Friday, May 09, 2003

Exploring Healthcare Quality and Effectiveness at Federally-Funded Community Health Centers: Results from the Patient Experience Evaluation Report System (1993-2001)
Report from the National Association of Community Health Centers available at the Open Minds web site - "This report presents the results of a major evaluation of the performance of federally-supported Community Health Centers. The findings presented here show that health centers furnish care of high quality, as measured not only by clinical health quality measures but also from patient information regarding their health care experiences. The data from which these findings have been drawn come from two point- in- time performance evaluations that permit comparison over time. The results of these studies indicate sustained and improved clinical care quality and patient satisfaction levels over a decade, even as health centers have experienced a significant growth in the proportion of uninsured and vulnerable patients they serve."  
  

Mental Health Policy: Implications for Infants and Families
Newborn & Infant Nursing Reviews story at Medscape - "The mental health of mothers directly affects the health of newborns and children; however, this fact frequently receives little attention. This article explores the prevalence of critical mental health issues related to pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting; the failure of the health care delivery system to meet these needs; the state of mental health policy; and actions and interventions needed to improve care through policy development and nursing care." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

GAO Report on Child Placements Paints Bleak Picture of Systems
Mental Health Weekly article at Medscape - "A documented 12,700 children were placed in state child welfare systems or county juvenile justice systems in fiscal year 2001 for the sole reason that parents saw no other way to obtain needed mental health care for them, according to a report released last week by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). What's perhaps most shocking about these numbers is that they probably vastly underestimate the practices, because governments do not routinely track youths placed in agency systems for this reason." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Health programs may take big hit in Maryland budget
Baltimore Sun story - "The Ehrlich administration is considering a list of almost $160 million in possible cuts to health programs, including Medicaid and mental-health services, as part of its effort to deal with a mounting revenue shortfall. Critics say some of the possible cuts could hurt vulnerable patients and, in the long term, cost the state more money than they would save."  
  

Advocacy in a diverse society
Article from the latest APA Monitor based on comments by panelists at the APA Practice Organization's State Leadership Conference in March - "In California, Hawaii and New Mexico, no single ethnic or racial group constitutes a majority of the population, according to the census of 2000. As America's demographics continue to change, that pattern is likely to spread to other parts of the country, bringing with it new challenges for health-care providers. To ensure that those challenges are met, state leaders need to take an active role in the legislative process, fighting for the inclusion of psychologists in health-related bills and supporting attempts to reduce health disparities among different segments of society..." Other stories related to the State Leadership Conference include Psychologists needed for treatment of serious mental illness, Health-care reform: A difficult road and Implementing the law ("Psychologists in three states work to implement--or oppose implementation of--new laws.")  
  

Child health costs similar for behavioral compared to physical disorders
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia press release on findings presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Seattle - "Children with behavioral disorders incur similar overall health care costs to children with physical disorders. Among behavioral disorders, costs were not uniform; anxiety and depression cost twice as much as other common behavioral disorders, mainly as a result of inpatient hospitalizations."  
  

Check Yourself
This "resource for teens who want to check where they are with drugs and alcohol" was created by Titan Digital (Baltimore) and includes "links to treatment resources, the opportunity to interact with other teens who have experienced their own 'moments of truth,' and a series of quizzes kids can take to assess the depth of their drug or alcohol problem." See also the related story at the NCADI web site.  
  

Depression: A Hidden Childhood Illness
HealthScoutNews story at Yahoo - "Depression may be considered a grown-up disorder, but actually it affects up to 2.5 percent of children and up to 8.3 percent of teens in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health."  
  

State plans to consolidate homes for mentally retarded draws ire (Alabama)
AP story at al.com - "The state could save millions of dollars by consolidating centers for mentally retarded adults, an official said, but family members of residents said the savings would not offset the damages. Nearly 200 people gathered Thursday night to hear Kathy Sawyer, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, discuss plans for the Albert P. Brewer Developmental Center in Daphne, home to 61 residents."  
  

Court upholds ruling for mentally ill (Colorado)
Denver Post story - "The Colorado Department of Human Services was properly found in contempt of court and fined $1.4 million for failing to provide needed housing and care for Denver's chronically mentally ill, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled Thursday."  
  

NHS 'getting better' (UK)
BBC story = "Patient care in the health service in England and Wales is improving, according to an independent NHS watchdog. A report by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) says national standards have led to better and more consistent care in the NHS. ... But improvements remain "patchy", with continuing staff shortages and some dirty premises." In the story, CHI's chair Dame Deirdre Hine noted mental health services as an area which needed particular improvement.