Mental Health Weekly articles from June 2006

Mental Health Weekly archives from June 2006

Vt. ceases routine use of restraints in transporting youths: new legislation also covers adults, pregnant inmates.
June 26, 2006... A previously little-known policy in which Vermont residents in mental health crisis were being routinely transported to treatment using mechanical restraints has been altered as a result of new legislation adopted and signed this spring. ...

N.C. officials continue efforts to reform mental health system.
June 26, 2006... North Carolina officials are moving forward with efforts to reform the state's public mental health system while lawmakers negotiate an overall proposed $96 million increase in services, the first such increase in many years, say observers....

New York debates parity, SHU bill, community housing waiting list.(special housing units)
June 26, 2006... Perhaps one of the most watched parity bills in recent years has been the legislation in New York State known as "Timothy's Law," which would require that health insurance companies treat mental illness and chemical dependency equal to...

Health information technology bill passes House subcommittee.
June 26, 2006... Legislation to improve the safety and qualify of health care Americans receive passed this month by the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. The Health Information Technology (IT) Promotion Act of 2006 will help create...

AMA calls for more mental health services for college students.(American Medical Association)
June 26, 2006... The American Medical Association (AMA) this month during its annual meeting voted to take several new actions for increased availability of mental health services and fight substance abuse on college campuses for college students. "Among...

Contract renewed for national Health and Retirement Study.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced last week the renewal of an agreement with the University of Michigan, providing about $70 million to continue work on the Health and Retirement...

Little promise in Prozac for anorexia.(clinical trial result)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
June 26, 2006... The results of a rigorous study of the antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine) for treating anorexia nervosa in young women found that Prozac performed no better than a placebo pill in preventing recurrence in 93 female patients. The New York...

Agency works hard to advance treatment, battle stigma.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... Behavioral Health Resources, an agency representing individuals with mental illness in several Washington State Counties has been working hard to advance mental health services, bolster funds and conquer stigma, the Olympian reported (June...

Antipsychotic treatment of youth climbs.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... A recent report by Mark Olfson, M.D., M.P.H. and colleagues in the peer-reviewed journal Archives of General Psychiatry examines the national trends in antipsychotic treatment of youth seen in office-based medical practices. Not only did the...

NAPHS 2007 Membership Directory.(Resources)
June 26, 2006... The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) has announced it will soon publish the 2007 version of its NAPHS Membership Directory, including listings for member organizations providing a broad range of services for...

Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola.(Names in the news)(appointed as a new chairmanof board of directors)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) last week announced the selection of Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, M.D., Ph.D., as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors effective June 2006. Aguilar-Gaxiola, the first Latino to serve as NMHA's...

Pamela Steinbach.(Names in the news)(appointed as executive director of Education)(Brief article)
June 26, 2006... The Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, has announced (June 20) the appointment of Pamela Steinbach, R.N., M.S.N., as executive director of...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
June 26, 2006... The American Psychological Association's 2006 Convention will take place August 10-13 in New Orleans. Plenary sessions will include topics such as: Advancing Science and Clinical Wisdom Synergism, Emerging Findings from Multicultural...

In case you haven't heard ...
June 26, 2006... The results of a new study support the idea that detection systems for facial expressions have developed differently in men and women. Men can more quickly pick an angry face out of a crowd than women, particularly the angry face of another...

Michigan county's service delivery system could undergo structural changes: providers: political battles overshadow accomplishments.
June 19, 2006... The Wayne County, Mich., public mental health system already is one of the most intricate entities in a state with a complex structure for delivering behavioral health services to low-income residents. And the county system could be...

Bazelon report points to success of education, mental health collaborations: study finds widespread support among stakeholders.(David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law)
June 19, 2006... States and school districts that have successfully combined a national school-wide positive behavior support (PBS) initiative with effective mental health services help foster a school environment that is conducive to learning and improves...

NMHA honors leading mental health advocates.(National Mental Health Association)
June 19, 2006... The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) last week honored six mental health leaders and advocates during its annual meeting. The award winners represent a broad spectrum of mental health professionals, experts, consumers, organizations...

Illinois officials embrace positive support education initiative.
June 19, 2006... Illinois is recognized as a pioneer in integrating its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative, having launched its program in 1998, according to the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law report. The...

JCAHO adds suicide identification risk to 2007 safety goals.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)
June 19, 2006... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) last week announced the 2007 National Patient Safety Goals and related requirements for each of its accreditation programs and its Disease-Specific Care certification...

