Mental Health Weekly articles from May 2009

Mental Health Weekly archives from May 2009

Calif. voters help save funding for mental health, children's services.(State Budget Watch)
May 25, 2009... The California mental health community helped to preserve mental health and children's services following the defeat of two ballot items during a special election last week that would have cut funding from the Proposition 63 by nearly a half...

Project suggests promise of mediation in helping MH clients stay in housing: D.C. looking at additional uses.(mental health)
May 25, 2009... When a company specializing in dispute resolution began to assist the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health in implementing a court-ordered grievance process for consumers, it quickly noticed that many clients with serious mental...

Most employers will keep MH coverage in response to parity law.(mental health)(Survey)
May 25, 2009... A new survey released by the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health this month found that the majority of employers surveyed are considering retaining mental health coverage in response to the new federal parity law, which takes effect January...

Bazelon Center commends hearing on restraint/seclusion in schools.(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on May 19 to examine the use of restraint and seclusion in U.S. schools, a move praised by the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. "Our educational system is in dire...

Majority of youth with depression did not receive treatment.
May 25, 2009... Adolescents without health insurance were less than half as likely to get treatment for depression as those with the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) or private health insurance, according to a new report released last week by...

SPAN USA, AFSP announce merger.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA) recently announced its merger with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), finalized on May 1. SPAN USA is now the public policy division of AFSP and will "spearhead the...

SAMHSA seeks public comment on NASPER.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act)(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking public comment on proposed minimum requirements for state prescription drug monitoring systems (PMPs), relating to security, access, and use of information. In the...

Nebraska senator questions Medicaid reimbursement policy.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... A Nebraska policy under which Medicaid does not provide reimbursement to mental health care providers holding provisional licenses will create access problems in rural parts of the state, said Nebraska Sen. Annette Dubas (Fullerton). The...

Maryland directs stimulus funds to electronic health records.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... Maryland's Gov. Martin O'Malley signed into law legislation (HB 706) that will allow the state to use federal stimulus money to provide incentives for organizations that implement electronic health records, the Washington Business Journal...

Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, LSW.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(National Resource Center for Hispanic Mental Health)(Minority Health Community Trailblazer Award)(Brief article)
May 25, 2009... Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, LSW, executive director of the National Resource Center for Hispanic Mental Health, was selected to receive a Minority Health Community Trailblazer Award from the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities...

Coming up ...(Mental Health America)(National Alliance on Mental Illness)(American Mental Health Counselors Association)(Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association)(Brief article)(Calendar)
May 25, 2009... Mental Health America (MHA) will hold its Centennial Conference, "Celebrating the Legacy, Forging the Future," on June 10-13 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net. The National Alliance on Mental Illness...

In case you haven't heard ...
May 25, 2009... On the menu today: Massive Head Trauma. Bipolar. Cereal Killer. These are actually donut varieties available at a new shop in Campbell, California. WYFF4 reported on May 17 that on the opening weekend of Psycho Donut Shop, mental health...

MH Field Gears Up to Promote BH in Health Reform as Congress Works on Bills
May 18, 2009... As Congress works on proposals to reform the country's health care system, the mental health field holds high hopes that lawmakers will pass comprehensive health reform legislation this year and that behavioral health will be a fully integral...

Vermont lawmakers make drug companies subject to toughest reporting mandates.
May 18, 2009... In the end, Vermont legislators assessing the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and prescribing physicians were left to decide whether there should be any such thing as a free lunch. To psychiatrists and the rest of the physician...

Ohio budget hole may impact MH community services.(State Budget Watch)
May 18, 2009... A nearly $1 billion shortfall for Ohio's current fiscal year and its potential effect on the newly proposed budget forced Ohio mental health advocates to rally at the state capitol on May 6. They urged lawmakers to restore community-level...

Study: out-of-pocket spending for treatment varies across states.
May 18, 2009... A new study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that about 11 percent of people using outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment in the South used more than 5 percent of their family's annual income to...

