of using prescription and over-the-counter medications properly. joining us in our panel today are dr. h. westley clark, director, center for substance abuse treatment, substance abuse and mental health services administration, u.s. department of health and human services, rockville, maryland; dr. timothy condon, deputy director, national institute on drug abuse, national institutes of health, u.s. department of health and human services, rockville, maryland; dr. barbara krantz, chief executive officer and medical director, hanley center, west palm beach, florida; beverly gmerek, prescription drug abuse prevention program coordinator, peer assistance services inc., denver, colorado. dr. clark, how prevalent is prescription drug misuse in the united states? well, we estimate that there are approximately 15 million people who misuse prescription drugs in the united states, and that gives us an estimated 2.5 million new initiates per year, or, if you think about it, that's about 7,000 new initiates a day. and within that, do one age group uses it more than others? what is the distribution among the age groups? well, i think the most important thing to keep in mind is that prescription drug abuse affects the entire age range. we might see some pea

u.s. department of health and human services. a person in long-term recovery and in my case that means i've been without alcohol or drugs for 35 years. during that time, i have noticed that there is a new recovery movement starting in this country and probably about 10 years ago and i have gotten very involved in an organization called faces and voices of recovery, which is a leadership group within that movement. it's been very exciting to see that more and more people are coming out of the closet, that reducing stigma, reducing discrimination and kind of normalizing recovery is what is happening in this country. it's very exciting to see that having a longer term perspective that goes back 35 years when everybody seemed to be in the closet back then. dr. clark, i know that we've talked a little bit about certain aspects of diversity and one of them is gender. i know that samhsa has a program that is targeted to women and children and pregnant postpartum. do you want to talk a little bit about that? you are correct when you ment

u.s. department of health and human services. people trapped by drug or alcohol addiction often feel like there's no hope, no way out. but for every lock, there's a key. and if you have a problem, it's good to know there are real solutions to help you get free. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. (music) i've been able to pay back and help those who try to seek recovery by my focus on my own recovery, focusing on how do i stay where i am in my recovery, focusing on not only on-on-on the drugs, the alcohol, and those kinds of things, but focusing on the positive part of recovery, such as staying in the business i am right now, such as maintaining relationships with my family, such as being able to continue to pay my mortgage or my rent, or be able to have the things of life i didn't have when i was on the streets in my addiction. tom, i'm going to start with you. what are some of the economic benefits of getting

and make sense of life again. for information, treatment referral, and most importantly, help, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human servicesat is the cost of drug and alcohol addiction? i lost my job. i lost my home. i lost my health. i lost my self-respect. i lost my freedom. if you have a drug or alcohol problem, remember treatment is effective and recovery is possible. for information on drug and alcohol treatment referral for you, or someone you know, call 1-800-662-help and see what you can save. i got my life back. [music] the path that my life has taken, it has allowed me to be able to parallel experiences with people. being able to talk to the homeless individual, because i've been there. i've been homeless. i've slept on concrete. i've looked for any type of shelter that i could, just for a moment, just for an hour. so i can relate to that. i have been imprisoned, you know, so i can relate to the individual fresh out of jail and, and their struggles. i can relate to veterans because i am a vet. so when you have that camaraderie, it's the same as if you're in a foxhole together. you know, as a military guy, you kno

director, center for substance abuse treatment, substance abuse and mental health services administration, u.s. department of health and human services, rockville, maryland. richard cho, director of innovations and research, corporation for supportive housing, new haven, connecticut. robert kershaw, business owner and outreach worker, oxford house, incorporated, silver spring, maryland. dr. jesse b. milby, director, medical psychology, substance abuse and homeless research program, department of psychology, university of alabama at birmingham, birmingham, alabama. dr. clark, when is a person categorized as homeless? well, the most important thing is to recognize that when a person lacks a permanent, fixed residence, they meet the category of homeless. now, there are a number of temporary arrangements that people have; for instance, it's estimated that roughly 1.6 million people are living in transitional or shelters, and they also meet the definition of homeless. so it's-we're looking for people who have permanent, fixed residence, and if you don't have that, then you're defined as homeless. and dr. milby, can you sort of ta

director, center for substance abuse prevention, substance abuse and mental health services administration, u.s. department of health and human services, rockville, maryland; monique bourgeois, executive director, association of recovery schools, fort washington, pennsylvania; greg williams, co-director, connecticut turning to youth and families, danbury, connecticut; dr. mark godley, director, research and development, chestnut health systems, bloomington, illinois. fran, what is the extent of the problem with youth in america? our most recent survey from samhsa is that around 10 million, a little over 10 million of our young people, are using alcohol and substances. that actually breaks down to 26 percent of them are drinking and another 17 percent of them are binge drinking, which is having more than five drinks in a row at one setting. so it's a concern of ours that our young people are really starting to accelerate drinking and drugging than they have in the past. and mark, it's really...as fran has mentioned, alcohol is really the main problem. what other substances are youth taking today? while most youth who use, do u

