One of the most vexing problems for scientists is providing sound advice on where to look for help for people who are suffering from the diseases and disorders we work on every day. This problem is made more challenging for scientists studying alcoholism where a for-profit rehabilitation industry provides confusing and sometimes dangerous advice. What we really need is a site we can put on the back of our business cards or email signatures to direct folks to for help.

National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has done just that, launching an amazing Navigator you can (and should!) be recommending. Jump on over to https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/ and you’ll find information to help patients and families connect with programs that work.

The navigator is ad-free, scientist vetted and provides tremendously practical advice about asking informed questions of care providers, understanding real world problems of what your employee rights are and figuring out your insurance contributions.

The Navigator doesn’t have a fully vetted list of treatment programs and resources for adolescents yet, but they are looking to build it out in the future.

Bookmark this resource and put it on your cards if you’re in the field, friends. With 100,000 people in the US dying from alcohol related causes every year, you are more than likely going to need it.

Huge h/t to my BFF @effatma for promoting this resource and (of course) the NIAAA for putting this together. Follow both of them on Twitter for Squirrel approved information.

About the Author

Screen Name

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

About Me

The Fighty Squirrel is very thin pseud for a molecular and cellular neurobiology type who runs a lab studying neurodegeneration. She is mother to a 14yo half child/half honey badger and 16yo half child/half border collie and a Reviewing Editor at Journal of Neuroscience. She also sort of a badass at air hockey. She speaks for herself unless her employer likes it, in which case it's patented.