Craigslist founder donates $15,000 to Project Helping Hands.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 18, 2009... Craig Newmark, the founder of the online community craigslist, has donated $15,000 to the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare program, Project Helping Hands. The program provides emergency mental health and addictions treatment...

New report details 'action steps for improving women's mental health'.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 18, 2009... The Office on Women's Health (OWH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced on May 11 the release of a new report entitled "Action Steps for Improving Women's Mental Health." According to OWH, the report "brings...

Florida police trained to address individuals with mental illness.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 18, 2009... Police in South Florida, for about six years, have been receiving training on how to deal with individuals with mental illness, with 776 of 3,255 law-enforcement officers having completed the 40-hour training. Since the beginning of this year,...

ValueOptions announces support for inpatient psychiatric performance measures.(BUSINESS)(Brief article)
May 18, 2009... ValueOptions, Inc., announced May 8 its support for the Joint Commission's Hospital-Based Inpatient Psychiatric Services (HBIPS) performance measures. Following the Joint Commission's successful pilot testing, these seven HBIPS performance...

Coming up ...(Mental Health America's Centennial Conference)(Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association annual conference)(American Mental Health Counselors Association )(Brief article)(Calendar)
May 18, 2009... Mental Health America will hold its Centennial Conference, "Celebrating the Legacy, Forging the Future," on June 10-13 in Washington, D.C. Visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net for more information. The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association...

In case you haven't heard ...(meditation helps brain development)(Brief article)
May 18, 2009... Individuals who meditate enjoy numerous health benefits, including stronger immune systems and better emotional regulation. But bigger brains? In recent research published in the journal NeuroImage, Eileen Luders and colleagues used magnetic...

President level-funds most mental health programs in 2010 budget.(Report)
May 11, 2009... The mental heath community is somewhat pleased with allocations in the Obama administration's proposed fiscal 2010 budget for mental health programs released last week, which level-funds many of the mental health programs and services and...

Obama administration erasing Medicaid rules that galvanized mental health groups.(Report)
May 11, 2009... Although Obama administration staffers had assured mental health advocates that they had no intention of moving forward with unpopular Medicaid regulations advanced in the later years of the Bush administration, this month's formal announcement...

Montana advocates applaud MH laws to address crisis services.(State Budget Watch)
May 11, 2009... Montana mental health and disability advocates are hailing the recent passage of three mental health bills that became law last month that would help develop and pay for crisis service plans and prevent consumers with mental illness from being...

New York lawmakers introduce bill to assist consumers in crisis.(Report)
May 11, 2009... New York lawmakers last week introduced legislation to create peer crisis respite residences throughout the state for consumers with psychiatric disabilities. New York advocates and lawmakers say the legislation can propel the state as a...

New Mexico 'Safe House Act' languishing.(Report)
May 11, 2009... New Mexico lawmakers had also hoped to move forward with similar legislation to provide early intervention services for consumers with mental illness in the least restrictive environment. The Safe House Act (HB 537) passed in the House but...

Youth improve BH outcomes through community-based services.(Report)
May 11, 2009... The Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last week released new data that revealed lower dropout rates and improved social and emotional well-being for youth in Systems of Care programs. The Systems of Care...

ADHD meds narrow achievement gap in primary school.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... Treatment with medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with higher academic achievement in primary school, according to a study in the May issue of Pediatrics. Richard Scheffler, Ph.D., and colleagues write...

Study tracks significant growth in psychotropic drug use.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... Prescriptions for mental health medications climbed by 73 percent among adults in the United States and 50 percent among children, between 1996 and 2006, according to a study led by health economist Richard Frank, Ph.D., published May 5 in the...

Report calls for reform of mental health services for vets.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... Communities will need to get more involved in addressing significant rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, said Audrey Burnam, Ph.D., senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation....

