Mental Health Weekly articles from May 2011

Mental Health Weekly archives from May 2011

Leaders see Kennedy push for brain research as a 'call to action'.
May 30, 2011... Mental health leaders, clinicians, and advocates along with policymakers, researchers and neuroscientists descended on Boston, Massachusetts last week for the inaugural scientific summit on brain research at the behest of former Rep. Patrick...

Rhode Island center makes it a priority to take care of its own.(The Kent Center for Human & Organizational Development)
May 30, 2011... From day one of their employment at The Kent Center for Human & Organizational Development in Warwick, Rhode Island, clinicians at the community mental health organization qualify for four weeks of annual vacation time. The center's...

APA proposes changes to organizational structure of DSM-5.(American Psychiatric Association )
May 30, 2011... The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is proposing to revise the structure of the diagnostic categories in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a move, say officials to signal the latest...

What will become of the mental health safety net?(FROM THE FIELD...)
May 30, 2011... A primary challenge in community mental health is to find the means to serve those who have no means. It has always been that way for those who hold the mission dear. Over the years it has become increasingly more difficult to meet the...

Mass. bill introduced to promote recovery focus in MH system.
May 30, 2011... Mental health consumer advocates in Massachusetts are supporting legislation introduced by both House and Senate lawmakers to promote a recovery focus in the mental health system and create a special commission to study the successful and...

Advocates urge support for increased MH block grant funding.(BRIEFLY N0TED)
May 30, 2011... Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is circulating a Dear Colleague letter that urges the Appropriations committee to provide a $14 million increase to the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) in the 2012 budget. Over the last four years, states have...

Congressional staffers learn first aid for mental health.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 30, 2011... A Mental Health First Aid education session for congressional staff was held last week at the Rayburn House Office Building to teach participants how to help someone with the signs and symptoms of mental illness or in a mental health crisis....

Study links bullying to long-term negative mental health.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 30, 2011... The effects of anti-LGBT bullying at school "is strongly linked" to negative mental health for its victims, according to new research published in the May issue of the Journal of School Health. Researchers asked 245 LGBT young adults to indicate...

U.S. Supreme Court orders California prison population cut.(STATE NEWS)
May 30, 2011... Riverside County authorities gave different takes last week on how the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to ease California's overcrowded prisons could affect the county, The Desert Sun reported last week. The court decision compels the state to trim...

UNH study: suicide prevention programs work.(STATE NEWS)
May 30, 2011... A comprehensive youth suicide prevention program piloted in New Hampshire significantly increases knowledge and shifts attitudes about suicide, finds a new study by researchers from the University of New Hampshire. The program, called Connect,...

Miriam Bazelon Knox.(Obituary)(Brief article)
May 30, 2011... Miriam Bazelon Knox, a child-welfare advocate who worked for decades to improve social services and mental health care in Washington, died at 96 on May 21, the Washington Post reported last week. The Illinois native came to Washington in 1946...

New tool kit to help prevent senior suicides.(RESOURCES)
May 30, 2011... A new tool kit is now available to help those working with older Americans living at senior living communities promote good emotional health and prevent suicides. Developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
May 30, 2011... Mental Health America will present its 2011 Annual Conference June 9-11 in Washington, D.C. Visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/conference for more information. The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) will hold its 36th...

In case you haven't heard ...
May 30, 2011... According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), depression is the number-one disability among women. WFAA.com reports that there's a new option for when medication doesn't work, called TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation that...

Florida efforts to prevent MH cuts holds lessons for other states.(State Budget Watch)
May 23, 2011... State budget shortfalls continue to impact mental health systems around the country, but in Florida, mental health providers, advocates and consumers have reason to celebrate: state House and Senate legislators this month announced a budget deal...

Supported employment raises potential for clients in San Diego system.
May 23, 2011... To the behavioral health staff at the Scripps Health delivery system in San Diego, client employment is no ancillary activity seen as someone else's responsibility. "Supported employment completes the continuum of care," Scripps Behavioral...

Direct care staff training more efficient with real-time consultation.
May 23, 2011... While the value of a live instructor-led classroom training experience could be considered important and useful for any staff, a Chicago-based behavioral health agency opted out of that approach for its employees in favor of real-time...

MH crisis brewing for elderly patients seeking more care in ER.
May 23, 2011... A growing trend of elderly people with mental illness relying on the emergency department for their care, coupled with a shortage of geriatric psychiatrists, is pointing to a mental health crisis affecting a population expected to double in two...

