Mental Health Weekly articles from October 2009

Mental Health Weekly archives from October 2009

Pa. agency, Ga. crisis system demonstrate efficiency during challenging times.
October 26, 2009... Budget cuts are no doubt straining many state mental health systems across the country and leading to an increase in service demand, fewer services with less resources and longer waiting periods. Despite those challenges, a Georgia statewide...

New Jersey program confronts smoking while building peer support services.
October 26, 2009... A New Jersey program that promotes smoking cessation among individuals with mental illness combines two elements critical to the vision of a recovery-oriented care system: a wellness perspective that looks beyond mental health symptomatology...

Award-winning program serves deaf consumers with MI: South Carolina at forefront of addressing needs for this underserved group.(Spotlight on Service Delivery)
October 26, 2009... Ten years ago the South Carolina Department of Mental Health was named a finalist in the Innovations in American Government Awards for developing and sponsoring a progressive program of mental health services directed to the needs of deaf and...

Art projects created with glass promote insight into trauma.(GlassBook Project)
October 26, 2009... An innovative art project designed to raise awareness about the impact of trauma and the importance of trauma-informed care is garnering the attention of national and federal leaders, state mental health departments, and college and university...

MH campaign infuses economic challenges in ads to erase stigma.(Summit Pointe)
October 26, 2009... Picture this: You're walking down the street and looming overhead a billboard displaying a picture of George Washington on a dollar bill. The former president has a frown on his face and below him the caption reads: "The economy is sad. You...

NAMI calls on administration to continue to fund MH research.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(National Alliance on Mental Illness)(Brief article)
October 26, 2009... The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has announced its support for the "Research Means Hope" movement. A coalition of medical schools, teaching hospitals, patient groups and organizations launched the movement in April in an effort to...

DOJ gets involved in NY housing issue for consumers with MI.(STATE NEWS)(Department of Justice)(Disability Advocates, Inc. v. Paterson)(Brief article)
October 26, 2009... The Justice Department has stated its desire to get involved in New York's response to a federal lawsuit (Disability Advocates, Inc. v. Paterson) involving 4,300 consumers with mental illness who are being housed in adult homes (See MHW,...

Adolescent MH curriculum added to LearntobeHealthy.org.(RESOURCES)( www.LearntobeHealthy.org)(Brief article)
October 26, 2009... The free health education website, www.LearntobeHealthy.org, has added a new curriculum geared toward adolescents in grades 10 through 12, the site reported October 21. The online kit for teens, called "Face the Music" covers a wide range of...

Coming up ...
October 26, 2009... The Center for Latino Health at the New York University Institute of Community Health and Research will hold the Third Annual Latino Mental Health Conference on October 30-31 in New York City. For more information, visit...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 26, 2009... The actress Glenn Close has stepped into the spotlight, bringing her family with her, in a new campaign to battle the stigma surrounding mental illness: BringChange2Mind.org. Close founded the not-for-profit organization with the Child and...

K.C. agency reports numerous challenges, but no regrets over adding an operation.
October 19, 2009... Professional life changed in an instant for the president of Kansas City, Mo., community mental health agency ReDiscover this past summer. Just days after a local residential substance abuse facility that was besieged by debt called him to...

Wash. county moves forward with recovery-centered approach in crisis care: OptumHealth selected as behavioral health provider for Pierce County.(Washington)
October 19, 2009... Washington county officials and OptumHealth are moving forward with an enhanced mental health crisis services program that they say will not only provide people in crisis with a range of inpatient and outpatient services, and peer support, but...

Depressed patients know little about illness, treatment needs.
October 19, 2009... A new national survey examining the attitudes and behaviors of depressed patients regarding their failure to understand their illness and follow through with treatment has subsequently morphed into a new educational program and a three-step plan...

TV, film and MH consumers receive 2009 Voice Awards.(mental health)
October 19, 2009... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last week honored a number of writers and producers for increasing awareness of mental health issues and the power of recovery at the 2009 Voice Awards. The event was hosted...

Texas MH center changes name to reflect new attitudes.(Mental Retardation Center)
October 19, 2009... The Texas Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center last week announced it is changing its name in an effort to be more sensitive to people with disabilities, a trend that appears to be growing with mental health agencies and...

Study finds psychiatric symptoms predictive of Internet addiction.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... A study of 2,293 seventh-graders in Southern Taiwan found that teens with symptoms of depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social phobia, or hostility were more likely to develop Internet addiction. Chih-Hung Ko, M.D. and...

