Mental Health Weekly articles from May 2002

Mental Health Weekly archives from May 2002

Extension of TennCare Partners contract buys time for rebid: consultant's report gives program a positive assessment.(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... Amid state fiscal concerns and an impending change in administration, Tennessee officials have settled on an 18-month extension of the contract for the TennCare Partners behavioral health carve-out -- a move they say will give the state...

Advocates' report outlines challenges facing Florida's Medicaid MH system.(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... With a new spending plan all but firmed up for Florida that slightly increases mental health funding, protection and advocacy officials are preparing to release a blueprint for improving the state's Medicaid community mental health system....

CDC study confirms ADHD/learning disability link.(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... About one-half of the 1.6 million elementary school-aged children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADUD), a condition also known as attention-deficit disorder (ADD), have also been identified as having a learning...

The University of South Florida's Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute presented David Pfaff with the Friend of the Institute Award for his years of service on the Institute's Board of Advisors. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The University of South Florida's Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute presented David Pfaff with the Friend of the Institute Award for his years of service on the Institute's Board of Advisors, his commitment to the Institute's...

Managed Care Yearbook fifth edition available. (Resources).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The Managed Care Information Center has published the fifth edition of the Managed Care Yearbook. New chapters in the fifth edition include Mergers and Acquisitions: An Industry Under Consolidation; Managed Care Financial Trends; Examining...

Program aims to improve patient/physician dialogue. (Resources).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is launching an educational program, Dialogue for Recovery, to improve communication between health care professionals and people with serious mental illness. It features the Antipsychotic...

Financial outlook improves for health care sector. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The U.S. corporate health care sector looks promising into nextyear, according to Standard & Poor's (S&P) new report, U.S. Health Care Feeling Better. Healthcare has fared better than U.S. industrials overall, with 28 ratings upgrades and 18...

Netsmart reports improved first quarter earnings. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... Netsmart Technologies Inc., a supplier of enterprise-wide software solutions for health and human services providers, has announced a 58 percent increase in net income for the first quarter ended March 31, 2002. Net income for the first...

FDA approves Zoloft for treatment of PMDD. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... Pfizer Inc. has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Zoloft (sertraline) for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), according to a company announcement. Zoloft is also indicated for the treatment of...

Lifestyle changes may help people with MI control weight. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... People with mental illnesses may be able to control and even reverse treatment-related weight gain through lifestyle changes, according to findings presented at the 155th annual American Psychiatric Association (APA) meeting. Researchers...

Trial on abuse at school for troubled youth begins. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The trial has begun for four people who are facing abuse charges for allegedly forcing students at a Missouri school for troubled youth to shovel manure as a punishment, reported the Associated Press. In March and April of 2001, three...

Florida HMOs see lower market share. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... Florida health maintenance organizations' (HMOs) market share fell last year to its lowest level since 1997, reported the Orlando Sentinel. In 2001 about 29 percent of the Florida population was insured by some type of HMO, compared with 32...

In case you haven't heard.(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... A study by two researchers at Stanford University found that healthy, creative artists are more similar in personality to manic-depressives than average people from the general population, Science News reports. The finding was based on a...

Program to honor volunteers who have overcome depression. (Call for Nominations).(Brief Article)
May 27, 2002... The GOAL! campaign is designed to help promote awareness that recovery from depression is possible. As part of this effort, the GOAL! Awards and Community Service Initiative will identify and honor individuals who have overcome depression and...

Magellan to slash costs, pursue rate hikes as earnings fall.
May 20, 2002... To stem plunging earnings due to membership declines and unexpected cost increases as people use more mental health services, Magellan Health Services Inc. announced last week that it will cut its operating expenses by $45 million and will...

N.Y. advocates attain long-awaited cost-of living hike for MH workers.(New York)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... When New York Gov. George E. Pataki signed the Health Care Workforce Recruitment and Retention Act on Jan. 25, his signature paved the way for hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers and personal-care centers to use newly...

APS protests Magellan award; alleges history of underbidding.(APS Healthcare Inc., Magellan Health Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... APS Healthcare Inc., an unsuccessful bidder this month for Nebraska's new Medicaid mental health contract, has filed a formal protest with the state over the awarding of the contract to low-bidder Magellan Behavioral Health. The May 10...

SAMHSA seeks comments on study of school MH services.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(mental health)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking feedback from school districts for the proposed "National Survey of Characteristics and Funding of School Mental Health Services 2002-2003," designed to examine...

Task force finds evidence supporting depression screening.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has found sufficient evidence to encourage primary care clinicians to formally screen their adult patients for depression, in an attempt to make it easier to identify a condition not often recognized by...

