Wednesday, November 26, 2003
Potential Impact of the Final Rules for Medicaid Managed Care on the Washington Public Mental Health System A white paper (in
Adobe Acrobat format) from MCPP Healthcare Consulting Inc., available at the
Open Minds web site - "In the last decade the Washington State mental health system has been operating under a set of "working assumptions" related to the States Integrated Mental Health Services Medicaid 1915 (b) managed care waiver. In June of 2002, with the publication of the federal Final Rules for Medicaid Managed Care, a new 'Rule Book' was created that turns these 'working assumptions' on their heads and brings new and important challenges to the Washington mental health system."
Medscape Journal Scan: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, October 2003 Articles from the
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, JAMA, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Archives of General Psychiatry, Psychiatric Services and
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Mood disorders A new
Medscape CME from the 16th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress; September 20 - 24, 2003, Prague, Czech Republic - "There has been renewed focus on the burden of depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder. Historically, the treatment of bipolar disorder has mainly focused on controlling manic symptoms. However, the renewed recognition of the significant burden of depressive symptoms in bipolar patients represents a big change in the treatment of this disease." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
MEDLINE Abstracts: Violence Against Women - Intervention From
Medscape Ob/Gyn & Women's Health, this "easy-to-navigate collection of recent MEDLINE abstracts focuses on interventions for women who have been exposed to violence." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Asian counseling service gets $1.2M federal grant (Washington)
Puget Sound Business Journal story - "The Asian Counseling and Referral Service of Seattle has received a $1.2 million grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. The money will be used by ACRS to create a recovery center to help Asian Pacific Americans combat drug and alcohol addiction. The grant is the largest in the service's 30-year history."
The draft Mental Health Bill: an assessment of the implications for mental health service organisations (UK)
A report (in
Adobe Acrobat format) from the NHS Confederation - " The 2002 draft Mental Health Bill proposed extensive reform relating to mental health, particularly regarding compulsion and detention. The subsequent consultation period led to much opposition to the proposed changes from key organisations, professionals, carers and service users. It is anticipated that a revised bill will be introduced in the near future. The NHS Confederation continues to be fully engaged, working with other bodies and groups to assess possible implications. This publication is a summary of the main report and is a valuable appraisal of the legislative proposals as they stand at present, and will provide a helpful basis for initial or further discussion at all levels of the service." See also
Mental Health Bill proposals could cause staffing crisis, a story on the report at
Health and Care.
Superiority of New Schizophrenia Drug Challenged Health Day News story at
Yahoo - "Bucking previous reports, new research suggests that a state-of-the-art drug to treat schizophrenia doesn't earn its significant premium when compared with an older and much cheaper medication. Earlier research had found that the newer drug, olanzapine, was worth its almost $8 a day more per patient than the most frequently prescribed medication, haloperidol, because olanzapine reduces symptoms and prevents psychotic relapses better. And experts have argued that while olanzapine and its ilk cost more than older drugs, they save money over time by reducing hospitalizations and other health care expenses."
Governor first budget plan cuts deep into health, county services (California) North County Times story - "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's first budget proposal would slash millions from San Diego County police, courts, parks, animal shelters and libraries and would leave hundreds more poor and disabled families in North County without medical care, local officials said Tuesday. ... Schwarzenegger's proposal would cut more than a half-billion dollars from doctors who take patients covered by Medi-Cal, the government insurance for low-income Californians. ... One of the most sweeping policy changes would impose budget caps on programs for poor residents, including low-income families, AIDS patients, migrant workers and disabled people. The programs will be forced to stop admitting more patients under the budget plan, which caps enrollment on a handful of state-funded public service programs currently open to anyone who qualifies, regardless of cost."
Improving Maryland's child welfare system Column in the
Baltimore Sun by Christopher J. McCabe, secretary of the state Department of Human Resources - "... We are seeing more children come into the foster care system with greater needs than has been the case in the past, and our human services system must become nimble enough to care for them and all of the 11,000 foster care children in the state. One tool that will help identify our problems and measure our success in serving young people is the Child and Family Services Review being undertaken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in an attempt to raise the standard of child welfare. This process establishes new national standards and holds states accountable by requiring plans to remedy shortcomings. We welcome this review."
Caseworkers blast possible budget cuts (Pennsylvania)
Story in the
Express-Times - " Northampton County administrators propose removing six caseworkers from the Division of Mental Health, but they say having fewer workers won't affect services delivered to the public. A packed gallery of onlookers Tuesday at county council's budget meeting seemed to disagree, groaning and whooping in response to comments from administrators and council members. ... Although all county human service divisions would see job cuts in the budget, mental health would be hit particularly hard because of its relatively small staff of two dozen caseworkers. The division provides a wide array of services to people with mental illnesses, including homeless assistance, medical aid and psychological services."
Resource centers back in business (Illinois) Daily Herald story - "Last-minute budget tweaking spared the closing of Glen Ellyn and Villa Park resource centers and won praise for DuPage County Board members. ... Paula McGowen, an advocate for drug courts that provide treatment alternatives to prison, thanked board members Tuesday for expanding the money going to drug and mental health courts and making sure the majority of that money gets funneled to treatment instead of staffing."
Clash Over Mental Health Care (Nebraska) WOWT story - "Mental health workers say they haven't seen problems like this in a decade. The mentally ill and the addicted are being left with nowhere to turn for help and Governor Mike Johanns calls the situation in Omaha a crisis. We're seeing the effects of what happens when rehab centers close. The most recent closing was the Firth Treatment and Rehabilitation Center where 34 youths were pulled out of the program last week. Prior to that came the closing or Richard Young and the Douglas County Hospital's day program was added to the mix of diminishing resources. The trend continued as the governor unveiled a plan for mental health reform that includes closing the Norfolk and Hastings Regional Centers. "
