Mental Health Weekly articles from October 2005

Mental Health Weekly archives from October 2005

Calif. program provides onsite workforce training, supports community.
October 24, 2005... A San Francisco-based program is helping persons with mental illness face the challenges of finding employment by helping them gain work experience and earn salaries by working at the agency's onsite business ventures. Hire-Ability is a...

Ohio court initiative to offer mental health treatment to offenders.
October 24, 2005... While mental health courts have cropped up in the state of Ohio, court officials in one small county of the state have announced plans this month to initiate a pilot court program to address the mental health needs of offenders who have been...

Old and new technology likely to impact mental health treatment: telephone, virtual reality may address treatment needs.
October 24, 2005... Researchers involved in using technology for mental health are convinced it will be a greater part of therapy in the future whether the field is ready or not. For example, in what is apparently the longest follow-up study of...

SAMHSA awards grants to help states transform MH delivery system.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
October 24, 2005... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last month announced the award of $92.5 million to seven states over five years for Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grants. These cooperative agreements...

SAMHSA supports MH services for seniors and children.(Briefly noted)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Several states will receive support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to boost mental health services for either older adults or children. To improve community-based services for individuals over 60,...

New research: test could predict future dementia.(Briefly noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Although we are still without perfect treatment options for aging-related dementia, a new study suggests that we may soon be able to accurately predict its development 7 to 10 years down the road, reported the New York Times (Oct. 11)....

Evidence-based MH research gets a boost.(Briefly noted)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... Michigan's Ethel and James Flinn Foundation recently announced six major grants to be awarded to community partnerships to implement evidence-based medication guidelines or algorithms for treating the mentally ill, specifically those patients...

Navigating Medicare's new drug plan.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) has released a "workbook" intended to help Americans enroll in the new Medicare prescription drug program. According to Michael Faenza, NMHA president and chief executive, "This is a complex and...

USPRA launches new website.(Resources)(United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2005... The United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association has launched a new website as part of its "Strategic Plan" to improve services. Updated features include a real-time tool for members to update their contact information; online renewal...

Coming up ...(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 24, 2005... Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) will hold its 17th Annual Conference on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Hope, Resiliency and Success: AD/HD Interventions for a Lifetime in Dallas on Oct....

In case you haven't heard ...
October 24, 2005... China is piloting a unique location in which to treat mental illness: on the Internet. The Xinhua News Agency reported that some patients at the Mental Health Treatment Center of Beijing's Chaoyang District can now communicate with their...

Consumers with MI risk loss of needed medications under Medicare drug benefit: national report urges extended Medicaid coverage.
October 17, 2005... A national consumer group is urging Congress to extend the availability of Medicaid as a backup during a reasonable transition to the new Medicare drug benefit, according to a report released last month by the Medicare Rights Center. The...

Wash. state to add MH services to Medicaid integration program; pilot project to assist population with chronic health needs.
October 17, 2005... Washington state officials overseeing a Medicaid pilot project aimed at improving healthcare for several thousand elderly and disabled residents are adding mental health services this month to the medical coverage and chemical dependency...

NAMI surveys reveal gaps in understanding of bipolar disorder.(National Alliance on Mental Illness)
October 17, 2005... Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment options, public understanding about bipolar disorder remains low according to two surveys released this month by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Even though eight out of 10 U.S....

Adults with ADHD likely to have other mental health disorders.(attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
October 17, 2005... In what is probably the largest study on the subject to date, University of California at Los Angeles authors found that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to have had other psychiatric...

Texas medical coalition pushing for better child mental health care.
October 17, 2005... A coalition of Texas medical organizations has targeted mental health problems in children with educational sessions for medical residents, increased reimbursement for well-child exams and a physician's resource guide. Now they are pushing...

WHO releases updated mental health atlas.(Briefly Noted)(World Mental Health )(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... In honor of World Mental Health Day, October 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its Mental Health Atlas 2005, a resource for mental health researchers, advocates and policy makers. The results of the atlas survey of 192...