Mergers require communication, planning and time to celebrate.
May 23, 2011... Not-for-profit mergers are like marriages--all of the same rules apply, said presenters of the workshop, "Mergers and Affiliations: What Works and What Doesn't," during the 42nd National Council Mental Health and Addictions Conference held...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief article)
May 23, 2011... Decades of research have proven that "when Mama isn't happy, no one is happy." A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry in March shows that when a mother's depression is successfully treated, her children get progressively better, too. And...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
May 23, 2011... Mental Health America will present its 2011 Annual Conference June 9-11 in Washington, D.C. Visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/conference for more information. The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) will hold its 36th...

Affordable care act grants available.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 23, 2011... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week the availability of over $100 million in funding for up to 75 community transformation grants. Created by the Affordable Care Act, these grants are aimed at helping...

New TeenScreen implementation materials available online.(RESOURCES)
May 23, 2011... The TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University is offering new training and development resources for its Schools and Communities Programs online for the first time. Launched nearly 10 years ago, there are...

Maryland housing plans for consumers with MI sparks vocal opposition.
May 16, 2011... A Maryland-based behavioral health organization's plans to transition patients to a residential facility in a neighboring affluent community has drawn the ire of local residents who have launched a major campaign in response and contend that the...

Permanent housing units in Seattle assist veterans with mental health needs.
May 16, 2011... Human-services professionals whose client base includes a significant number of military veterans realize that their current activities are likely preparing them to meet an even greater demand for their services in the near future. A prominent...

CMHC mergers require strategic plans, strong partnerships.(community mental health centers)
May 16, 2011... With the reality of mergers and acquisitions becoming more commonplace these days, community mental health organizations considering such a move are encouraged to develop a strategic plan, find a compatible partner and hold frank, open...

NAMI: primary care doctors critical to detecting mental illness.
May 16, 2011... Families of children diagnosed with mental illness report that primary care physicians (PCPs) with a strong knowledge about mental health and community resources for families, along with supportive, non-judgmental staff at the PCP office would...

Role of peer specialists, coaches critical to integrated care.
May 16, 2011... In the health care reform era, peer service providers, vital to any behavioral health care organization, have a footing in mental health, primary care and in public health, said Meghan Caughey, MA, MFA, peer wellness coordinator for Benton...

Kennedy launches initiative promoting brain research.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
May 16, 2011... Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy is following in the footsteps of his uncle in asking the nation to rally together in a grand scientific undertaking. "The Next Frontier: One Mind for the Brain" will be hosted by the Massachusetts General...

Depression associated with lower medication adherence.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 16, 2011... People who are depressed are 76 percent greater odds of being non-adherent with their medications compared to patients who were not depressed, according to a new RAND Corporation study published online by the Journal of General Internal...

Iowa house to debate mental health reform.(STATE NEWS)
May 16, 2011... The Iowa House will debate a reform plan that intends to streamline the mental health system by shifting regulation from the counties to the state, the Iowa Independent reported last week. The bipartisan plan has undergone at least three weeks...

SAMHSA accepting applications for court collaboratives grants.(CALL FOR APPLICATIONS)
May 16, 2011... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAM-HSA) is accepting applications until June 6, 2011 for fiscal year (FY) 2011 grants to develop and expand Behavioral Health Treatment Court Collaboratives, allowing state and...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
May 16, 2011... Mental Health America will present its 2011 Annual Conference June 9-11 in Washington, D.C. Visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/conference for more information. The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) will hold their 36th...

In case you haven't heard ...
May 16, 2011... Did you resent having to take piano lessons as a kid? Mom was right--it was good for you. New research published in the May 11 issue of PLoS One found that people with four or more decades of musical training appear to have sharper thinking and...

Field urged to change along with changing health care landscape.
May 9, 2011... Health care reform, parity, and shrinking state and federal budgets are just a few of the changes impacting overall health care and the behavioral health field must be ready to become a part of that change and take more responsibility to ensure...

Military health system pursues telehealth options in mental health care.
May 9, 2011... The U.S. Department of Defense has established telehealth options to improve access to mental health services in the TRICARE health program serving members of the military and their families. Officials see the initiatives as creating an...

Denver MH center promotes, measures recovery for SMI clients.
May 9, 2011... During the 2011 National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare conference last week in San Diego, Calif., program officials discussed the transformation of its Denver-based community mental health center to be more recovery focused and...

