Thursday, January 08, 2004

Medicaid Financing of State and County Psychiatric Hospitals
A SAMHSA report (in Adobe Acrobat format) made available at the Open Minds web site - "This study was undertaken to address the lack of comprehensive information regarding the nature and scope of such Medicaid support. The study identifies potential sources of Medicaid funds paid on behalf of public psychiatric hospitals and provides an estimate of the amount of such funds in 2001. The Medicaid funding experiences of public psychiatric hospitals in five States - Arkansas, California, Iowa, Maryland, and New Jersey - were examined in depth for the study."  
  

Understanding the Health-Care Needs and Experiences of People with Disabilities: Findings from a 2003 Survey
A Kaiser Family Foundation report (in Adobe Acrobat format)made available at the Open Minds web site - " A central goal of this study was to describe the health-care experiences of non-elderly adults across a broad array of disability types and sources of health insurance. The questions in the screener instrument were designed to capture two groups of individuals between ages 18-64: 1) those receiving disability payments through either the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) programs; and 2) those who consider themselves as having a mental or physical disability, but who are not receiving payments from either program. These questions were asked again for validation purposes when the households were recontacted for complete interviews. The survey instrument included items on respondents’ disabling conditions, health-care utilization, health insurance, access to care, cost burdens, employment status and history, and basic demographic characteristics."  
  

Experts Question Baker Act Practices
Tampa Tribune story reprinted at the NAMI web site - " Florida's growing practice of using the Baker Act to lock up emotionally disturbed children is poorly understood and needs review, a University of South Florida study suggests. The study raises particular questions about children who are committed repeatedly, saying research into their lives could answer questions about how to reduce or prevent these crises...."  
  

NAMI Policy Research Institute Study Describes State Medicaid Disease Management Approaches
An "Issue Spotlight" at the NAMI web site - " Disease management (DM) is becoming the new trend in health care service and delivery as public and private sector health care purchasers grapple and respond to rising health care costs and health insurance premiums. It is an intervention intended to reduce health care spending and improve health outcomes through better management of one or more chronic conditions. DM programs focus on patient education, patient self management and physician feedback..." See also NAMI's Policy Research Institute Study that Describes State Medicaid Disease Management Approaches.  
  

Unemployment Strikes A Harder Blow On Men's Mental Health
Brief item from the American Journal of Public Health at InteliHealth - "Although women typically have higher rates of unemployment than men, the mental health of unemployed men tends to be worse than that of unemployed women, according to a recent study."  
  

Some State Officials Wary of How Medicare Legislation Will Affect Local Prescription Drug Assistance Programs
Kaiser Daily Health Policy overview (reprinted at the Policy Information Exchange web site) of newspaper stories on the impact of Medicare legislation on prescription drug assistance programs and the related issues facing various state legislatures.  
  

Local judges on state committee for mentally ill (Ohio)
Morning-Journal story - "Two local judges have been chosen to join an Ohio Supreme Court committee formed to examine the needs of the mentally ill in the court system. Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Sage and Fairfield Municipal Court Judge Joyce Campbell are among the 46 members of the Advisory Committee on Mentally Ill in the Courts appointed Monday. Sage and Campbell oversee the two mental illness diversion programs in Butler County — the Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Court and the Therapeutic Alternative Court."  
  

End discrimination against mentally ill in Ohio health plans
Morning-Journal editorial - "The cruelest injustice in health care for Ohioans is the discrimination against people with mental illnesses in most medical insurance coverage. Gov. Bob Taft, instead of providing a remedy, has placed himself squarely in the path of progress. Mental illnesses, such as depression or schizophrenia, now are recognized to be physical brain disorders or chemical imbalances in the brain and every bit as genuine as cancer. Marvelous new drugs have been developed that can help overcome the symptoms of mental illnesses, but they're not reasonably affordable without insurance."  
  

County to give update on mental health reform; group opposes plan (North Carolina)
Herald-Sun story - "County officials are calling a town hall-style meeting today at the downtown library to update residents about the ongoing state-mandated overhaul of Durham's mental health system. Meanwhile, Durham Citizens for Sensible Mental Health Reform, a loosely formed citizens group, has come forward to oppose the local plan. Members of the group say it will result in a fragmented mental health system that is difficult for clients to navigate."  
  

Probe mental health facilities: coalition (Canada)
CBC Montreal story = "A coalition of patients' rights groups is calling for a government inquiry into living conditions at mental health care facilities in Quebec, saying the province's health minister did not go far enough in his probe of abuse at a Montreal hospital. Aimée Turcotte, a patients' rights advocate, called on the government to do more to protect the mentally ill, who she said are among the most vulnerable members of society."