Obituary.(Harry C. Schnibbe, founder, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 20, 2002... Harry C. Schnibbe, 84, organizer and founding director of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), died May 13 at his home in McLean, Va., reported the Washington Post. Schnibbe served 30 years as director...

Program to provide information on teen depression, suicide. (Resources).(National Mental Health Awareness Campaign)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... The National Mental Health Awareness Campaign (NMHAC) has launched Signs for Life, an educational program created to shed light on the problem of depression and suicide in America's teens and urge parents and peers to learn the warning signs....

True account of schizophrenia made into a documentary. (Resources).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... The book, Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness & Survival, has been made into a one-hour documentary. Jay Neuborgen wrote the story about his brother and their family's experience with schizophrenia. The National Alliance for the Mentally...

Roche, Vernalis collaborate on depression, anxiety drugs. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Roche and Vernalis have announced a strategic collaboration to discover and develop new drugs for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Under the agreement, Roche has an option to license worldwide rights to develop and commercialize...

Many people with MI face harassment in the community. (Briefly Noted).(mental illness)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Many people with mental illnesses are harassed in the community, according to researchers from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. Researchers surveyed 120 people with mental health problems and found that 60 percent had been...

Mild depression persistent in elderly patients. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... Depressive states that fall below the clinical threshold for major depression are frequent and persistent in the elderly, according to findings in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Investigators found that a high percentage of...

Antidepressant may be effective for smoking cessation in women. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... A smoking cessation medication that is also used to treat depression may be more effective than nicotine replacement therapy for women, according to findings in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. David Gonzales, Ph.D., of Oregon...

In case you haven't heard.(American Counseling Association)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2002... The American Counseling Association (ACA) will award $1,000 each to 15 high school seniors intending to pursue a higher education who submit a 500-word essay on "How acne has affected you or a friend." The awards, underwritten by Dermik...

Magellan to assume Neb. program; state takes low bid.(Magellan Behavioral Health )(Nebraska)
May 13, 2002... Nebraska officials have selected low-bidder Magellan Behavioral Health to administer the state's Medicaid mental health carve-out for the next three years as the program formally switches to an administrative services organization (ASO)...

Despite deficits, NJ governor supports expanding MH programs.(New Jersey)(mental health)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Despite one of the largest budget deficits to hit the state, New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey is proposing a balanced budget for fiscal 2003 that includes support for a number of mental health-related initiatives. "We're really in...

BHIT conference to focus on practical business innovations.(Behavioral Healthcare and Informatics Tomorrow)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... As part of a new focus on providing a rigorous education agenda, organizers of this year's Behavioral Healthcare & Informatics Tomorrow (BHIT) conference are planning an event that will offer three new tracks and will emphasize advances in...

SAMHSA funding efforts include jail diversion, violence prevention.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last month announced the availability of funds for a variety of efforts, including jail diversion programs, violence prevention initiatives and mental health workforce...

Thomas Frieden, M.D., Commissioner of the New York City Department of Public Health. (Names in the News).(Lloyd Sederer named)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Thomas Frieden, M.D., Commissioner of the New York City Department of Public Health, last week named Lloyd Sederer, M.D. as Executive Deputy Commissioner for Mental Hygiene. Sederer is currently the Director of the Division of Clinical...

FFCMH accepting proposals for conference presentations. (Call for Presentations).(Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... The Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health (FFCMH) will present its 14th annual conference, "Raising Children with Mental Health Needs: Families' Call for Action," Nov. 22 to 24 in Washington D.C. The conference committee is...

Guide helps families access MH resources on the Web. (Resources).(mental health)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... With support from the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) in Orangeburg, N.Y., has developed Mental Health Resources on the Web for Families. This online publication is...

JBRF offers listserv for bipolar disorder. (Resources).(Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation (JBRF) is sponsoring the first professional online listserv for physicians who treat children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. The listserv, which began in May, is designed to facilitate a...

Sheppard Pratt to acquire Taylor Manor programs. (Business Notes).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Sheppard Pratt Health System and Taylor Manor Hospital, both privately operated psychiatric facilities in Maryland, have signed a binding letter of intent that will lead to Sheppard Pratt's asset acquisition of the programs currently operated...

Lilly issues warning on Zyprexa tampering. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Drug manufacturer Eli Lilly has issued a warning that tampering has been discovered on a few bottles of the psychiatric drug Zyprexa (olanzapine). The reports of tampering involved 60-count bottles labeled either 10 milligram or 15 milligram...

26-mile walk to raise money for suicide prevention. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has announced that over 2,400 people have registered to participate in the Out of Darkness walk. In order to participate, each walker will train for the event and will raise a minimum of...