New Jersey council to address MH stigma.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... New Jersey's Acting Governor Richard J. Codey shares the belief that the stigma surrounding mental illness is one of the major barriers to recovery. "Stigmas breed discrimination, fear and distrust" said Codey, "and deter individuals from...

American College of Mental Health Administration (ACMHA) seeks executive director.(Help Wanted)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... The American College of Mental Health Administration has an immediate opening for a half-time Executive Director to work closely with the ACMHA Board of Directors in implementing its strategic plan. The Executive Director reports directly to...

MIT launches autism research initiative.(Briefly Noted)(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Autism is said to affect as many as 1.5 million people nationwide, and according to Ascribe Newswire (Sept. 30), is considered this country's fastest growing developmental disability. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has...

Debra L. Wentz, Ph.D. and Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, LSW have been appointed by N.J. Gov. Richard Codey as members of an 11-member Council on Mental Health Stigma.(Names in the news)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Debra L. Wentz, Ph.D. and Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, LSW have been appointed by N.J. Gov. Richard Codey as members of an 11-member Council on Mental Health Stigma. (See "Briefly Noted.") Wentz is chief executive of the New Jersey Association of...

Nancy Lane, Ph.D. is the new chief operating officer for ValueOptions' public sector programs.(Names in the news)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2005... Nancy Lane, Ph.D. is the new chief operating officer for ValueOptions' public sector programs. Her role will include the oversight and direction of all administrative, medical, clinical and quality initiatives, and support for the nationwide...

Coming up ...(conferences and meetings)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 17, 2005... The Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. will hold its Annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 20-21 in Albany, N.Y. The program includes a lecture on the impacts of Medicaid Part D, personalized recovery-oriented services, and the juvenile...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 17, 2005... A fish a day keeps mental decline at bay, at least according to the results of a newly published study suggesting that aging individuals who eat fish regularly show less cognitive decline. The study authors believe that the omega-3 fatty...

Conn. settlement approved for inmate mental health evaluation, treatment.
October 10, 2005... A Connecticut federal judge last month approved a settlement agreement under which the state Department of Correction will ensure that state prison inmates with mental illness receive periodic evaluations, treatment and confidential mental...

National depression survey reveals shift from younger to middle-aged adults: Native Americans at high risk for lifetime prevalence.
October 10, 2005... The most comprehensive survey on the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in the United States shows for the first time that middle age and Native Americans increase the likelihood of current or lifetime MDD, along with female...

FDA issues advisory on popular ADHD medication.
October 10, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory to physicians on reports of suicidal thinking in children and adolescents associated with Strattera (atomoxetine), one of the most popular drugs used to treat...

Only half of youth in ER for self-harm get mental disorder diagnosis.(emergency rooms)
October 10, 2005... In what is apparently the first nationally-based study on the subject, researchers have found that young people seen in emergency rooms for deliberately harming themselves are given a mental disorder diagnosis only about half of the time....

NCCBH launches 'helping hands' initiative for Katrina evacuees.(National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare)
October 10, 2005... The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare last month announced the launch of Project Helping Hands, an emergency psychiatric program to assist community mental health centers responding to the mental health needs of Hurricane...

TeenScreen has critics.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... An Indiana teenager was told that she had obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder following an in-school screening. According to an article in the British Medical Journal (Oct.), her parents filed a suit in a federal court...

SAMHSA funds efforts for traumatized children.(Briefly Noted)(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator, Charles G. Curie, studies have indicated that up to fifteen percent of girls and six percent of boys who experience trauma "could develop serious...

Guidelines for treating MH of juvenile offenders.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... According to a recent press release from Bradley Hasbro Children's Hospital, in Providence, R.I., as many as 65 to 75 percent of juvenile offenders have at least one psychiatric disorder, but the majority of juvenile correctional facilities...

