Monday, February 23, 2004
Medscape Journal Scan: Psychiatry, January 2004"Journal Scan is the clinician's guide to the latest clinical research findings in the
American Journal of Psychiatry, The Lancet, Archives of General Psychiatry, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, and
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Short summaries of feature articles include links to the article abstracts and full text, when available." "med"
Antidepressants hazardous to health care coverage San Francisco Chronicle story - " When Amy M. left her steady job to become a freelance advertising copywriter, she had no idea the antidepressant she took to combat depression would have an unexpected side effect. She couldn't get health insurance. 'I was turned down by Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser,' said the 35- year-old Oakland resident, who has been taking the antidepressant Celexa for several years. 'My rejection letters from the insurance companies stated the reason for the denial: antidepressants.' With nearly 19 million Americans under a diagnosis of depression, antidepressant use is skyrocketing in the United States. The newer antidepressants are the second most commonly prescribed class of drugs in the country, according IMS Health, a firm that tracks the pharmaceutical industry..."
Antidepressants may affect baby brainsUPI story at PsycPORT - "A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study has found pregnant women taking antidepressants disrupted their unborn babies' neurological development.
The researchers found fetal exposure to selective-serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, known as SSRIs, was linked to abnormal sleeping patterns, heart rhythms and alertness levels..."
Officials: Mental health budget not place for state to make cuts (Georgia)Gwinnett Daily Post story - "Treating the mentally ill may be expensive, but it could cost more in the future if treatment is cut now, advocates said Thursday. The Gwinnett affiliate of the National Association for the Mentally Ill hosted a dinner for legislators in Snellville Thursday but not a single lawmaker made it. Instead, the clients, volunteers and family members educated themselves on how to lobby to stop proposed state budget cuts..."
Mental Health Advocates Descend on Richmond (Virginia)February 18 story at
The Connection on "a group of about 80 advocates who gathered in Richmond on Monday to urge lawmakers to better fund mental health and mental retardation services in Virginia. They gathered outside the General Assembly building and unfurled a paper chain for dramatic effect. Each of the chain’s 3,800 links was signed by an ARC supporter, many of whom need the kind of services the group is advocating for. The chain was then broken up into 22 segments which volunteers gave to lawmakers."
Mental health services for kids get attention (Illinois)News-Gazette story - "One in 10 Illinois children suffers from severe depression or other serious mental health problems. Yet only a fifth of them get the services they need. Statistics like those prompted the state to form a new panel to develop a comprehensive mental health plan for children ages birth to 18. The Children's Mental Health Partnership, which holds its first meeting next week, was asked to draft a preliminary report for state leaders by Aug. 31. The goal is to build a coordinated system of prevention, early intervention and treatment for children and their families through schools, communities and health care agencies."
Mental health treatment termed lacking in Martin by special panel (Florida)Story at
TCPalm.com - "Martin County needs more treatment options for those with mental health disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, according to a citizens' committee charged with healing the county's health problems. Members of the Community Health Planning Initiative said Thursday residents too often have to go to other counties to find treatment programs, which frequently are open only to those with criminal records."
Mental health bid leaked, firm says (Arizona)Arizona Republic story - "The Arizona Department of Health Services is investigating whether confidential information was leaked to competitors during a high-stakes contest for a $1.3 billion mental-health services contract. Schaller Anderson Inc., an influential Phoenix health care company, has filed a formal protest of the state's award. The firm is charging that details of its bid were leaked to ValueOptions, which was awarded the contract earlier this month. The health department will conduct an internal investigation and should be finished by March 2, when it has to respond to Schaller Anderson's protest, said Michael Murphy, department spokesman."
Experts fear mental health care will fall through funding gaps (New Jersey)Star-Ledger story - "The state's community mental health system is 'teetering on the edge of a crisis' as it struggles to provide service to tens of thousands of patients without adequate state funding, leaders in the mental health field are warning. The situation is similar to the crisis in child care services, said Debra Wentz, chief executive of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies, in kicking off a publicity campaign to call attention to the funding gap just days before Gov. James E. McGreevey's budget message."
Mental health outreach for Latinos moves to city (New York)Democrat & Chronicle story - "Lazos Fuertes, a mental health care program designed for Latinos, has moved from its suburban University of Rochester location to one closer to the heart of the Latino community. Now situated in the Ibero-American Action League’s headquarters at 817 E. Main St., Lazos Fuertes (Spanish for Strong Ties) will ostensibly be more accessible to a badly underserved population. Despite explosive growth of the Hispanic population in Rochester, a dearth of Spanish-speaking medical professionals in the city — where most Latinos live — has contributed to a disparity in the number of Latinos who receive mental health services, compared to other populations. What services they do receive are typically delivered by emergency rooms, research shows..."
Cuts hit mental health providers (Utah)Deseret News story - "Mental health centers across the state are scrambling to deal with a Medicaid budget shortfall of at least $3.2 million — a decrease that could leave at least 1,500 people untreated. Advocates for the mentally ill predict that many of those people will wind up in jail or will turn to hospital emergency rooms during a crisis. ... Valley Mental Health, the state's largest contract provider of mental health services, will see its funding decrease under new federal payment guidelines by a minimum of $1.6 million by the end of this fiscal year, June 30, As a result, 813 'indigent' and non-Medicaid eligible patients are being cut off from services. The decrease is a result of a federal rate change imposed last year by the Federal Balanced Budget Act, which changed the formula for how mental health centers are reimbursed with Medicaid dollars."
Health Alliance largest contributor to Mental Health levy (Ohio)Journal-News story - "The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati was the single largest contributor to the Butler County Mental Health Board’s efforts to pass an additional operating levy. According to pre-primary election campaign finance reports filed this week with the county’s board of elections, the Health Alliance donated $5,000, nearly one-third of the campaign committee’s $17,039 budget. As in previous campaigns, the Health Alliance and several other agencies that work with Butler’s mental health officials, were the primary financial contributors to the levy efforts."
Mental health officials fear effects of cuts (Oregon)Bend Bulletin story - "Mental health advocates are rallying against proposed state budget cuts that threaten more than 13,000 impoverished Central Oregonians currently eligible for subsidized mental health services. ... In recent weeks, county mental health directors from across the state have lobbied against a Department of Human Services proposal to cut mental health programs, said Gary Smith, director of the Deschutes County Mental Health Department."
Some mental health contractors object to form (North Carolina)Fayetteville Observer - "The owners of companies that provide mental health services in Cumberland County will soon have to answer a litany of questions to obtain contracts with the Mental Health Center. Some of those companies say the questions are overly probing and bothersome. Others say it's just part of doing business in Cumberland County. The Qualified Provider Network Application was approved by the Mental Health Board on Feb. 4. The changes follow six months of discussion about how the center and the board can better monitor mental health services, including what happens at group homes within the county."
