Friday, December 20, 2002

Psychotherapy Practice Guidelines
The lead article (by William Sanderson) in a special Medscape Psychiatry eJournal debate on evidence-based guidelines for psychotherapy. See also Empirically Supported Treatments: Cautionary Notes by Stanley Messer and A Field of Increasing Possibilities by Thomas Kramer. [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

HIPAAlert: Special Privacy Guidance Edition
A special edition of the HIPAAlert newsletter from Phoenix Health Systems with a feature article, "Understanding HHS' December 2002 HIPAA Privacy Guidance."  
  

Expanded Public Health Insurance Fuels Drop in Low-Income, Uninsured Children
News release from the Center for Studying Health System Change - "Expanded public health insurance eligibility, along with aggressive outreach to enroll eligible children, helped decrease the proportion of low-income, uninsured children in America from 20.1 percent in 1997 to 16.1 percent in 2001, according to a national study released today..." See also the full issue brief. The Center also this week had a press release on a new research report on The Effects of SCHIP on Children's Health Insurance Coverage.  
  

2002 Homeless Grant Awards by HUD
An online report that "displays the homeless assistance projects being awarded by HUD under the 2002 Continuum of Care (CoC) competitive grants process. Approximately $969 Million is being awarded for competitive programs and $150 Million for Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG). The competitive programs provide funding for transitional and permanent housing and supportive services. ESG provides homeless prevention and emergency assistance. These reports are organized by state and then by continuum, or community. Within each listed continuum are the organizations that will be assisted with HUD's awards for competitive programs. Following the competitive awards is a section detailing the amount granted for the ESG Program."  
  

Clients who lost coverage happy to be spared from 'flawed process' (Tennessee)
GoMemphis story on a judge's ruling that "ordered the state to restore coverage to TennCare clients who had been lopped from the rolls since the summer."  
  

Mental health cuts criticized (Canada)
Toronto Star story - "Ontarians with mental health problems are being left in the lurch as hospitals continue to whittle away at psychological services, charges New Democrat MPP Shelley Martel. The layoff of six psychologists, delivering front-line care to outpatients with schizophrenia at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, is the most recent example of the decline in hospital-based psychological services, she said yesterday."  
  

Mental health care for Medicaid clients improves (Wyoming)
Billings Gazette story on how adults and children under Medicaid "will have better access to mental health care under new rules approved by Gov. Jim Geringer," as the new rules will allow some 70 independent psychologists in the state to participate directly in providing care.  
  

Reform and the Mentally Ill (Virginia)
Washington Post editorial on recently announced plans by Virginia Gov. Mark Warner regarding deinstitutionalization and a greater emphasis on community care. The editorial notes that "..... Virginia these days is far from an ideal world. The state was spending far below the national average on mental health care even before the severe budget cuts imposed as a result of the current fiscal crisis. Beds are scarce, and people who badly need care are being turned away. This is precisely the situation in which undertaking deinstitutionalization is most dangerous. For releasing seriously ill people into the community does nobody any good -- least of all the patients themselves -- if appropriate services do not in fact become available."  
  

Anti-Psychotics Approved to Treat Suicidal Behavior
New York Times story - "Clozapine, one of a new generation of anti-psychotic drugs, has become the first psychiatric medication to win federal approval as a treatment for suicidal behavior." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Mental health care crisis in Auckland (New Zealand)
NZoom story - "Auckland's mental health services are in crisis, according to a long awaited report. The review was ordered by the Minister of Health. It demands big changes, including resource sharing, better leadership, and more money."