TIPS & TOPICS 
Volume 2, No. 10
February 2005

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– STUMP THE SHRINK
– Until Next Time

Welcome to the February (soon to be March) edition of TIPS and TOPICS. Thanks to all who write with comments and questions. I respond to as many as I can in a timely fashion, but please excuse my tardiness. I do read and appreciate all your messages.

TIPS & TOPICS
Volume 2, No. 9
January 2005

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– SHAMELESS SELLING
– Until Next Time

Welcome readers!

Happy New Year! Actually January is nearly over and it seems 2005 is already in full swing.

TIPS & TOPICS 
Volume 2, No. 8
December 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– SUCCESS STORIES
– Until Next Time

Welcome readers!

As usual, I operate under the pressure of deadlines. Welcome to this last edition of 2004 as I scurry to get ready for the holidays. Perhaps you are more organized than me this year.

TIPS & TOPICS 
Volume 2, No. 6
October 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– STUMP THE SHRINK
– Until Next Time

Welcome readers!

I want to welcome the very large number of new subscribers to TIPS and TOPICS in September- October! You’ll quickly get the gist of the “S” format. When ever any of you have a question or comment, email me. It may be included in “Stump the Shrink.”

TIPS and TOPICS

Vol 2, No.4

August 2004

In this issue

– SAVVY

– SKILLS

– SOUL

– SUCCESS STORIES

– Until next time

WELCOME!

A new reader of last month’s June/July issue of TIPS and TOPICS asked me if I had considered making the newsletter a monthly publication. I quickly reassured her that it is indeed a monthly publication- except for the summer-when I combine a couple of the months to give myself a little bit of “laid back” relaxation.

TIPS and TOPICS
Vol 2, No.3
June-July 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– STUMP THE SHRINK
– Until next time

WELCOME!

Welcome to the June/July edition of TIPS and TOPICS. This monthly publication just suddenly turned into a two-editions-in-the-summer, “monthly” newsletter! You will receive a July/August edition around mid to late August. You can also see this and previous editions on my website.

TIPS and TOPICS
Vol 2, No.2
May 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– STUMP THE SHRINK
– Until next time

WELCOME!

Welcome to the May edition of TIPS and TOPICS. Unlike big magazines like TIME where you receive the week’s edition before the date on the cover, this humble effort usually comes late in the month. Finding the “spare time” to get this to you often gets lost in other deadlines. But here it is.

TIPS and TOPICS
Vol 2, No.1
April 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– STUMP THE SHRINK
– SUCCESS STORIES
– Until next time

WELCOME!

This April edition of TIPS and TOPICS marks the beginning of the second year of these monthly bits and pieces from me to you. If you have been getting these from the very first edition, I hope they have been useful in your work and life. If you are new to TIPS and TOPICS, welcome to an unscripted array of issues that arise from reflections about my training and consulting practice (often as I sit on airplanes).

TIPS and TOPICS
Vol 1, No.11
March 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY
– SKILLS
– SOUL
– Until next time

WELCOME!

Recently I was training on the ASAM Criteria. I was surprised by some fundamental misunderstandings even from people using the criteria for many years. As you may know, I have been involved with, and chaired the development of the Patient Placement Criteria (PPC) for the Treatment of Substance Related Disorders of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) since its beginning in the late 1980’s. For those of you who do not know the ASAM PPC, these are consensus criteria that match people with substance use problems to the appropriate level of care within a broad continuum of services.

TIPS and TOPICS
Volume 1, No. 10
February 2004

In this issue
– SAVVY……..
– SKILLS……..
– SOUL………
– STUMP the SHRINK…
– SUGGESTIONS………
– SHARING SOLUTIONS…….
– Until next time……..

WELCOME!

On February 11, 2004 there was a press release from Join Together- a project of the Boston University School of Public Health- that had convened a national policy panel in the summer of 2002. Their task was to address the quality of treatment for substance use disorders. The panel’s primary recommendation called for a fundamental change in the payment system for treating drug and alcohol disorders – that payment should be based on the results achieved; that purchasers of treatment services should reward results.