In this first installment of one of Harold Pollack’s “Curbside Consult” interview series for healthinsurance.org, Harold and I discuss the changing mental health needs of veterans, the myth that drug illegality is the cause of opioid overdoses, the role of alcohol in violence and incarceration, and the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous.
alnval says
Well done. I love the format. I didn’t know anything about the introduction of parity for mental health into the ACA medicaid system and now I do. The discussion of practical administrative and clinical issues that need to be addressed related to service delivery in the new system would have kept me listening/watching for another hour. Where do you go from here?
Keith Humphreys says
Thanks alnval. The rest of the “consult” is on youtube if you want to see it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHNPG8_h_IY
alnval says
Sorry I wasn’t clear. I cycled through all four parts of the consult via your post on the RBC website. No need for youtube.
What are you folks going to do next with this material? Nova? Frontline? PBS Special? Imagine what Ken Burns might do with this. There’s also a “What’s going on today in mental health” hook to this that should put it (or something like it) into a graduate seminar maybe even juniors/seniors in social sciences. The informality of it is compelling certainly not “rinky-dink” regardless of what your colleague thinks. It’s a wonderful mix of policy leavened by real life clinical stuff.
Keith Humphreys says
That is very kind of you alnval. Harold, now coming to a computer near you both on his curbside consults and his Washington Post gig, seems to me poised to do something like this on a bigger scale, like Chris Hayes on MSNBC.
Harold Pollack says
Hey thanks!