Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Maori mental health initiatives worth celebrating (New Zealand)
New Zealand Government press release at Scoop - "Maori Health providers around the country are a vital link in providing the government with information and ideas on how to improve mental health responses says, Under-Secretary for Health, Mita Ririnui. ... Statistics indicate that Maori continue to enter acute mental health services at a disproportionately higher rate than non-Maori, but these do not reflect the milestones within the sector. The number of Maori mental health service providers has increased tenfold in the past 10 years which has resulted in a huge improvement in the way mental health issues have been identified and reported."  
  

New guide to tackle stigma of mental health (UK)
Medical News Today story - "A new guide offering advice to employers and public and voluntary organisations on dealing with the stigma of mental health has been launched by the Social Exclusion Unit. It is hoped that the new leaflet will help people to better understand mental health issues, as well as encourage greater social inclusion for sufferers. The guide offers practical advice on how employers, financial services, public service agencies and voluntary bodies can offer support for those diagnosed with mental illnesses, as well as suggestions on how bad practice can be challenged."  
  

Report critical of Virginia system for children
Richmond Times-Dispatch story - "Virginia's failure to help children and teenagers with mental-health problems has forced many families to give up custody of their children to get them help. This assessment is the central finding of a report that will be delivered tomorrow to state officials seeking ways to fix Virginia's system for helping troubled children. The report finds that families' decisions to relinquish custody to get help is 'a direct result of inadequate access to and availability of prevention, early intervention, and intensive mental health and substance abuse treatment services for children and adolescents.'"  
  

HHS Awards $34 Million for Children's Mental Health Initiative
PR Newswire press release at Yahoo - "Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced awards totaling $34 million to develop comprehensive community-based mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families. These six-year grants build on President Bush's compassionate agenda that fosters innovative community-based solutions for families in need."  
  

Tioga lawmakers hear appeal for mental health funding (New York)
Press and Sun-Bulletin story - "Tioga County lawmakers on Tuesday heard the pleas of more than 30 people, including staff members of the Tioga County Mental Hygiene Department, who want to save the jobs of people who work with the mentally ill. Lawmakers are considering cutting 10 positions from the department to reach their goal of limiting a 2005 property tax increase to no more than 8 percent. Tioga workers and those affected by mental illnesses spoke to the Legislature for two hours.  
  

Californians like idea of rich footing the bill
Houston Chronicle story - "Despite widespread aversion to new taxes, there is one most Californians don't seem to mind: the one they don't have to pay. Supporters of a measure on the November ballot are seizing on the sentiment to push for a vast expansion of services for the mentally ill. Their plan is to let millionaires pay the bill. Polls show their campaign has been effective. The proposal targets a small group of taxpayers for one of the largest state tax increases in recent history. "  
  

Mental Health of Spouse Affects Marital Happiness
Reuters Health story - "People's level of anxiety or depression -- and their partner's -- can affect how happy they are in marriage, new research shows. Investigators found that when one spouse is depressed, both are likely to be dissatisfied with the relationship. These findings suggest that, when working with unhappy couples, experts need to examine both partners' mental health, the study's lead author told Reuters Health. Dr. Mark A. Whisman of the University of Colorado at Boulder added that it's not clear whether a spouse's anxiety or depression fuels marital dissatisfaction, or vice versa. Regardless, treating the condition will likely help, he noted."  
  

High-tech cell phones help protect mental health workers (Missouri)
Kansas City Star story - "Caseworkers at the Johnson County Mental Health Center are now equipped with high-tech cell phones that provide hands-free communication with an outside lifeline. Under a pilot project, about 20 caseworkers carry cell phones equipped with global positioning technology that allows a supervisor to track employees. The phones also provide instant two-way communication. The hope is that the wireless technology could help safeguard caseworkers and possibly prevent situations like the one in which center caseworker Teri Lea Zenner, 26, was killed..."