Tuesday, December 09, 2003

News on Medicaid and State Budgets – September and October 2003
Adobe Acrobat update from the Kaiser Family Foundation that "summarizes recent press reports published during the months of September and October 2003 as well as information reported by the National Conference of State Legislature’s health policy tracking service during those two months. It highlights press reports of recent changes that governors and state legislatures are making or plan to make to their Medicaid programs. The information in this news update has not been verified by the states, and in some cases the actions reported are not final."  
  

HIPAA Requirements About Protected Health Information Provided by ERS to Law Enforcement Agencies
An "Ask the Experts about HIPAA Compliance" feature from Medscape Money & Medicine that answers the question "What are the rules regarding the type of information that can be released by an emergency department/hospital to the various law enforcement agencies in their investigations of either an alleged criminal or a victim of a crime? " [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Going Beyond Prozac
One of Newsweek's "Top 10 Health Stories of 2003" - "Researchers are amassing new insights into the biology of depression, and the knowledge they’re acquiring is almost sure to spawn better treatments. According to the new model, depression stems not from a “chemical imbalance” (too little serotonin, too little norepinephrine) but from unhealthy nerve-cell connections in the regions of the brain that create our emotions. If that’s true—and the evidence is compelling—then the real goal of treatment is not to alter the brain’s chemistry but to repair its blighted circuitry. The new paradigm reflects a growing awareness of how chronic distress affects the brain..."  
  

Shortage of bilingual clinicians strains mental health services
Austin American Statesman story reprinted at the NAMI web site - " All across the country, mental health professionals are struggling to meet the need of a growing Spanish-speaking population -- and Austin is no different. Some local therapists use live or telephone-based interpreters. Others use children as a go-between for parents and therapists. In some cases, Spanish speakers don't get help at all, said Abraham Minjarez, acting director for adult mental health for the Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center...."  
  

On Beyond Worry
Washington Post interview with David Pine, chief of child and adolescent research at the National Institute of Mental Health, on children and anxiety disorder.  
  

Child health costs for behavioral disorders similar to those for physical illnesses
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia press release at EurekAlert - "Children with behavioral disorders incur similar overall health care costs to children with physical disorders according to a recent study. 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. This study, by researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, appears in the electronic pages of the December issue of the journal Pediatrics."  
  

Online support for people with depression
BioMed Central press release at EurekAlert - "Many people suffering from untreated and undiagnosed depression are turning to Internet communities for help, according to a study published this week in BMC Psychiatry. Scientists believe these virtual communities could be used to offer diagnosis and support to people that are depressed, and offer the possibility of online therapy. Surveys show that the Internet is increasingly used to obtain health information and advice – in particular about mental health. Internet communities enable users to obtain expert advice and to communicate to one another about particular conditions via chat rooms and message boards. Despite their widespread use, there has been little research into the health status of users of these communities. "  
  

The Dopamine Receptor D1 Gene And ADHD: A Piece Of The Genetic Puzzle?
Molecular Psychiatry story at InteliHealth - "Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is recognized as the most prevalent mental health disorder of childhood, affecting about 3 to 5 percent of school-age children worldwide. The hallmarks of the disorder are age-inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. These problems often lead to underachievement in school and can have a negative impact on interpersonal relationships and on self-esteem. ADHD symptoms often persist into adolescence and adulthood, resulting in lifelong difficulties in academic, occupational, social and family functioning. In addition, there is evidence that ADHD may be a risk factor for other serious mental health problems and specific learning disabilities. All told, ADHD is a major public health issue..."  
  

NHGRI Launches Social And Behavioral Research Branch
NIH press release at InteliHealth - "The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced the formation of a new branch -- the Social and Behavioral Research Branch (SBRB) -- within its Division of Intramural Research (DIR). The new branch will develop cutting-edge approaches to translating the discoveries from the recently completed Human Genome Project into interventions for health promotion and disease prevention, and for counseling patients and families dealing with the impact of devastating genetic disorders. The SBRB also will investigate the complex social, ethical and public policy impact of genomic research."  
  

Attorney general closes investigation of mental health agency (Georgia)
AP story at AccessNorthGa.com - "The Georgia attorney generals office has halted an investigation of a LaGrange mental health agency accused of misusing funds, saying state officials waited too long to initiate an audit of the agency. A memo to Attorney General Thurbert Baker last week, which officially closed the case against Pathways Center for Behavioral and Developmental Growth, said the state Department of Human Resources failed to order an audit before the statute of limitations expired."  
  

Groups to Release Study on Mental Health and Disability in Post- Communist States
US Newswire press release - "Transitions Online and the Open Society Institute's Mental Disability Advocacy Program (MDAP) today announced the release of an unprecedented study on the state of mental health care in post-Communist Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Across the region, people with mental disabilities are often the victims of government policy that confines them to long-term psychiatric facilities, social care homes, orphanages, or institutions. But the joint efforts of civil society groups, health and local authorities, the family members of the mentally disabled, and international organizations have helped foster alternative solutions. The series of articles highlights both the progress towards, and the challenges to, social inclusion of people with mental disabilities...." See also the Transitions Online web site and the Mental Disability Advocacy Program site, where a single page indexes all the articles (in Adobe Acrobat format) in Integrating the Disabled: Reports from Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.  
  

Auditor critical of mental health service (Canada)
CBC Montreal story - "The auditor-general's report points to serious problems in the province's management of mental health services. Indeed, acting auditor-general Doris Paradis said that problems at St. Charles Borromée and other facilities offering mental health services comes as no surprise...."  
  

Mental health, drug-abuse boards may unite (Ohio)
Toledo Blade story - "Lucas County commissioners are expected to decide today whether to hold a hearing on combining the county’s substance abuse and mental health boards. The merger discussion was prompted by a bill the Ohio General Assembly passed last year allowing seven Ohio counties with separate boards for drug addiction and mental health, including Lucas County, to merge. County commissioners must approve the mergers by Dec. 31. The county Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services board opposes the move. The Lucas County Mental Health Board hasn’t taken a position. ..."