Monday, June 28, 2004

Psychopharmacology in The New York Times
Medscape Psychopharmacology Today column in Medscape General Medicine, in which Thomas A. M. Kramer, MD, discusses some of the topical psychopharmacology articles, including the debate over the nonpublication of paroxetine trials, recently covered in the New York Times. [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Study finds greater severity in substance abuse in adolescent females
NewsRX.com story reprinted at PsycPORT - "A study of male and female adolescents in treatment for substance abuse found significantly greater severity in drug use and associated mental health-related factors among the girls. 'Many adolescents entering substance abuse treatment have coexisting mental health problems and are criminally involved. Examination of the complexities of substance use, mental health, and criminal justice involvement along with changes in these issues following treatment is needed,' stated researchers at the University of Arizona's SW Institute for Research on Women."  
  

Widespread Belief that Antidepressants are Prescribed Too Often, Particularly for Teens and Children
PR Newswire press release on a recent Harris poll, reprinted at PsycPORT - "Many Americans think that well- known drugs -- such as Celexa, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft -- which are used to treat depression are safe and effective for adults. It is also widely believed that antidepressants are prescribed too often for everyone, especially teenagers and children."  
  

Many with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Are Unaware They Need Treatment
SAMHSA press release - " People with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance abuse often do not recognize that they need treatment, a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates. The report shows that 61 percent of those with both serious mental illness and a substance use disorder who had not received treatment for either illness, perceived no unmet need for treatment. The new report, Adults with Co-Occurring Serious Mental Illness and a Substance Use Disorder was unveiled today by SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie at a conference in Washington D.C. on the complexities of co-occurring medical conditions." See also the full report, available in both HTML and Acrobat format.   
  

Crownsville Hospital Center is Ready to Shut Down (Maryland)
WTOP News story - "Crownsville Hospital Center is shutting its doors after almost a century, leaving Maryland with just two primary residential facilities for the mentally ill. The state plans to move the handful of remaining patients sometime this week from the historic, state-run psychiatric complex in Anne Arundel County. Some lawmakers, doctors and relatives of Crownsville patients were worried the move would cause problems. But state Health Secretary Nelson Sabatini said the closure has 'gone quite smoothly.' "  
  

County's 'voice in wilderness' for mental health to retire (California)
San Luis Obispo Tribune story - "After working 38 years in community mental health -- 16 of them in San Luis Obispo County -- Dale Wolff will retire in November as executive director of county Behavioral Health Services. He announced his retirement to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday and, at the same time, thanked the board for its decision to spare some key mental health programs by allocating nearly $400,000 in additional funds to the department. ...  
  

Counties must pay for indigents' mental-health drugs
AP story at the Lexington Herald Leader - "County jails, not the state, must bear the cost of drugs for treating indigent inmates with mental illness, the Kentucky Court of Appeals said Friday. The ruling came in a case by Daviess County and its jailer, David Osborne, who contended that the state should pay for "psychotropic" medications. They based their claim on a 1986 statute that said 'it shall be the responsibility of the commonwealth' to provide psychiatric 'evaluation, treatment or services' at a facility funded or operated by the state. A statute adopted four years earlier specified that jails were to pay the cost of 'medical, dental and psychological care for indigent prisoners.'"  
  

GSA cancels mental health contract following investigation
Story at GovExec.com - "The General Services Administration is canceling a contract for mental health and counseling services for U.S. troops that was awarded to a weapon systems and technology company, a GSA spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday. The contract also may have been influenced by a subcontractor. GSA has reviewed the contract and will let it expire in early August rather than exercise an option to renew, said agency spokeswoman Mary Alice Johnson. The contract was awarded to Titan Corp. in August 2002, and calls upon the firm to provide employee assistance program services to uniformed military members and their families. Titan, which has an extensive history building and managing information technology systems for the government, has no obvious experience in mental health and counseling services, critics say. Titan hired Ceridian Corp., a human resources services firm, as a subcontractor, but Ceridian also has limited experience in providing counseling services to the government, company officials have acknowledged. "  
  

Mental health nurses' union, DHBs returning to mediation (New Zealand)
Story at Stuff - "Three health boards and a union have agreed to return to mediation on Monday in a bid to avert a strike of about 350 mental health nurses in the central North Island. The last minute talks come after a 10-hour mediation session between the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Waikato, Lakes and Bay of Plenty health boards ended in stalemate this week. "  
  

Bill would expand mental health care for older Americans
Knight Ridder Tribune story in the Tallahassie Democrat - "A bill to enhance older Americans' access to mental health care was introduced Thursday by Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The legislation calls for establishing two competitive grants to reward nonprofit community-based providers of mental health services, such as senior centers and assisted-living communities. ... The act would also make mental health services available in rural and urban areas."  
  

Budget crunch could mean loss of local mental health boards (Michigan)
Holland Sentinel story - "The budget crisis gripping Lansing could mean loss of local control for providing services to the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. It's a real fear discussed last week by Ottawa County's Community Mental Health Board. ... As lawmakers argue over the future of funding for mental health, Gov. Jennifer Granholm's special commission on mental health issues is considering a major overhaul of the mental health system."  
  

Hospitals, Milwaukee County in standoff over mental health issue (Wisconsin)
AP story at the Duluth News Tribune - "Doctors, hospitals and nurses unions are asking Milwaukee County to reopen inpatient mental health beds to cope with increasing numbers of patients being held temporarily in hospital emergency rooms. The county's overcrowded facility has repeatedly delayed accepting transfers of involuntary mental patients from area hospitals in recent months, forcing people to go without psychiatric care for hours or days. Hospital officials say they are worried about the safety of their employees and other patients, as disruptive patients, who are potentially dangerous to themselves and others, are held in the hospitals' emergency departments. They also question whether it is legal for the hospitals to restrain patients in need of emergency detentions."