Budget challenges force field to rethink resources, partnerships.(Conference notes)
May 9, 2011... The major drivers of change in the health care industry are health care reform, parity, and state Medicaid changes, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) Administrator Pam Hyde told attendees at the National Council annual...

The National Council 2011 awards of excellence.
May 9, 2011... The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare handed out a variety of awards of excellence to individuals and organizations at its May 2-4 conference in San Diego, Calif. (see story, page 1.) The awards include: Excellence in...

Harkin: house votes to deprive Americans of health insurance.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 9, 2011... Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, released a statement last week saying, in part, "It's unfortunate that the House voted to deprive States of vital funding to build...

New criteria and guidelines for Alzheimer's diagnosis.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 9, 2011... For the first time in 27 years, new criteria and guidelines for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease have been published by three expert workgroups spearheaded by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the...

Lawsuit claims Mental health execs misused money.(STATE NEWS)
May 9, 2011... A year after financial troubles forced the Mental Health Association in North Carolina (MHA-N.C.) to close and led its former executive to withdraw from a state appointment, a lawsuit claims that the official misused money from the...

Revised 'don't ask' gun bill advances in Florida.(STATE NEWS)
May 9, 2011... A compromise removes civil and criminal penalties for asking about gun ownership but would refer physicians to the medical board for "harassing" gun-owning patients, amednews.com reported this month. Florida lawmakers are moving ahead with...

Ruth Hughes, Ph.D..(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(chief executive officer of the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)(Brief article)
May 9, 2011... Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) announced last month the appointment of Ruth Hughes, Ph.D., as its new CEO. In addition to leading the staff, Hughes will serve as CHADD's primary representative and chief...

Coming up ...(Mental Health America, United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness and the American Mental Health Counselors Association)(Brief article)
May 9, 2011... Mental Health America will present its 2011 Annual Conference June 9-11 in Washington, D.C. Visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/conference for more information. The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) will hold their 36th...

In case you haven't heard ...(Jamie Lee Curtis and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief article)
May 9, 2011... Golden Globe award-winning actress and New York Times bestselling children's book author Jamie Lee Curtis joined the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and more than 100 public and private collaborating...

NAPHS survey finds strong demand for intensive behavioral health services.(Survey)
May 2, 2011... The annual survey of behavioral treatment trends conducted by the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) finds that member organizations are responding to a growing demand for intensive levels of behavioral health services by...

Massachusetts MH organization recommits to keeping fitness facility open.
May 2, 2011... Leaders at the western Massachusetts community mental health organization ServiceNet thought they were establishing a wellness center in 2007 when they opened a gym catering to individuals with disabilities. They have learned in recent weeks...

New Hampshire Faces Potential Federal Lawsuit for ADA Violation
May 2, 2011... New Hampshire is faced with the dual challenges of a House budget proposal that would cut community-based services for about 7,000 mental health consumers, and the threat of a potential lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for...

Okla. BH agency becomes the first to receive incentive EHR funds.
May 2, 2011... As government incentives and programs are helping health care providers across the country make the switch to electronic health records (EHRs), a community mental health center in Oklahoma can boast of becoming the first recipient of funding...

Calif. intervention program aims to identify youth at risk for SMI.
May 2, 2011... Citing national estimates that 14 percent to 20 percent of young people have a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder, a new program in the California county of Venura is moving forward to identify youth at risk of psychosis early in the...

Coming up ...(Calendar)(Calendar)
May 2, 2011... The 164th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association will be held May 14-18 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Visit www.psych.org/annualmeeting for more information. Mental Health America will present its 2011 Annual Conference June 9-11 in...

New criteria and guidelines for Alzheimer's diagnosis.(BRIEFLY NOTED)
May 2, 2011... For the first time in 27 years, new criteria and guidelines for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease have been published by three expert workgroups spearheaded by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the...

Correction.(Correction notice)
May 2, 2011... The April 18 issue article on innovative practices in communities of color should have stated that the "Community Defined Evidence" research project was a creation of the National Network to Eliminate Disparities, the National Latino Behavioral...

In case you haven't heard ...
May 2, 2011... If it's not obvious that seasonal allergies can ruin a person's day, check out all the tweets currently using "allergies" and curse words in the same sentence. CNN reported last week that seasonal allergies, affecting about 36 million Americans,...