u.s. department of health and human services. people trapped by drug or alcohol addiction often feel like there's no hope, no way out. but for every lock, there's a key. and if you have a problem, it's good to know there are real solutions to help you get free. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know, call 1 (800) 662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. (music) if i can do it, anybody can do it. i'm no exception. i happen to be a professional, but i was also an inmate. upon studying for the bar exam, there was pressures as to your ability to concentrate and focus. i was dating someone whose father was a sports physician, and at their house were boxes of hydrocodone, sample boxes. and i did go to their house, i took 2 of the sample boxes that had 40 pills in them. my theory at the time, although yes, it was absolutely wrong to take pills out of someone's house that are not prescribed to me and do not belong to me, was after the bar exam, i will stop taking them. i did

u.s. department of health and human services. people who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction sometimes say hurtful things. they drive the people who love them most away. if you know someone who suffers from drug or alcohol addiction-listen. try to hear what they are really saying. know that there is hope and help them find their voice again. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. [music] hi, i'm michele monroe with the road to recovery and we're here today in maryland getting some opinions on what people think about different languages used in the substance abuse and mental health arena. if i said that somebody had a drug and alcohol addiction what would you think that that means? i think the person has a... a certainly health issue problem that needs to be, needs to be attended to. i would think of people struggling in difficult circumstances... with certain underlying issues that, that lead them to feel that the

u.s. department of health and human services. people who suffer from drug or alcohol addiction sometimes say hurtful things. they drive the people who love them most away. if you know someone who suffers from drug or alcohol addiction, listen. try to hear what they are really saying. know that there is hope, and help them find their voice again. for drug or alcohol treatment referral for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-help. brought to you by the u.s. department of health and human services. (music) new directions really is the only program specifically designed to serve homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders. we're a long-term treatment program, which really means that we look at every aspect of a veteran's life. we help them change their lives, change their behaviors, and really have the skills that they need to be able to succeed on the outside once they leave new directions. they leave new directions with a job, with an income, with the skills, the life skills that they need to continue out in the society, and

u.s. department of health and human services hhs, but that's not true and it angers this hhs employee. >>cammers prey on a very vulnerable portion of our society and i am more than willing to do something about that. >> good afternoon, how may i help you. >> reporter: the fraud hot line is tracking complaints from across the country about phony government grants. investigator say it is an old scam with new twists. they are taking advantage of a down economy and government stimuluses. >> individuals have to recognize that no one from the federal government will be calling them and offering them a grant. that's not the way the grant process works. >> reporter: consumers have to be aware of grant offers. they are typically awarded to organizations not individuals. >> reporter: too late for the lekies they didn't get the grant and lost all the money they sent up front putting them further behind on their bills and at risk for losing their home. cbc news, washington. >>> can you name the best rookie in the nhl? i'll give you a hints. he plays for the sharks. >>> . sports is next. will make his

u.s. department of health and human services, h.h.s., but that's not true, and it angers h.h.s. deputy inspector general gerald roy. >> the scammers prey on a very, very vulnerable portion of our society and i more than willing to do something about that. >> reporter: the i.g.'s fraud hotline is tracking complaints from across the country about phony government grants. investigators say it's an old scam with a new twist. criminals are taking advantage of a down economy and government stimulus efforts to lure victims into thinking they can cash in. >> individuals have to recognize that no one from the federal government will be calling them and offering them a grant. that's not the way the grant process works. >> reporter: the i.g.'s office is warning consumers to beware of grant officers. real government grants are typically awarded in a lengthy application process, to organizations, not individuals, with no fees. too late for the leckeys. they didn't get the grant and lost all the money they sent upfront, putting them further behind on their bills and at risk for losing their h

u.s. department of health and human services. [music] our program is multifaceted. it incorporates both group treatment and individual treatment for asian and pacific islanders who are struggling with chemical dependency. we use incentives to keep people motivated in treatment and we use both sort of informal and formal interventions. i like the diversity of the clientele that we get here at team 360. regardless of ethnicity, each of their stories is so different from the next. but for some reason, when they come into group, they support each other and they know how to- there's just this warmth and this support, even though they are so different. it's just a very comfortable place to be at and i think there's a lot of open-minded individuals. so like if i come in, they are not going to be like look at that drug addict. just like the opposite, they are like out here willing to help you out. the challenge and the rewards of what i do in recovery is that i get to see individuals really improve their lives, not only in their recovery, but focus on their everyday stressor