APA weighs in on health care reform.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(American Psychiatric Association)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... In the debate over health care reform the American Psychiatric Association (APA) continues to advocate for a public health insurance option, changes in Medicare's physician payment system, and preservation of parity for mental health, the...

Grants support treatment for kids with serious emotional disturbances.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded six grants totaling $1.2 million to state-based organizations focused on treating children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. SAMHSA...

Research suggests M.D.s screen for MH problems in obese patients.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(mental health)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... Adults with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety are at an increased risk of developing obesity, according to a study published online October 6 in the British Medical Journal. In contrast, lead researcher Mika Kivimaki and...

Correction.(Correction notice)
October 19, 2009... In last week's issue of MHW (October 12) we reported on a study by M. Kogan, et al. published in Pediatrics, October 5. We erroneously reported that the study found a prevalence of autism spectrum disorders of 1 in 10 among children aged 3 to...

Nebraska's state psychiatric facility found to provide 'quality care'.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... Allegations had suggested that Nebraska's Lincoln Regional Center (LRC), a 250-bed state psychiatric hospital, failed "to protect patients' rights to be free from abuse and neglect" and "to provide staffing to meet patients' needs." However, LRC...

San Antonio center receives three federal mental health grants.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded three grants to the Texas Center for Health Care Services, supporting various aspects of mental health in and around San Antonio. The San Antonio Business Journal...

Ohio's case Western receives federal grant to study schizophrenia.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio has received a four-year $1.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) to conduct an interdisciplinary study of schizophrenia, the university reported October...

Welcome Back Awards.(CALL FOR NOMINATIONS)(Public notice)
October 19, 2009... The Welcome Back Awards, a program of Eli Lilly and Company established to recognize outstanding achievements in the fight against depression, is accepting nominations. Individuals can nominate themselves or others in the following categories:...

Coming up ...(medical societies' conferences)(Brief article)(Calendar)
October 19, 2009... The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) will hold its 56th Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 27-November 1.For more information, visit www.aacap.org/cs/AnnualMeeting/2009. The Center for Latino Health at...

In case you haven't heard ...(on meditation and breast cancer)(Brief article)
October 19, 2009... October is breast cancer awareness month, and the authors of a new study believe patients and clinicians should be aware that meditation may help relieve the stress that "contributes to the cause and complications of breast cancer," according to...

N.M. leader's nomination to SAMHSA could fuel push for more integration.(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration )
October 12, 2009... Mental health leaders analyzing President Obama's choice to head the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have begun speculating on whether an individual who has overseen an innovative system design for integrated...

Ky. CMHCs press for more funding to increase services, prevent layoffs: number of clients seen has increased by 17 percent, MH services by 28 percent.(State Budget Watch)(Community Mental Health Centers)
October 12, 2009... As Kentucky lawmakers prepare to embark on a new legislative session in just a few short months, the state's Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) are working feverishly to convince them of the need for increased mental health funding in an...

Study examines influence of social support in MH service use.
October 12, 2009... While acknowledging that a significant number of people with mental illness fail to receive adequate care, the social support provided by friends, relatives, or spouses can also determine whether or not a person seeks mental health services, say...

Clarification on New Jersey program cuts.(Correction notice)
October 12, 2009... Mental Health Weekly in its Sept. 21 issue stated that New Jersey had closed more than 55 programs to ensure financial viability. The statement had been based on information provided by the New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies, Inc....

National survey reveals unemployed experience significant increase of SMI.(severe mental illness )(Survey)
October 12, 2009... A new national survey reveals that the economic downturn is taking a toll on the mental health of Americans. Individuals who are unemployed are four times as likely as those with jobs to report symptoms consistent with severe mental illness...

New estimate finds 1 in 10 children has autism.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 12, 2009... An estimated 1 in 10 children aged 3 to 17 has a current diagnosis of autism, a rate higher than a previous CDC estimate of 1 in 150. According to their report published online October 5 in Pediatrics, Michael D. Kogan, Ph.D. and colleagues used...

Cincinnati receives grant to boost services for homeless.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 12, 2009... The Ohio Department of Mental Health has presented Greater Cincinnati Behavioral (GCB) Health Services with a $67,000 grant to boost mental health services for the city's homeless veterans, reported The Enquirer on October 6. A new outreach...

Rep. Lloyd Doggett.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(awards for Public services)(Brief article)
October 12, 2009... Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) was recently honored by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) with the Jacob K. Javits Award for Public Service, in recognition of "his dedication and hard work on behalf of all those who live with mental...

