In discussion after the HSRI briefing, providers and advocates warned the workforce strain is compounded by immigration status changes (including Haitian TPS), constrained capacity, and family networks' fragility; one provider said they lost 119 staff this year due to Haitian TPS.

HSRI data presented to the commission showed Massachusetts respondents report higher staff turnover and that average DSP wages largely fall short of MIT living‑wage benchmarks; HSRI cited a drop in turnover from 43% (2021) to 37% (2024) but said staffing remains strained.

HSRI told the subcommittee the share of provider agencies that report being for‑profit rose from 45% in 2020 to 62% in recent survey responses, a trend HSRI said warrants monitoring though it does not mean private‑equity ownership in every case.

HSRI presented National Core Indicators findings and a new State of the Workforce survey to the commission support subcommittee, saying the data are meant to show "what's working and what isn't" and to guide policy action for HCBS workforce gaps.

HSRI told the subcommittee it is tracking nationwide HCBS changes following the July 2025 passage of the OBBAA and maintains a public, biweekly‑updated Google sheet with state entries and an input portal for stakeholders.

Objective Amid rising cannabis use, declining perceived harm, and policy liberalization over the past 15 years, we examined whether the association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and past-year suicidal ideation among U.S. adults changed from 2014–2023 and varied by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Method Using data from 415,861 adults in the 2014–2023 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, we examined temporal association change between past-year suicidal ideation and CUD (≥2 of 9 harmonized DSM-5 criteria). Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic, social, clinical, and geographic covariates, tested whether survey year moderated the CUD–suicidal ideation association overall and in strata by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Results Adults with cannabis use disorder had 57% higher odds of past-year suicidal ideation than those without (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.44–1.72) across years. Joint Wald tests showed no evidence that the association changed over time overall (p = 0.12) nor within strata defined by sex or age. Although the joint interaction test suggested some variation among Hispanic respondents (p = 0.01), no individual year-specific interaction terms remained statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions Adults with CUD had higher odds of suicidal ideation but, contrary to expectations, the strength of this association remained stable from 2014–2023 and did not differ significantly across sex, age, or racial/ethnic groups despite widespread legalization, increased potency, and shifting norms.

YouTube video by Wendy McNeill

A Human Services Research Institute analysis presented to Forsyth County commissioners found strong local partnerships but persistent workforce shortages, reliance on crisis care, racial disparities in access to medication‑assisted treatment, and recommended short‑term actions including improved information pathways, expanded peer support and jail‑initiated treatment pilots.

Advancing Equity, Inclusion, and Systems Change for People with Disabilities Through National Policy

Advancing Equity, Inclusion, and Systems Change for People with Disabilities Through National Policy

Ulster County’s Department of Mental Health presented a newly published behavioral health needs assessment (HSRI) and outlined more than 25 recommendations—ranging from expanded school-based supports and mobile mental-health teams to restoring CIT training and pursuing a 24-hour pharmacy—while the county begins weaving the report into its annual local services plan and solicits public feedback via a website survey.

著者：Dr. Simurer(著)　出版：HSRI Co., Ltd. (個人出版)　2026/4/27(月)配信

The Human Services Research Institute presented a behavioral‑health needs assessment to the Ulster County Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee on March 5, recommending streamlined resource directories, expanded outpatient services, incremental mobile crisis hours and exploration of a 24‑hour pharmacy.