Friday, April 09, 2004

Understanding SAMHSA's Grant Application Process
Earlier this week, SAMHSA produced a short webcast to provide an overview of the grants application process and direct interested parties to the latest information on its discretionary grants. From this page, you can either view the webcast directly or download an Adobe Acrobat transcript. Links to related SAMHSA resources are also included.  
  

$8.25 Million Available for State Mental Health Data Infrastructure Grants for Quality Improvement
SAMHSA press release - "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced availability of FY 2004 funds to improve state and local government mental health data infrastructures. These grants are designed to allow state mental health authorities to improve management of delivery of mental health services. The program is one of SAMHSA’s infrastructure grants and is intended to focus on implementing new measures under the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant..."  
  

Benefits of antidepressants for teens 'exaggerated'
Calgary Herald (Canada) story - " The benefits of antidepressants prescribed to thousands of Canadian toddlers, children and teens have been exaggerated and the risks downplayed, according to a disturbing new report that's raising concerns about the drugs' potential for harm. The researchers conclude there is no evidence to justify prescribing these drugs to children. The Australian team reviewed six published studies of Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft -- drugs known as SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors -- as well as Effexor." See also the full study, Efficacy and safety of antidepressants for children and adolescents, published in today's edition of the British Medical Journal and also available in Adobe Acrobat format.  
  

Helping Families of Mental Health Patients (Virginia)
Story in The Connection on a George Mason University program that offered free representation to families seeking to have a family member committed to the hospital’s mental health unit - "The four-year-old GMU program, funded through a $150,000 grant from a private foundation, was discontinued last year when money dried up, leaving families with no affordable legal representation. But now, after Supervisor Elaine McConnell (R-Springfield) was called to testify in one of the hearings, county supervisors are considering allocating money to the university to jumpstart the program..."  
  

Advocates worry as Tennessee mental health system faces $20 million loss
WBIR story - "With a $20 million cut in federal funding looming, Tennessee's mental health advocates admit they're nervous about the future of care in the state. The millions that Tennessee has been receiving annually were the result of TennCare waivers negotiated by then-governor Ned McWherter in the early 1990s. It was a unique windfall that no other state received. When Governor Sundquist restructured TennCare, he was unable to convince the federal government to continue the state's special mental health funding. Although Sundquist's successor, Governor Phil Bredesen attempted to prevent the loss of the federal funds after taking office, he was unsuccessful..."  
  

Mental health program busier (New York)
Post-Standard story - "Syracuse's psychiatric emergency room is struggling to handle a surge of youngsters needing inpatient mental health care. The Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program has seen its volume increase since the state ordered Four Winds, a private psychiatric hospital in Syracuse that primarily serves children and adolescents, to stop admitting patients March 26..."