Thomas W. Doub, Ph.D., and Wayne Easterwood.(NAMES IN THE NEWS)(Centerstone Research Institute)(Brief article)
October 12, 2009... Thomas W. Doub, Ph.D., and Wayne Easterwood have been promoted to chief operating officer and chief information officer respectively, of Centerstone Research Institute. Centerstone reported October 2 that Doub previously served as vice president...

Coming up ...(National Mental Health Consumers)(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)(Center for Latino Health at the New York University Institute of Community Health and Research)(Brief article)(Calendar)
October 12, 2009... The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse will hold the Alternatives 2009 conference,"Uniting Our Movement for Change," on October 28-November 1 in Omaha, Neb. Visit www.alternatives2009.org for more information. The...

In case you haven't heard ...(Brief article)
October 12, 2009... A recent event in Grand Rapids, Michigan used "the power of hip hop culture to bring some light to mental health issues," according to Governor Slugwell, the president of the Grand Rapids Hip Hop Coalition. Organized by the hip hop coalition and...

EEOC suit filed on behalf of employee could signal more workplace actions.(Report)
October 5, 2009... Having witnessed passage a year ago of federal legislation seen as strengthening protections against workplace discrimination for people with mental health conditions and other disabilities, mental health advocates now hope a federal lawsuit...

Wisconsin county expects new MH crisis center to improve care, save costs.(Report)
October 5, 2009... While many mental health state officials are tightening their belts during the economic downturn, one state county renowned for taking the lead in deinstitutionalization nearly three decades ago, is banking on the development of a new mental...

ValueOptions first to recognize advanced social work credentials.(Report)
October 5, 2009... ValueOptions, Inc., officials last week announced that the organization has become the first national behavioral health company to recognize two advanced social work credentials granted by the American Board of Examiners (ABE) in clinical social...

NCD calls for health care reform for people with disabilities.(National Council on Disability)
October 5, 2009... As Congress pushes forward its debate on health care reform, the National Council on Disability (NCD) last week released a report calling on lawmakers and the country to focus attention on the health care disparities experienced by people with...

Study finds general practitioners prescribe the most MH drugs.(Report)
October 5, 2009... More than 50 percent of all prescriptions filed for psychotropic medications are written by general practitioners, raising some concerns by researchers about the overall quality of treatment, according to a new study published in the September...

AACAP selected as MH charity in workplace giving campaign.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) announced it is one of 31 national charities admitted into the Combined Federal Campaign's (CFC's) 2009 workplace giving campaign. AACAP was selected by the Mental Health, Addiction...

Media project exploring mental health launches.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... With funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Fred Friendly Seminars has launched "Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness," a multi-platform media project exploring severe mental illness. The centerpiece of the project is a television...

Study reveals positive outcomes from online screening.(BRIEFLY NOTED)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... Recently released study results from Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH) "reinforce the effectiveness of anonymous, web-based screening programs in connecting individuals at risk for depression with treatment resources," according to Douglas...

W. Va. introduces early-release program for inmates with MI.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... In an effort to reduce the prison population, West Virginia is setting up the Northern Panhandle Re-Entry Court, an early-release program for inmates with mental health issues or addiction, the Associated Press reported September 18. Eligible...

UNC awarded $8.6 million for genomic research.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been named a Center of Excellence in Genomic Science and received an $8.6 million grant over five years to fund a new Center for Integrated Systems Genetics (CISGen). UNC reported September 28...

National study to examine mental health of college students.(STATE NEWS)(Brief article)
October 5, 2009... More than 140 universities nationwide will participate in a study of the mental health of college students, an effort of the Center for the Study of Collegiate Mental Health (CSCMH) at Pennsylvania State University. The University of Southern...

NAPHS 2010 Membership Directory.(RESOURCES)
October 5, 2009... The National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) has published its 2010 Membership Directory, designed to assist professionals in identifying sources of help for individuals with psychiatric and addictive disorders. Directories are...

Coming up ...(Calendar)
October 5, 2009... The Campaign for Mental Health Reform and Fred Friendly Seminars will present a Breakfast Briefing, "Facing Mental Illness: Policy Lessons from Minds on the Edge," on October 7 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Reserve Officers Association, 1...

In case you haven't heard ...
October 5, 2009... "Mad or genius?" writes Hungarian researcher Szabolcs Keri in his study investigating the association between psychotic features and creativity. Keri focused on the gene neuregulin 1, a variant of which is associated with developing mental...