Thursday, September 09, 2004

$2.3 Trillion in New Debt Expected by 2014
Washington Post story - "This year's federal budget deficit will reach a record $422 billion, and the government is now expected to accumulate $2.3 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office reported yesterday. The expected deficit for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, is $56 billion less than the CBO predicted in March, as a recovering economy added to tax receipts. But it is $46 billion more than last year's record shortfall, with even more red ink possible, the nonpartisan agency reported: The expected total 10-year deficit would climb from $2.3 trillion to $3.6 trillion if President Bush is able to extend the tax cuts he enacted. They are currently set to expire in 2011." [Viewing Washington Post stories requires registration, which is free.]  
  

Recent FDA Actions on Warnings About Link Between Antidepressants, Suicidal Thoughts Examined
Item in yesterday's Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, based on reporting in the Wall Street Journal - "As a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee prepares to hold a hearing Thursday on antidepressants and disclosure issues, the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined FDA's actions in regard to warnings that Wyeth's Effexor may be linked to suicidal thoughts in children who take the antidepressant. Wyeth in August 2003 added such a warning to Effexor's label, but FDA requested that the drug maker remove the warning and replace it with a more general caution included on all major antidepressants urging physicians to monitor patients of all ages who take the drugs..."  
  

2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (SAMHSA)
Links related to a SAMHSA report unveiled today - "SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health [formerly called the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)] is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use and abuse in the general U.S. civilian non institutionalized population, age 12 and older. .." Links appear on this page to the report overview (in HTML and Acrobat format), results (also in HTML and Acrobat format) and a related PowerPoint presentation.  
  

Industry's cost concerns stall mental health insurance bill
Story in The Oregonian - "Though Congress probably will vote this week on a suicide-prevention grant program named for the late son of Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., a far more sweeping plan to require insurers to cover mental illness remains stalled. Mental health advocates say they welcome passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. The bill authorizes $82 million to help states, tribes and colleges develop strategies to identify and treat youth at greatest risk of taking their own lives. Smith's grant program is a good start, mental health advocates say, but it doesn't address a greater threat to families of the mentally ill: losing their health insuranc.."  
  

Pennsylvania Mental Health Public Service Announcements to Address Myths, Misconceptions
PR Newswire press release at Yahoo - "Pennsylvanians may soon see or hear public service announcements about the myths and misconceptions surrounding mental illnesses from people who know -- actors who have been or are being treated for mental illnesses. ... The PSAs feature a message that 'mental health is a part of all our lives.' They show business people, parents and students as recovering from a mental illness, and as contributors to their families and communities. Pennsylvania is one of eight states chosen for the pilot of a federal initiative to identify effective approaches to addressing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness..."  
  

Federal amendment would cut funding for mental health screening initiatives
Story in the Illinois Leader ("Illinois Conservative Politics")- "In an attempt to pull the power plug on the states’ ability to implement President Bush’s New Freedom Commission recommendations, Republican Congressman Ron Paul [Texas] is expected to offer an amendment that will prohibit funding for the creation or implementation of any new universal mental health screening programs to the Labor/Health and Human Services/Education appropriations bill, scheduled to be debated on the house floor today and Thursday. Conservatives and medical professionals have been alarmed at the unprecedented governmental intrusion of the NFC on mental health and what is perceived as pharmaceutical mining of America’s school children..."  
  

Districts oppose county bid to cut mental health funding (California)
Story in the North County Times - "The Cardiff school board will vote tonight on a resolution that opposes San Diego County's decision to abandon mental health services for special education students ---- a decision that officials have said could cost area school districts millions of dollars. Local districts such as Cardiff are lining up to oppose the county's bid to stop providing these services."  
  

County to pilot mental health justice program (Georgia)
Gainesville Times story - "Hall County is about a month away from piloting a statewide program that could find ways to keep people with mental health issues out of jail. 'There is something that can work,' Superior Court Judge Kathlene Gosselin said Wednesday. She pitched the idea to about 36 people, including state officials, judges, prosecutors and police during an introductory session at the Hall County Sheriff's Office. In July, Gosselin led a Hall group to Maryland to learn about helping people with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders. The three-day effort resulted in a $283,000 grant to develop a plan for Georgia by piloting it in Hall. Gosselin said she expects the project to be operational by late October."  
  

Firm seeks other mental health contracts (Arizona)
Casa Grande News story - "A firm that runs Maricopa County's mental health system wants to expand in Arizona. But some advocates say they are concerned about that possibility after a troubling performance audit of ValueOptions found care for some patients is worse than it was four years ago. Virginia-based ValueOptions is the state's first and only for-profit mental health care contractor. It hopes to expand its business in Arizona, company officials said. Five state contracts to provide mental health services are currently up for bid..."  
  

Psychiatrists condemn draft mental health bill (UK)
Article in The Guardian - "Psychiatrists last night condemned the government's latest attempt to reform mental health law in England and Wales as 'objectionable, unworkable and likely to bring NHS services to their knees'. They were responding to a draft bill from Rosie Winterton, health minister, setting out the biggest overhaul of mental health legislation since the 1950s. Ms Winterton had been trying for months to broker a compromise between the Home Office's desire to lock up all potentially violent psychopaths and the medical profession's view that mentally ill patients deserved the best possible care." See also Department of Health information on the new draft mental health bill, the story Government to unveil new mental health reforms and the Guardian's special section on mental health, the mental health law Q&A and the article on the voice of the consumer at the BBC, and the press release at Mind, New Mental Health Bill a missed opportunity.