New York Gov. considers making state parity law permanent.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... New York Governor David Paterson would like to make Timothy's Law a permanent part of the state's health care system, reported the Albany Times Union on May 5. Timothy's Law requires group insurance policies to cover a certain amount of mental...

Colorado report finds slight decline in suicide rate.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... Colorado's suicide rate has declined by 6.5 percent over the past decade, according to a report released last week by the state's First Lady Jeannie Ritter, Mental Health America of Colorado and the Colorado Trust: "Preventing Suicide in...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
May 11, 2009... The American Psychiatric Association (APA) will hold its 2009 annual meeting, "Shaping our Future: Science and Service," on May 16-21 in San Francisco.Visit www.psych.org for more information or to register. Mental Health America will hold...

In case you haven't heard ...(Tossing and turning in your sleep may be more harmful)(Brief article)
May 11, 2009... Tossing and turning in your sleep may be more harmful than you think. Dr. Marcin Wojnar, of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, looked for a link between insomnia and suicidal behavior in 5,692 participants in the...

Federal government invites public to comment on mental health parity law.(Report)
May 4, 2009... The federal government last week asked the public to comment on issues related to the implementation of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which passed last year as an amendment to the...

Twists, turns of Mo. budget debate challenge MH advocacy efforts: stimulus money results in rift.(State Budget Watch)(Report)
May 4, 2009... Missouri's mental health advocates call this year's state budget debate the most topsy-turvy process they can ever remember experiencing, and although a state deadline for adopting a budget stands just days away, few are able to project a final...

Two APA surveys explore economic impact on members, patients.(Report)
May 4, 2009... The economic recession is causing more patients to make a choice between paying for professional mental health services, including therapy and medications, and providing basic needs such as food and shelter, according to more than 70 percent of...

College study pilot represents innovative efforts to aid research.(Report)
May 4, 2009... The results of a pilot study released last month examining college mental health trends represents a first-of-its kind of effort aimed at getting an up-date picture of mental health trends affecting higher education, say organizers. The...

MHA launches national public education campaign to promote wellness.(Mental Health America)(Report)
May 4, 2009... Mental Health America (MHA) last week announced the launch of a public education campaign to help consumers address stress and promote well-being during financially uncertain times. The campaign is being launched for Mental Health Month in May....

NAMI launches campaign to coincide with release of The Soloist.(National Alliance on Mental Illness)(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has launched a social action campaign in conjunction with the release of the movie The Soloist, which depicts a homeless man with schizophrenia, played by Jamie Foxx. "The movie will help humanize...

Study examines cognitive behavioral therapy for late-life anxiety.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Report)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... In the first randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for late-life generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Melinda A. Stanley, Ph.D., and colleagues found positive results among 134 adults with an average age of 67. Compared...

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: May 7.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... Thursday, May 7 is National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day, cosponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. This year's theme is...

Pennsylvania creates three regional autism centers.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... Pennsylvania has opened three new autism centers to serve the eastern, western and central regions of the state, announced the Department of Public Welfare on April 21. The development of programs and services has not kept pace with the...

Panel to examine Mississippi's mental health system.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... A joint legislative study committee will examine Mississippi's mental health system and make recommendations for improvement, following the passage of new legislation (HR 897), signed into law April 17 by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. The Sun...

Goldie Hawn.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
May 4, 2009... Actress Goldie Hawn will be awarded the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Special Recognition Award for her work to increase public understanding of mental health issues through her non-profit organization the...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
May 4, 2009... The American Psychiatric Association (APA) will hold its 2009 annual meeting, "Shaping our Future: Science and Service," on May 16-21 in San Francisco.Visit www.psych.org for more information or to register. Mental Health America will hold...

In case you haven't heard ...
May 4, 2009... "I'm just a mother in real life, but online, I can be a whole person," said a Las Vegas mother of two-year-old twins. Internet "addiction" is gaining traction among psychiatrists as deserving the status of an official mental disorder, reported...