Youth program threatened by proposed budget cuts. (Briefly Noted).(Youth Advocacy Project)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... The Youth Advocacy Project (YAP), a legal aid group that focuses on urban youth in Massachusetts, may not survive a state budget proposal to cut its funding in half and force it to match future spending with grant money, reported the Boston...

Survey links MI, SA to surge in ER use. (Briefly Noted).(mental illness, substance abuse)(emergency medical services)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Mental illness and substance abuse may contribute to high rates of emergency department use among homeless people, according to findings reported in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers found that 40 percent of homeless and...

Harassment and abuse reported in mixed wards. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Patients in mixed sex psychiatric wards in Britain are subject to sexual harassment and abuse, according to a survey conducted for the British charity group Mind. More than half of the survey respondents voiced concern about the level of...

Mild depression may be a coping mechanism. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Mild depression in elderly women may reflect a healthy coping mechanism rather than a risk factor for early mortality, according to findings in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Researchers found that elderly women with mild...

Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause cognitive deficits. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause significant cognitive deficits and double the rate of developmental delay during the first two years of a child's life, according to findings published in last week's Journal of the American Medical...

In case you haven't heard.(Brief Article)
May 13, 2002... An electronic musician has found that while his compact discs may not be scaling Billboard's Top 200, his New Age sounds are being used by mental health professionals to soothe their anxious patients. Don Slepian has released a CD entitled...

Bush names head of MH commission, outlines practical approach to its mission. (Special Report: Federal Developments).(George W. Bush)(mental health)
May 6, 2002... Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D., the new chairman of the first presidential mental health commission in a quarter-century, will head a panel of "practical people who are leaders" as it recommends improvements to the public systems that serve adults...

Bush's parity support a dramatic step, but implications remain unclear. (Special Report: Federal Developments).
May 6, 2002... The mental health field last week welcomed with open ears this declaration by President George Bush: "Health plans should not be allowed to apply unfair treatment limitations or financial requirements on mental health benefits." The...

GAO: VA prescribing guidelines for antipsychotic drugs appropriate: consideration of cost consistent with quality.(General Accounting Office)(Department of Veterans Affairs)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) guideline for prescribing atypical antipsychotic drugs to veterans who have been diagnosed with psychosis is sound and consistent with published clinical practice guidelines that public and private...

Commission's membership, staff begin to take shape.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... The chairman of President Bush's new mental health commission has a background steeped in the public mental health system. Before being named Ohio's top mental health official, Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D., served for about seven years with...

Commission's mandate set by executive order.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... By executive order on April 29, President George W. Bush established the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. According to the order, the commission will consist of not more than 15 members, including providers, payors,...

NASW seeks nominations for Rhoda G. Sarnat Award. (Call for Nominations).
May 6, 2002... The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Foundation is accepting nominations for the International Rhoda G. Sarnat Award. The award is given to an individual, group or organization that has made significant national or international...

John Paton. (Names in the News).(Software and Technology Vendors' Association )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... John Paton, president and chief executive of CMHC Systems, has been named chair-elect of the Software and Technology Vendors' Association (SATVA). SATVA, formerly the Behavioral Health Software and Technology Vendors' Alliance, aims to...

Joseph Martingale joined the research and consulting firm Watson Wyatt. (Names in the News).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... Joseph Martingale joined the research and consulting firm Watson Wyatt as the firm's National Leader for Health Care Strategy, effective April 29. Martingale is best known for his work advising companies on health care costs and quality....

Stephen W. Gammarino. (Names in the News).(nationawide health care accreditation group)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... The board of directors of URAC, a national health care accreditation organization, has elected Stephen W. Gammarino to serve as its chair for the next two years. Gammarino is senior vice president of national programs for the Blue Cross Blue...

MIT announces funds to improve MH services. (Briefly Noted).(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)(mental health)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... Officials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have approved a $838,000 budget to improve campus mental health services, reported the Boston Globe. The budget will be used to hire four new clinicians, two more health education...

May recognized as MH month. (Briefly Noted).
May 6, 2002... During Mental Health Month this May, the National Mental Health Association's (NMHA's) 340 affiliates and other organizations will participate in public education forums, town hail discussions and free screenings for mental illness. Key...

Sexual dysfunction associated with most antidepressants. (Briefly Noted).(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... Most of the newer antidepressant drugs are associated with significant sexual dysfunction (SD), according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Researchers found that patients taking either Wellbutrin (bupropion SR) or...

In case you haven't heard.(risk of being murdered higher among the mentally ill)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2002... British researchers recently found that mentally ill people are six times more likely to be murdered than the general population, according to BBC Online News. The researchers, which included the British government's National Director for...