of cities across the country are getting the w arning that they are more at risk than other cities for contracting the flu and oakland is one of them. now, the u.s. department of health and human services is issuing the warning as we head into flu season. the reason for the target city is because of the higher population of african-americans and latinos. according to the heath agency new research shows those populations are more at risk of contracting the flu and part of the reason is that they are less likely to be vaccinated. now, each year in the united states, an average of 23,000 people die from flu-related complications. 90% of the deaths are adults, 65 and older. according to the center for disease control, the flu shot can help save lives and is up to 70% effective among elderly americans in particular. we do expect to hear more from the u.s. surgeon general later today on this new research and the warning for oakland r esidents in general. other cities include atlanta, kansas city, new york, newark, chicago, houston, essex, massachusetts, philadelphia and miami. reporting live in the newsroom, i'm pam cook. let's go back to dave. >>> 7:47. a sexual enhancement supplement calle

able to get a free flu shot as part of a program between walgreens and the department of health and human services. the community partners and 15 cities throughout the u.sass out vouchers for the shots. in oakland they can be exchanged for one free flu shot at any walgreen's pharmacy. they are meant to increase rates in black and hispanic communities. >>> a great story with a company sharing wealth with those in need. old navy's flag ship store on market street will open at 9:00 this morning for a private shopping spree for more than 200 kids from the family services program. each kid will receive a gift card valued at $100 thanks to the gap and volunteer shoppers will help them make their fashion selections. >>> with a little help, the 49ers are in the playoff help. st. louis and seattle both lost yesterday giving the niners just a sliver of hope. san francisco must win the last two games and seattle must win one for san francisco to advance in the playoffs. the niners play on sunday and close things out on january 2nd against arizona. >>> the raiders hanging in the playoff hunt. they beat the broncos in yesterday's game. the raiders still trail kansas

and aids. >>> the national aids memorial is in candle light tonight. organizers are marking the 20th anniversary of the ryan white care act. through the program the u.s. health and human services departmenttributes about $2 billion each year which helps fund hiv related services for about a half million people annually. >> we do it here all the time showing you a huge event then tell you how many people we are told are there. but where did those numbers originate? how do authorities estimate the size of crowds at an event lori wants to know. that's tonight's good question. that's our look from chopper 5 down on civic center plaza. >> reporter: the world series parade drew thousands of people through downtown san francisco. exactly how many we may never know because nobody called jack barcelona. >> you can't count the people under overhangs or in the bars celebrating. >> reporter: but if you're out in plain view barcelona can use a plane to count you. the air flight services has been doing this kind of work since 1974. using a high speed camera, special film that produces giant 9-inch negatives and an airplane at 2000 feet. >> we counted individuals and marked them out to count density. t

of u.s. government agencies. the department of state and defense and usaid have been working in yemen for years and are now working alongside counterparts from agencies including commerce, treasury, homeland security, health and human services, justice and agriculture. on the economic front, the treasury and state department supported yemen negotiations for the programs signed this summer which provided much-needed fiscal relief for the government and the people. i was pleased to learn about the approval earlier this week of the world bank grant to support the yemenis growth and social protection. we also look forward to seeing the next version of yemen's to from a plan for poverty reduction. in another important step the united states and yemen have concluded bilateral negotiations is a part of the efforts to the world trade organization. temmins's progress to add up to international standards is an important step towards integration of global markets and improving the economic fortunes of the yemeni people. to increase the opportunity for the next generation we continue to expand the educational exchange programs. department of state programs provide world-class educational and training opportunities for over 100 yemenis

of u.s. government agencies. the department of state and defense and usaid have been working in yemen for years and are now working alongside counterparts from agencies including commerce, treasury, homeland security, health and human services, justice and agriculture. on the economic front, the treasury and state department supported yemen negotiations for the programs signed this summer which provided much-needed fiscal relief for the government and the people. i was pleased to learn about the approval earlier this week of the world bank grant to support the yemenis growth and social protection. we also look forward to seeing the next version of yemen's to from a plan for poverty reduction. in another important step the united states and yemen have concluded bilateral negotiations is a part of the efforts to the world trade organization. temmins's progress to add up to international standards is an important step towards integration of global markets and improving the economic fortunes of the yemeni people. to increase the opportunity for the next generation we continue to expand the educational exchange programs. department of state programs provide world-class educational and training opportunities for over 100 yemenis

of u.s. government agencies. the department of state and defense and usaid have been working in yemen for years and are now working alongside counterparts from agencies including commerce, treasury, homeland security, health and human services, justice and agriculture. on the economic front, the treasury and state department supported yemen negotiations for the programs signed this summer which provided much-needed fiscal relief for the government and the people. i was pleased to learn about the approval earlier this week of the world bank grant to support the yemenis growth and social protection. we also look forward to seeing the next version of yemen's to from a plan for poverty reduction. in another important step the united states and yemen have concluded bilateral negotiations is a part of the efforts to the world trade organization. temmins's progress to add up to international standards is an important step towards integration of global markets and improving the economic fortunes of the yemeni people. to increase the opportunity for the next generation we continue to expand the educational exchange programs. department of state programs provide world-class educational and training opportunities for over 100 yemenis