Monday, September 29, 2003
Measuring the Effectiveness of Community-Based Mental Health Programs (Canada) The fall issue of
Network Magazine, published by CMHA-Ontario. Articles include "The Role of Community-Based Mental Health Services," "Intensive Case Management" and "Consumer/Survivor Initiatives." The introductory editorial notes, "The Community Mental Health Evaluation Initiative (CMHEI) described in this issue of
Network was designed to research a number of community mental health programs across the province to see if they produce positive outcomes for people. Given that we already believed that our services work, we are not surprised that preliminary research findings show that people do better on a variety of scientific measures when they receive community mental health services than when they do not. The surprise is how very much better they do..."
Mainstreaming Gender and Women's Mental Health A report (in
Adobe Acrobat format) from the National Institute for Mental Health in England - "This Guidance is published following a 3 month consultation from October to December 2002 on the consultation document Womens Mental Health: Into the Mainstream. Consultation included six national listening events, meetings with different constituency groups including women service users, and written responses from individuals and representative organisations. From this a broad consensus emerged concerning perceived gaps in the consultation document and important areas to highlight for implementation" See also the
Women's Mental Health Strategy page at the Department of Health web site.
Though on the Rise, Depression Remains Undertreated
Brief item from
Clinician Reviews at
Medscape, based on a
JAMA article - "More than 30 million adults in the United States have major depressive disorder (MDD), but most patients still receive inadequate treatment, according to the results of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R)..." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
A promising new treatment, and a need to set the rules
Philadelphia Inquirer story reprinted at PsycPORT - "Do a Google search on the words implant and mind control and you'll get about 100,000 hits, a virtual primer on conspiracy theories and science-fiction nightmares. So it's no surprise that when the University of Pennsylvania announced that one of its scientists was perfecting an implant that could provide a year's worth of medication for people with severe mental illness, it was met in some quarters with distrust. David Oaks, executive director of Support Coalition International, which questions the dominant view that mental illnesses are biological at base, for example, calls the device 'inherently coercive.' Aware of the concerns, the university took the unusual step last week of inviting representatives of consumer-advocacy groups to a symposium on the ethical implications of the implants well before they are ready for marketing." See also the
related item posted here last week.
Insurer Seeks Return of Fees for Therapy New York Times feature story - "Oxford has audited hundreds of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers in the New York metropolitan area, deemed their notes inadequate documentation of the sessions, and demanded repayment of thousands of dollars from each provider in some cases, more than $100,000. The therapists and their professional associations paint Oxford's actions as another skirmish in a decade-long campaign by insurers to save money by denying coverage but one that sets a new standard for aggressiveness ..." [Viewing
New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].
Artability exhibit features artists with mental illness (Minnesota)
Story in the
Pioneer Press - "
More than 50 artists will display their work this week in media ranging from acrylics, oils and photography to tapestry, clay, wood and tiles. Along with their art, they share something else in common: Each has a mental illness. ... The show is designed to give adults with mental illness a chance to show their work, as well as create it together in APOLLO's art room."
V.A. closings stir furyStory in the
Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, NY) - "Thousands of veterans across the country are rising up in anger over the biggest overhaul of their medical care network since the end of World War II. Hundreds of motorcyclists led a caravan of about 1,000 veterans and their supporters last month through Crawford, Texas President Bushs home to protest a proposal to close the Veterans Affairs hospital in nearby Waco. A similar demonstration was held in Canandaigua, where V.A. officials want to close a 70-year-old hospital that cares for severely mentally ill veterans."
New Mexico Court Tests Program for Mentally Ill AP story appearing at
Fort Wayne.com - "State court judges in Bernalillo County are beginning a program in which mentally ill people accused of felonies might be able to avoid jail by agreeing to treatment and other conditions. The court will monitor participants in the pilot program to make sure they take prescribed medication, and will keep tabs on them through home visits and searches."
Housing the homeless (New Zealand) Cook Strait News story - "A mayoral taskforce set up to find solutions to problems associated with homeless people in Wellington, particularly the group of people associated with Glover Park, found if 'housing and health needs of the Glover Park group are met, then the behaviour issues are likely to be dealt with'... The report also recommended the council have representatives on the Inner City Mental Health Liaison Group and develop a homeless strategy. The liaison group is currently attended by police, WINZ and various social service agencies to identify problems and potential responses to mental health provision for homeless, but not by council members or officers."
