Monday, December 30, 2002
Underage Drinkers at Higher risk of Brain Damage than Adults An AMA press release - "An American Medical Association (AMA) report released today on the effects of alcohol on the brain dispels the myth that youth are more resilient than adults to the adverse effects of drinking. Harmful Consequences of Alcohol Use on the Brains of Children, Adolescents, and College Students is a comprehensive compilation of two decades of scientific research on how alcohol alters the developing brain and causes possibly irreversible damage" (
Adobe Acrobat format).
Latin teenagers face higher suicide risk Story in the
Herald Sun (Durham NC) on research related to the unmet needs of Latino youths - "An inability to understand English, a lack of translators and culturally attuned medical professionals, combined with poverty, low parental education and immigration concerns are just some of the many barriers for Latino children in need of medical and mental health care."
Parents 'misunderstand' teen problems (UK) BBC story on a a survey by the Get Connected helpline. The story notes that "Only one in 20 parents considered physical or mental health problems - including suicide, self-harm and eating disorders - to be major issues facing young people. Yet one in six of the young people themselves cited these as problems."
Deficit poses problems for health, welfare (Minnesota) Duluth News Tribune story - "Programs meant for the state's most vulnerable are vulnerable themselves this legislative session as budget managers look for ways to fill a $4.56 billion budget hole.State spending on health programs, led by long-term care programs, are to rise by more than half a billion dollars by 2005. Health and welfare programs equal about one quarter of the state's budget."
Program helps inmates succeed after release (Wisconsin) Marshfield News Herald story on a two-year-old program enacted to protect against inmate recidivism "appears to be working." The program came about when "various agencies involved with mental-health issues began round-table discussions, including Unified Services, the Sheriff's Department and the Public Defenders' Office."
Mental health breakdown (Oregon) The first of a series of articles in
The Oregonian on how people with mental illness fare under the state's county-based system for treating mental disease - "a ... system that in too many cases cannot keep its promises."
Mental Health Crisis: Budget crunch may target mental health (Montana) Story in
The Missoulian on "the state's money crunch climate" - the request by the governor that budget expectations for mental health treatment be scaled back and a current rate of spending that will cause the funds for Medicaid mental health services to run out before the end of the fiscal year.
Recovering addicts protest treatment cuts (Oregon) Story at the
Register-Guard (Eugene OR) on a protest by recovering addicts "in hopes of raising awareness about the plight faced by local methadone users - and possibly the community - if the Legislature doesn't find the money to pay for drug treatment programs."
Mental health board to ask for tax increase (Illinois) Northwest Herald Online stpry - "The McHenry County Mental Health Board probably will join the list of agencies asking voters April 1 for more taxes. Mental health officials want to ask voters for about $1.57 million a year more to keep up with increasing needs and decreasing help from the state."
