Thursday, July 03, 2003

PULSE will not publish tomorrow, July 4, due to the US holiday, and will resume publishing on Monday, July 7.  
  

SAMHSA Releases Emergency Planning Grants to 35 States for Mental Health, Substance Abuse Services
SAMHSA press release - "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced the release of nearly $3.5 million to help 35 state governments develop effective mental health and substance abuse response systems for use in response to both natural and man-made emergencies. ... These funds will be integrated into other emergency program support to provide better, comprehensive responses to all foreseeable consequences of an emergency."  
  

Relationship between student illicit drug use and school drug-testing policies
A report (in Adobe Acrobat format and available through the Open Minds web site) based on the largest nationwide study of student drug testing, in which records of 76,000 students across the country were reviewed. The study was published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal of School Health.  
  

Early Discontinuation of Antidepressants Increases Relapse Risk in Some Bipolar Patients
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "In some patients with bipolar disorder, maintaining antidepressant use following successful treatment of a depressive episode may prevent relapse without increasing the risk of manic relapse, according to researchers in the Stanley Bipolar Treatment Network. Concerns about inducing switches or cycle acceleration have led to guidelines advocating antidepressant discontinuation within the first 3 to 6 months after remission of depressive symptoms, lead author Dr. Lori Altshuler told Reuters Health." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Draft Final Report of the Task Force to Develop an Olmstead Plan for Virginia
Comments are being accepted until July 19 on this report, which is available in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat versions from this web page at the state's Olmstead Project web site. See also the background information provided on the Olmstead decision, information on national initiatives and information about other states. A July 1 Connection Newspapapers story, Looking for Better Community Care, also provides background and context.  
  

Medicating the Mentally Ill for Trial and Execution: What Are the Implications of the Supreme Court's Recent Decision?
Feature commentary at FindLaw by Elaine Cassell, who practices law in Virginia and the District of Columbia and teaches law and psychology. She also chairs the American Bar Association's Behavioral Science Committee. Regarding the recent Sell v. United States decision, Cassell notes that "the Sell decision may have a limited reach, due to its atypical facts." A link also appears on the page to the case documents.  
  

Genome Survey Finds Depression Genes
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "U.S. researchers using the newly published human gene map said on Wednesday they had identified 19 different genetic regions linked with depression. The findings could eventually lead to better treatments and screening for depression and related conditions, such as addiction, a leading cause of disability in the United States."  
  

Virtual records (Alabama)
Tuscaloosa News story - "... A recent decision by Mobile County to list the names of those in psychiatric commitment hearings on its Web site has drawn the ire of statewide mental health advocacy groups who say it could subject the mentally ill to discrimination by landlords and employers."  
  

Private providers bracing for Rowland executive order (Connecticut)
Story in the Stamford Advocate - "An executive order by Gov. John G. Rowland is delaying state grants to private, nonprofit group homes, community mental health and drug programs, hospitals and Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. The order is keeping state government running while the Republican governor and Democratic legislative leaders continue negotiations on a two-year state budget that was supposed to take effect Tuesday. ... His decision to run the state by executive order has operators of group homes and mental health programs worried they eventually won't make payroll. Hundreds of private, nonprofit agencies that provide an array of services to thousands of people say they can weather only a short delay in state payments."  
  

Mental health commissioner delivers plan to Riley (Alabama)
Birmingham News story - "Mental Health Commissioner Kathy Sawyer submitted her plan for consolidating and closing some state mental health services to Gov. Bob Riley on Wednesday, suggesting cost-cutting measures that relatives of some patients have criticized. The plan, which Riley must approve, calls for closing three centers for the mentally retarded and moving those patients to the Partlow center in Tuscaloosa. Patients in three state-run nursing homes also would be moved, and 895 state workers would lose their jobs or have to move."