Monday, February 07, 2005

Behavioral Pharmacy Benefit Management: Case Studies  Center for Health Care Strategies Inc. paper, brought to our attention at the Open Minds web site - " Pharmaceutical costs have increased significantly in both the general and the behavioral health care systems in recent years. This paper reviews several of the most promising methods for managing behavioral pharmacy practices and costs while seeking to continue to maintain open access to these drugs. It describes the current situation, defines the practice, outlines a number of specific case studies, offers information about related initiatives, and concludes with some comments about likely trends in the field."  
  

NAMI Joins APA Launching Resources for Families On Treating Depression in Children and Adolescents  Announcement at the NAMI web site - "On February 1, 2005 NAMI participated in a press conference to launch ParentsMedGuide.org, a new resource center developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with depression. Darcy Gruttadaro, the Director of NAMI’s Child & Adolescent Action Center, participated on a panel that also included family members and representatives from family advocacy groups, psychiatrists, and a primary care physician." See also the web site ParentsMedGuide.org and the "The Use of Medication in Treating Childhood and Adolescent Depression: Information for Patients and Families," available in both HTML and Adobe Acrobat formats.  
  

Practice parameter: Diagnosis of Dementia "Practice Guidelines" (in Adobe Acrobat format) from the American Academy of Neurology, at Medscape - "To update the 1994 practice parameter for the diagnosis of dementia in the elderly. Background: The AAN previously published a practice parameter on dementia in 1994. New research and clinical developments warrant an update of some aspects of diagnosis. Methods: Studies published in English from 1985 through 1999 were identified that addressed four questions: 1) Are the current criteria for the diagnosis of dementia reliable? 2) Are the current diagnostic criteria able to establish a diagnosis for the prevalent dementias in the elderly? 3) Do laboratory tests improve the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of dementing illness? 4) What comorbidities should be evaluated in elderly patients undergoing an initial assessment for dementia?" [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Eating disorder care criticised (UK) BBC story - "The majority of people with eating disorders are not receiving the recommended level of care, a survey of patients suggests. Last year, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence issued guidelines for treating anorexia and bulimia. But an Eating Disorders Association survey of 1,700 patients and relatives found 55% of sufferers are not treated by a specialist. It also found that in 42% of cases, GPs failed to make an early diagnosis."  
  

2003 Survey Found Over 1 Million People Recently Used Stimulants Non-Medically  SAMHSA press release - "The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today released data showing that an estimated 1.2 million persons ages 12 or older used methamphetamine or prescription stimulants non-medically in the past month in 2003. The data show that 378,000 Americans met the diagnostic criteria for dependence on or abuse of stimulants in the past year. Dependence on or abuse of stimulants was most prevalent among young people 12-25. SAMHSA extracted the data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2003. The data show that the stimulants most often abused are methamphetamine; prescription diet pills; Ritalin or methylphenidate; and Dexedrine..."  
  

Troops still ashamed of emotional problems Brief UPI story reprinted at PsycPORT - "U.S. military health officials want to reduce the stigma soldiers facd when seeking mental healthcare, Stars and Stripes reported Saturday. 'Stigma is a real problem. It's a societal issue, but it is much more pronounced in the military,' said Col. Thomas Burke, one of the Pentagon's top psychiatrists and the director of mental health policy for the Defense Department. 'There is a perception among the troops that seeking mental health care means you're weak or a coward and, frankly, we in the military kind of foster that attitude.' Soldiers and Marines who need counseling the most are least likely to seek it, a Defense Department study recently found..."  
  

Bush Budget Calls for Cuts in Health Services New York Times story - "President Bush's budget for 2006 cuts spending for a wide range of public health programs, including several to protect the nation against bioterrorist attacks and to respond to medical emergencies, budget documents show. Faced with constraints on spending caused by record budget deficits and the demands of the war in Iraq, administration officials said on Friday that they had increased the budget for some health programs but cut many others, including some that address urgent health care needs..." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Needs of a child show lack of mental health options in El Paso (Texas) El Paso Times story - "A board's request for money for specialized health care treatment could give the Commissioners Court a glimpse into some of the community's health care difficulties. Bea Huml, coordinator of the Child Welfare Board, will ask commissioners today for $13,500 to send an El Paso youngster to Austin for a specialized evaluation that falls between the cracks of Texas Medicaid coverage. ... The work cannot be done in El Paso, Huml said, because the community does not have a pediatric psychologist. The lack of mental health care options has been a troublesome area for the community, she added."  
  

County fights order to repay $4.2 million (Michigan) Muskegon Chronicle story - "Muskegon County Community Mental Health Services is being asked to repay the state $4.2 million, based on an audit of the agency's financial activities during the 1999 and 2000 fiscal years. County administrators disagree with many of the audit findings, and are determined to reduce the amount the mental health agency has to repay. Officials already have appealed the audit findings, and say they want to further discuss the issue with high-ranking state officials. County officials say they will sue, if necessary, to resolve the issue."  
  

Clients swamp county's new mental health provider (Missouri) St. Louis Post Dispatch story - "A little more than two weeks after taking over as St. Louis County's mental health provider, officials with the Family Mental Health Collaborative are discovering just how big the job may be. The collaborative, made up of five area nonprofit agencies, opened its doors officially on Jan. 18. In its first nine days, workers fielded 200 calls and steered 40 clients toward needed services. Officials expected a heavy workload. They knew that at least 250 clients were left without services when the county axed its mental health care clinics in November. But the rush of people, and the severity of their problems, has collaborative members working overtime..."  
  

Mental-health Server Looking for More Funding (Utah) KSL-TV story - "Changes in Medicaid guidelines have reduced the ability of Davis County and Davis Behavioral Health to serve needy but not Medicaid-qualified patients. As a result of the changes, the county has approved creation of new nonprofit agencies to cover the lost services. The agencies will provide fund-raising, employment for patients and family counseling. DBH contracts with Davis County to provide mental-health and substance-abuse services. Previously, when a mental-health facility was fiscally efficient and had leftover Medicaid money, it could use that money to build infrastructure or expand services to people who would otherwise not be covered..."  
  

Canadian Mental Health Association Applauds Federal Government Initiative Canada Newswire press release - "The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) applauds the federal Minister of Health, The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, for his recent announcement appointing The Honourable Michael Wilson as Special Advisor to the Minister on Mental Health in the Workplace. One in five people in Canada will be diagnosed with a mental illness at one point in their lifetime, many more will be affected by other serious mental health problems. And still millions more in Canada are affected as family, friends, colleagues and neighbours of someone experiencing a mental illness or other serious mental health problem. ... In particular, CMHA strongly supports the government's commitment to inter-departmental collaboration on mental health issues. Given the impact of social factors on mental health, a point underscored by a wide variety of voluntary organizations through our Citizens for Mental Health project, it is clear that meeting the mental health needs of the people of Canada will require broad cross-sectoral connections, and CMHA is encouraged by the leadership of the government in this direction." See also the Citizens for Mental Health web site.