Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Families With Severe Form of Bipolar Disorder Help Scientists Narrow Search for Disease Genes
AScribe Newswire item at PsycPORT - "After years of frustrating searches for genes that contribute to mental illness, researchers at Johns Hopkins studying families with a severe form of manic depressive illness, called psychotic bipolar disorder, may be one step closer to finding the genetic underpinnings of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia."  
  

HHS Releases 2001 National Statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect
HHS press release at PsycPORT - "An estimated 903,000 children across the country were victims of abuse or neglect in 2001, according to national data released today by the Department of Health and Human Services. The statistics indicate that about 12.4 out of every 1,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect, a rate comparable to the previous year's victimization rate of 12.2 out of 1,000 children."  
  

Lagging HIPAA Compliance a 'Serious Concern'
Medscape Medical News story - "Despite two imminent deadlines under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), most hospitals, physicians, payers, data clearinghouses, and other "covered entities" still have not tested the adequacy of their privacy and electronic transaction policies required under the sweeping law." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Women Healing Conference Series
A two-day conference sponsored by Hazelden Foundation "devoted to women in recovery and the professionals who serve them" and presented in five US cities over the rest of the year (Minneapolis, West Palm Beach, Portland OR, Nashville and Chicago). "The mission of the Women Healing Partnership of Hazelden, the Betty Ford Center, and Caron Foundation is to provide leadership that will result in a strong and growing nationwide recovering community helping women initiate and sustain Twelve Step recovery that brings balance and health as they meet the personal, family and career challenges in their lives."  
  

State eyes grants to rein in Medicaid (Massachusetts)
Boston Globe story on talks by the state with drug firms for programs that may reduce medical costs for poor residents - "Drug companies and patient advocates have been meeting with Medicaid officials and legislators for weeks, trying to convince them that mental health drugs should be exempt from the state's preferred drug list and that every antidepressant and antipsychotic should be available to Medicaid patients without special permission from the agency."  
  

Mental health advocates: program being cut saves money (Massachusetts)
AP story at Boston.com on protests over a proposed 55 percent budget cut for the peer support centers, which serve about 4,000 adults at 15 locations.  
  

Fund cuts worry mental health officials (Texas)
Fort Worth Star Telegram story - "Proposed state budget cuts would "significantly weaken" Tarrant County's ability to meet the mental health needs of its residents, advocates for mental health services told county commissioners Tuesday. Tarrant County could lose about $15.6 million that pays for a wide range of services, said Ted Blevins, chairman of the Mental Health Connection, a group that represents 58 public and private health and human service organizations in the county."  
  

Last in Line: Barriers to Community Integration of Older Adults with Mental Illnesses and Recommendations for Change
The executive summary of a February 2003 report from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The report concludes with a series of recommendations and an addendum details findings in each of the states and "recommendations for modifying some of these state policies and practices as part of efforts to promote community integration and in hopes of spurring critical evaluations in all states about the biases against community integration for older adults with mental illnesses that are embedded in policies and practices guiding public healthcare and reimbursement systems." The full report is available for a fee.