Behavioral Healthcare wins Gold Award from ASHPE

“States of despair,” an October 2009 special report by Behavioral Healthcare capturing the devastating breadth and impact of state budget cuts to behavioral health and addiction treatment resources, earned the magazine a Gold Award from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors (ASHPE) in its 2010 awards competition.

The article, written by Brian Albright and developed by the magazine’s entire editorial team, detailed how, as a result of the economic downturn, states slashed public funding for community mental health, developmental disability, supportive housing, supportive employment, and addiction treatment programs throughout 2009. Our survey of state officials, funding agencies, local clinic managers, and national program and funding experts identified cumulative budget shortfalls exceeding $114 billion in 2009 and projected to exceed $142 billion in 2010.

In addition to our print coverage, online coverage offered budget information provided by 35 states on a “State of state funding” map, as well as verbatim comments from state officials detailing the painful impacts of the reductions.

Three other magazines published by Vendome Group—Addiction Professional, Long-Term Living, and Healthcare Design—also were honored in ASHPE’s 2010 awards competition. Addiction Professional won the award in the “Best How-To Article” category for “Treating the high-functioning alcoholic,” published in its March/April 2009 issue.