Thursday, September 05, 2002

Medicare HMO shutdown impact varies by region
Reuters Health Care story on a Mathematica Policy Research Inc. report on the impact of HMOs expected to drop out of the Medicare program, and how "a new wave of Medicare beneficiaries will be forced to shop for alternative health insurance coverage, but the fallout will likely vary depending on where enrollees live..."  
  

Single Session Trauma Therapy Shown Ineffectual
Brief article at the Doctor's Guide to Psychiatry web site - "Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) interventions and non-CIDS intervention following traumatic events is ineffective and does not improve natural recovery, say Dutch researchers."  
  

FDA Gives Conditional Approval for Aripiprazole for For Schizophrenia
Reuters Health story at Medscape on approval of the investigational schizophrenia therapy aripiprazole. "Final approval of aripiprazole is contingent upon the successful completion of ongoing discussions with the FDA." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Medicaid crisis may yet descend on state (Alabama)
Mobile Register editorial on efforts to avoid "a Medicaid funding disaster." The editorial states that state officials have "acted irresponsibly" by relying on federal help rather resolving the problem themselves.  
  

State plans to merge mental health centers (Georgia)
Macon Telegraph story - "A plan to merge many of Georgia's community mental health offices - including those in Macon and Warner Robins - is drawing fire from a powerful lawmaker and others who question whether it may further damage a system that is already strained."  
  

Mental health agencies want to merge (Michigan)
Traverse City Record-Eagle on the decision by the board of the "financially troubled" Antrim-Kalkaska Community Mental Health agency to merge with neighboring Northern Michigan Community Mental Health, which represents Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego and Cheboygan counties.  
  

Flint: Mental health patient changes planned at Hurley (Michigan)
Flint Journal story on plans for additional space and personnel that will make it possible for mental health services consumers to move more quickly through the Hurley Medical Center emergency department.  
  

Obsessive disorder traced to single gene
National Post story - "Toronto researchers have identified a genetic quirk that makes people nearly three times as likely to suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, a debilitating psychiatric ailment that plagues its victims with uncontrollable urges to wash, tidy, straighten and hoard." See also A Genetic Contribution To Obsessive Compulsive Disorder on research to be published in the September issue of Molecular Psychiatry.  
  

Sears pulls T-shirts after mental health complaints
Story at i-Won on the decision by Sears to stop selling a line of T-shirts after complaints from customers and mental health advocates who said the slogans on them make fun of the mentally ill. The decision earned the praise of NAMI, which also urged Wal-Mart, Kmart, Kohl's Corp. and Target to stop selling the T-shirts "and similar merchandise 'mocking mental illness' or risk facing potential legal liability under federal or state anti-discrimination laws."  
  

Fix funding problems before altering mental health system (Ontario)
Story at Canada.com - "The provincial government shouldn't bother to reform the mental health system in Ontario if it's not prepared to fund it equitably across the system, says the chair of a committee examining mental health resources in the county." See also the CMHA's page of links to documents related to the work of the Mental Health Implementation Task Forces, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care's index page of related press releases and the implementation plan "Making It Happen", which "provides the framework for a comprehensive, responsive mental health service delivery system throughout Ontario."  
  

Green Acres board: $10 million needed to renovate or replace facility (Missouri)
St. Joseph News-Press story on new estimates of the cost to repair and renovate or replace the county-owned Green Acres Residential Care Facility, which provides care for the county’s senior citizens, indigent and some mental-health patients.  
  

Campaign assists traumatized Virginians
Washington Times story - "The state has begun a television and radio ad campaign in Northern Virginia to remind people of mental health services available to those who experience stress, flashbacks or other emotional reactions as the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks approaches."  
  

Plans for spending $2.4 million on prisons (Alabama)
Tuscaloosa News story on the state's proposals for spending $2.4 million from the sale of prison land at Atmore, which include funding for mental health and drug and alcohol treatment services.