Sacramento counties reap Prop. 63 benefits.(Briefly Noted)(Mental Health Services Act)(Brief article)
June 19, 2006... Four counties in Greater Sacramento are poised to collect the windfall from Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act, passed in California in 2004, reported the Sacramento Business Journal (June 8). A 1 percent tax on personal incomes...

FDA approves Wellbutrin for seasonal affective disorder.(Briefly Noted)
June 19, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced (June 12) that it has approved the first drug for the prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects an estimated 6...

Two favorable reports of VNS for depression.(Briefly Noted)
June 19, 2006... At the May annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in Toronto, two reports supported vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as a safe, long-term antidepressant treatment for treatment-resistant patients. Reuters reported (May 25)...

Paxil use: New warnings for young adults.(antidepressant increased risk of suicide attempts )(Brief article)
June 19, 2006... Following an analysis of clinical trials data, GlaxoSmithKline has sent letter to healthcare professionals warning of a possible increased risk of suicide attempts in young adults taking the antidepressant drug Paxil paroxetine), reported the...

SAMHSA papers on co-occurring disorders.(Resources)
June 19, 2006... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's (SAMHSA) Co-Occurring Center for Excellence (COCE) has recently released the first three in a series of 10 papers for treatment professionals, including counselors, administrators, and...

David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.(Poussaint-Satcher-Cosby Chair in Mental Health )(Brief article)
June 19, 2006... David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former U.S. Surgeon General and interim president of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, has been presented with the first Poussaint-Satcher-Cosby Chair in Mental Health at the medical school. The Atlanta...

Steven Johnson.(Behavioral Health Collaborative chief executive officer appointment)(Brief article)
June 19, 2006... Steven Johnson, formerly the vice chair of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's Behavioral Health Planning Council, has been named interim behavioral health czar and CEO of the state's Behavioral Health Collaborative. New Mexico Business Weekly...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
June 19, 2006... The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), will hold the 2006 National Conference on Women, Addiction...

In case you haven't heard ...
June 19, 2006... Contrary to the long-held belief that psychiatry is best practiced in person, the field is increasingly taking to the wires. Doctors and patients speak to each other in real time, with visual contact through a television-mounted camera. The...

New Medicaid law requiring proof of citizenship concerns advocates: Medicaid rule could be 'disastrous' for people with MI.(mentally ill without documents to lose coverage)
June 12, 2006... The federal government is requiring Medicaid recipients applying for or recertifying their eligibility to show proof of U.S. citizenship, raising the ire of mental health advocates who fear the new law may cause recipients who do not have...

Backers of Calif. prison reform see hope in cash infusion: more space for MH services sorely needed, say advocates.
June 12, 2006... For 15 years now, attorneys representing California prison inmates with mental illness have stood up against administrative changes, bureaucratic delays and funding constraints as they pushed for a comprehensive overhaul of the correctional...

Study finds rage disorder more common than previously thought.(Clinical report)
June 12, 2006... A little-known mental disorder marked by episodes of unwarranted anger is more common than previously thought, according to a study that appears in this month's issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. Researchers define Intermittent...

CDC study reveals Hispanic youth more prone to suicide.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention )(Report)
June 12, 2006... Hispanic students are much more likely than black or white students to report attempted suicide, according to a new report on youth risk behaviors released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The national...

NAMI announces online partnership to promote services, resources.(National Alliance on Mental Illness)
June 12, 2006... The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) last week announced the launch of a partnership with a national multimedia organization to create new Internet content and services for individuals seeking information on mental illnesses and...

ADHD drugs see increasing overdoses.(attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)(adverse drug reactions report)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in 2004, over 2,500 children were admitted to the emergency room for complications after taking a stimulant drug to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity...

Montana's local clinics look to state.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... A Helena, Montana steering committee has asked the state for funds to address the tri-county area's inadequate mental health system, reported the Independent Record (May 23). The 2002 closing of St. Peter's Hospital's mental health division...

Study supports alcoholism-depression link.(substance abuse influences depression)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
June 12, 2006... A recently published study adds new evidence to the theory that current substance abuse significantly influences the course of major depression, as reported in Alcohol and Health: Current Evidence (May/June). The study used data from a...

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 12, 2006... Mental Health Weekly in its May 22 issue incorrectly stated that Robert Cancro, M.D. had died. We apologize for this error and wish Dr. Cancro well.

