• Need-to-Know News: Sept. 9, 2011

    September 09, 2011

    Updates from Us

    • Our Legal Department has announced the publication of three new booklets to help people with criminal records! Follow this link to read all about these new manuals, which are an update of LAC's one-part guide to obtaining and correcting rap sheets.
    • LAC and SAAS have released the August/September newsletter with updates from the National Advocacy Campaign. The big news in this issue: The Coalition for Whole Health releases its Recommendations on Coverage of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services in the Essential Health Benefit Package; and the Institute of Medicine cites the testimony of LAC Director/President Paul Samuels.
    • The Legal Action Center's Paul Samuels and Gabrielle de la Guerrionere were interviewed in the Sept. 12 issue of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly regarding the Coalition for Whole Health's Recommendations on Coverage of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services in the Essential Health Benefit Package.
    • REMINDER: The National H.I.R.E. Network will be holding its 6th Annual NYS Reentry Policy Conference on Monday, Sept. 26 in New York City. Follow this link to register for the conference.

    Headlines on Our Issues

    State

    • On September 5, the New York State Assembly released its prison count report which showed the impact on the redistricting of state legislative districts of a 2010 law requiring that prisoners be counted at their last own address rather than their location of incarceration. The report shows that the new law, which is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit, would have major impact on a number of upstate, mostly Republican-controlled districts.
    • Last week, Judge Shira Scheindlin allowed a lawsuit challenging the New York City Police Department's "stop and frisk" policy to move forward.
    National

    • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released its annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health during a press conference to celebrate Recovery Month. The survey showed a rise in illicit druge use between 2008 and 2010. The rise was driven by an increase in marijuana use, especially among young adults.
    • On September 6, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the state of Florida to prevent the state from implementing a new law mandating drug testing of applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

    From Our Partners

    • The Bronx Community Recovery Center will hold the Formerly Incarcerated Men and Women (F.I.R.M.) Symposium tomorrow, Sept. 10. The theme of the event, at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in the Bronx, is "Breaking the Stigma." Space is limited so please RSVP by contacting Aja Stubbs by email or phone (718-292-5788, Ext. 8654).