 8 theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting
Some 30,000 fewer people are dying every year in the U.S. from fentanyl and other street drugs. This shift has stunned addiction experts, reversing decades of rising death.
Deadliest phase of fentanyl crisis eases, as all states see recovery
In some parts of the U.S. drug deaths have plunged to levels not seen since the fentanyl crisis exploded. Addiction experts say communities still face big challenges.
Those struggling with addiction meet ‘law and order’ treatment in Walker County
Anthony Mitchell allegedly froze to death after spending 14 days in a concrete room at the Walker County Jail according to a federal lawsuit his family filed in February. The case is drawing attention to how law enforcement treats those struggling with addiction.
Families find support during a new wave of the opioid epidemic
The opioid epidemic continues to evolve. There's been a shift in overdose demographics and ways the drug is consumed. But what hasn’t changed is the strain that opioid addiction can have including on families.
Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Increase 100% In Jefferson County
The powerful synthetic opioid is now being mixed with drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, leading to more overdose deaths.
UAB Closing Residential Addiction Unit to Expand Other Services
UAB hospital recently announced it will close its residential addiction treatment unit, which has provided overnight care for patients with substance use disorder for more than 20 years. Some are criticizing the decision, but officials say the closure is part of a bigger plan.
Recovery Resource Center Bridges Gaps in Addiction Treatment
For someone with addiction, deciding to get help is often the first step to recovery. But finding that help is not always easy. State-funded treatment facilities can have complicated requirements and long waiting lists.
AG Marshall Speaks Out About Wife’s Mental Health Struggles
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall shed light today on circumstances around his wife's death this past Sunday. In an emotional press conference, Marshall set the record straight about his family.
To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe? Opioid Crisis Presents Ethical Dilemma
Deaths from prescription opioids have more than quadrupled since 1999. So today, doctors trying to treat pain face a dilemma: to prescribe, or not to prescribe. To understand the quandary, WBHM’s Dan Carsen checks in with two leading specialists who've agreed to disagree.
As Heroin Use Rises, More Families Struggle With Loss And Addiction
Heroin use has exploded in Alabama, and heroin-related deaths more than doubled in Jefferson County last year. That means more and more relatives have to cope with the mistrust, deception and shame that come with addiction. Despite the stigma, parents and families are reaching out for help.
Preventing Addiction In Schools
In Part One of WBHM's five-part series, we heard about how and why heroin use is on the rise in Alabama. Now in Part Two, education reporter Dan Carsen looks at how some young people are trying to slow its spread in their schools. The story starts with a confession in a small office just outside downtown Birmingham.
Recovering Heroin Addict Brad Blount On A Dark Time, And How He Escaped It
Heroin use is on the rise in Alabama. And contrary to old stereotypes, it doesn't respect race, class, or neighborhood boundaries. Brad Blount of Vestavia Hills is proof. He's from a solid family in that well-heeled suburb, but the 24-year-old tells WBHM's Dan Carsen that despite it all, his life took a dark turn.
A College For Inmates, And An Interview With Its President
The United States locks up people at a higher rate than anywhere else in the world. Some of the most overcrowded prisons are right here in Alabama. Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women is one of them. But some inmates there have access to a unique state-funded program that offers academics and "life skills" they'll need after release. The problem is, this J.F. Ingram State Technical College program, which could ease overcrowding, is struggling for funds. WBHM's Dan Carsen has the story and a full-length interview with J.F. Ingram's president.