NIA offers free booklets on Alzheimer's disease.(Resources)
June 12, 2006... The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is offering two free booklets on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and memory loss, designed specifically for individuals with limited literacy skills. Richard J. Hodes, director of the NIA, said, "These booklets...

CIGNA announces new Disaster Resource Center.(Resources)
June 12, 2006... On June 1, CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) announced the creation of its Disaster Resource Center, an online information resource with tools such as preparation tips, coping and communication techniques, government and community resources, and...

Susan Besio.(appointment of health care reform director)(Brief article)
June 12, 2006... Effective June 5, Susan Besio has been appointed Director of Health Care Reform for the state of Vermont. Among her duties, Besio will be responsible for launching the new Catamount Health insurance plan, designed to provide those without...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
June 12, 2006... The Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (CINP) will hold its 25th Biennial Congress in Chicago on July 9-13, to include 79 scientific symposia, four plenary lectures, over 1000 posters, 17 satellite symposia, Meet the Expert...

In case you haven't heard ...
June 12, 2006... Is connectivity making you sick? According to a new survey among 1,500 Canadians, wireless technology and the ability to work at home via the Internet are contributing to stress and mental health problems. Toronto psychiatrist Irvin Wolkoff,...

Curie reflects on SAMHSA priorities, future challenges.(Charles G. Curie steps down as administrator )(Interview)
June 5, 2006... In an interview last week with Mental Health Weekly, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Charles G. Curie, who recently announced his resignation, reflected on SAMHSA's achievements and national...

Wisconsin closes door on some teens' ability to reject care: parents can give consent for 14-to-17 age group.
June 5, 2006... Wisconsin lawmakers have repealed a longstanding measure that allowed youths ages 14 to 17 to refuse mental health treatment or stop a course of treatment against the wishes of their parents. New legislation signed into law by Gov. Jim Doyle...

Mental health advocates, field leaders react to Curie resignation.(SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie)
June 5, 2006... While lamenting the professional loss regarding Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Charles G. Curie's impending resignation, mental health advocates and field leaders are expressing appreciation...

Texas county establishes country's first MH public defender office.(Travis County mental health public defender office)
June 5, 2006... Texas officials in Travis County last month announced funding to create what they say is the country's first stand-alone mental health public defender office to provide legal representation for persons with mental illness unable to afford...

DoD online screening program gaining in popularity, say officials.
June 5, 2006... The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) mental health online screening program for military members and their families is gaining momentum, said officials who note that several thousand people have already made use of the anonymous online...

SAMHSA releases training guide to reduce seclusion and restraint.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last week released a new training curriculum, released today which provides mental health providers with the latest information on prevention strategies and alternative...

Study links kids' "risky behaviors" with depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... New research supported by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) looks at the relationship between risky behaviors and risk for developing depression and finds there are distinct gender differences. NIDA reported (May 15) that girls and...

FDA post-market provision fails to pass.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... When the House voted last week to pass a fiscal year 2007 Agriculture appropriations bill, it first removed a provision allowing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce its requirement of post-market studies for new prescription...

Expert believes anxiety is under-diagnosed in elderly.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Eric J. Lenze, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, believes that anxiety disorders are under treated in older adults, reported WebMD (May 22). "We are decades behind where we need to be...

MH consultants address pre-K behavioral problems.(Briefly Noted)(mental health problems in early childhood education)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... A Yale University study last year found that pre-kindergartners are expelled at over three times the rate of kids in K-12 classes. Study author Walter Gilliam explained that many of these children don't get another chance and end up...

New Orleans Adolescent Hospital in jeopardy.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... The future of the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH) hangs in the balance. Before Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing budget crisis, NOAH was the city's sole inpatient facility dedicated to the psychiatric care of severely disturbed...

Harmony awarded its largest ever contract.(Business)(Harmony Healthcare wins Employee Assistance Program contract)(Brief article)
June 5, 2006... Harmony Healthcare, a subsidiary of Pioneer Behavioral Health, Inc. (PHC), has been awarded a three-year Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Behavioral Health services contract by Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
June 5, 2006... The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) will bring together mental health advocates, consumers and policy makers for its annual conference on June 7-10 in Washington, D.C. "Building the Movement" is the theme this year. Six workshop...

In case you haven't heard ...
June 5, 2006... The results of a recent controlled clinical trial could be music to the ears of those with chronic pain or depression. The findings support the physical and mental health benefits of listening to music, which appeared to reduce chronic pain...