Monday, April 21, 2003
States, Facing Budget Shortfalls, Cut the Major and the Mundane New York Times story - "The states are desperate, struggling with their worst financial crises since World War II. They have tapped rainy day funds, raided tobacco money that was supposed to have provided health care for children and taxed every possible vice. ... Now, as states scramble to find ways to cut nearly $100 billion this year and next from budgets that must by law be balanced, the cuts are much larger, and their effects profound. It is not just that states are withdrawing health care for the poor and mentally ill. They are also dismissing state troopers, closing parks and schools, dropping bus routes, eliminating college scholarships and slashing a host of other services that have long been taken for granted." [Viewing
New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].
HIPAA Privacy Rule A collection of articles at
Medscape on "changes for physicians, hospitals, health plans, and other 'covered entities' that transmit patients' health information electronically, all of whom are required to comply." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
NCCBH Conference Urges Primary Care Collaboration Mental Health Weekly story at
Medscape on last week's annual training conference of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare - "Having dealt for over a year with the anxiety of seeing a federal push to establish integrated behavioral health services at primary care clinics, community mental health centers (CMHCs) under NCCBH now appear more ready than ever to see this development as an opportunity for collaboration instead of a threat to their existence." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Tents scatter lawn near Legislature (North Carolina) News 14 story - "Dozens of people from across the state pitched tents in downtown Raleigh as part of an artistic protest. Hundreds of small tents were scattered on the ground surrounding the Legislative building. Organizers say the tents represent the beds being shut down at Dorothea Dix Mental Hospital over the next five years."
Mental Illness: Current mental health care not meeting needs (Texas) The first of a five part series from Austin's
News 8 on the mental health care crises facing Texas legislators - "The State of Texas ranks 47th in the nation when it comes to the amount of money per capita spent treating people with mental illness. While almost 550,000 Texans suffer from severe mental illness, only 30 percent, or less than 195,000, of those people received care. Many call that a mental health care crisis that's likely to get worse after this legislative session. Worse not just for the mentally ill but for taxpayers, too...."
Lawmaker's comments anger mental health advocates (Michigan) Story in the
Macomb Daily - "Mental health advocates are angered by a state representative's suggestion group home residents be moved to the country to 'work the land.' ... mental health advocates characterized Brandenburg's comments as insensitive, ignorant, and in violation of federal housing laws."
Stress Is Up. So Why Are Mental Health Benefits Down? Story in the "Business" section of the
New York Times - "The continuing uncertainties of war, terrorism and the weak economy have left many people longing for stability and looking for ways to cope. But just when some people could arguably gain the most by spending a little time on a therapist's couch, their mental health benefits are at risk." [Viewing
New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].
Mental health center picks up slack in care (Georgia) Story in the
Augusta Chronicle - "As more institutions over the years have gotten out of treating mental illness, more pressure has fallen on the Community Mental Health Center of East Central Georgia, officials said. In the past five years, Doctors Hospital has closed its inpatient psychiatric unit, Charter Behavioral Health Systems has closed a hospital despite its nearly always being full and University Hospital has cut back on mental health services...."
Mental health consolidation plans due out Tuesday Tuscaloosa News story - "Mental health officials expect to release a consolidation plan Tuesday that will include closing some Alabama facilities despite pressure to keep them open from area legislators. Mental Health Commissioner Kathy Sawyer has sent letters to families, employees and legislators notifying them of the consolidation, a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation said."