MAPRx breaks down Medicare benefits.(Resources)(Medicare Access for PatientsRX)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... The Medicare Access for PatientsRX (MAPRx) is a coalition of patient, family caregiver and health professional organizations with the goal of protecting the well-being of patients with chronic diseases and disabilities under Medicare...

NAMI answers questions about CATIE.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... The Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE), published in the Sept. 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, is the first large-scale comparison of five medications used to treat schizophrenia (the atypical...

CMS offers Medicare workshops.(Resources)
October 10, 2005... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering national "Medicare and You" trainings for national partners, advocates, community-based organizations and anyone who assists individuals with Medicare benefits. Throughout...

Coming up ...(Brief Article)(Calendar)
October 10, 2005... The Cary Medical Center will sponsor the Third Annual Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group International Conference on Oct. 11 and 12 in Bangor, Maine. Geared toward health care professionals and policy makers, the conference will offer a...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 10, 2005... Introducing the Depressed Little Prince: Could a cartoon character be convincing depressed Chinese individuals to seek treatment? Relying on family interviews, researchers at the University of Hong Kong found that for many who had committed...

Georgia officials open crisis unit to address MH needs of children, adolescents: advocates express concerns about funding, capacity.
October 3, 2005... Citing the need for increased mental health services for the state's children and adolescents, Georgia officials last month announced the creation of mobile and residential crisis stabilization programs. The announcement follows the recent...

Study cites lack of mental health services for juvenile detainees.
October 3, 2005... A study examining what proportion of juvenile detainees are detected and treated found that the population is often beyond the reach of traditional services and that the majority of youths who need mental health services do not receive them....

Screening day expands focus on trauma following hurricanes.
October 3, 2005... This year National Depression Screening Day takes on special significance following the recent hurricanes, and organizers have responded by sending materials assessing the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the affected states....

National working group hears of the problems in the mental health system.
October 3, 2005... Tobias Fisher, MBA, executive director of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) of Massachusetts, recently told the congressionally-mandated Citizens' Health Care Working Group that in his state, "The mental health service system...

Integration of behavioral health and primary care services.(From the Field ...)
October 3, 2005... Mental Health Weekly's recent lead article summarized a new report from our sister organization, The National Association of Community Health Centers (see MHW, August 15). The Safety Net on the Edge is a compelling look at what is happening...

Medical research funding flush but misdirected.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Although spending for medical research in the U.S. is close to $95 billion a year, the authors of a recent study have suggested that the medical industry, the government and foundations should invest more in researching diseases for which...

Sleep apnea confused with depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... A study published in the journal Chest suggests that physicians sometimes confuse the symptoms of depression with those of obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the tongue or throat muscles relax to a point of blocking the airway,...

New study says drug use precedes depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... While it is theorized that adolescents suffering from depression often "self-medicate" with drugs, alcohol or sexual experimentation, a new study turns this notion on its head, reported the Associated Press (Sept. 20). Researcher Denise Dion...

Electronic assessment for depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Depression and substance abuse must both be addressed in order for either to improve, according to a new study from PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH). Furthermore, the study shows that therapists assessing patients for depression miss 70...

Program on reducing seclusion and restraints.(Resources)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... On Sept. 23, the Center for Medicaid and State Operations/Division of Continuous Care Providers sponsored a live webcast and satellite broadcast entitled "Reducing Seclusion and Restraints in Psychiatric Facilities." The program includes a...

CD training: getting paid for inpatient psychiatric Medicare days.(Resources)
October 3, 2005... The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) is offering a 2-hour training on compact disc to help behavioral health clinicians and administrators comply with their local coverage determinations. The NAPHS developed the...

Coming up ...(conferences and meetings)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... In conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition (Oct. 8-11), the 2005 Peds-21 Symposium on Mental Health will take place on Oct. 7 in Washington, D.C. The general session will take place from...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 3, 2005... The Archives of the History of American Psychology was founded forty years ago on the University of Akron (Ohio) campus. And although it exists in the basement of a building there, the New York Times recently called the collection...