Monday, February 21, 2005

Outcome can be good for adolescents after first psychotic episode Psychiatry Matters story - "Contrary to previous reports, adolescents show significant improvement in symptoms following treatment for a first psychotic episode, with many engaged in employment or schooling 2 years later, study findings show. 'Although the current findings do not indicate that adolescents with psychosis have an excellent prognosis, they do not reveal the chronic, bleak outcome that some studies of early-onset psychosis describe,' Alissa Pencer and colleagues, from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, write in the journal Psychiatry Research. For their study, the team examined symptomatic and functional outcome in 69 adolescents 1 and 2 years after receiving optimal treatment for their first episode of psychosis. The findings for these adolescents were also compared with data for an adult sample attending the same program and receiving the same treatment approach."  
  

Atypical depression a variant of bipolar II disorder Psychiatry Matters story - " Researchers have found a strong link between atypical depression and bipolar validators, and suggest that atypicality may serve as a bridge between unipolar depression and bipolar II disorder. 'Although increasing data link atypical depression to the bipolar spectrum, controversies abound about the extent of the overlap,' note Hagop Akiskal (University of California at San Diego, USA) and Franco Benazzi (E Hecker Outpatient Psychiatry Center, Ravenna, Italy). The researchers interviewed 348 patients with bipolar II disorder and 254 with major depressive disorder (MDD), all of whom were presenting with major depressive episodes (MDEs), using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the structured Family History Screen, and the Hypomania Interview Guide..."  
  

NAMI Urges Support for Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicaid Announcement at the NAMI web site - "A bipartisan coalition led by Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D- NM) and Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Donna Christensen have introduced legislation (S 338 & HR 985) to create a bipartisan commission on the future of the Medicaid program. This bill calls for the design of a commission of experts who will evaluate Medicaid and recommend efficiencies before funding cuts or changes to the program are made. In NAMI’s view, it is critically important for policymakers at both the state and federal level to make needed improvements and maintain Medicaid’s role as a critical safety net for the most vulnerable citizens. A Commission will help ensure that efforts to restrain the growth of the program are driven by agreed upon policy objectives, rather than arbitrary assumptions regarding budget cuts..."  
  

Hyperactive kids most likely to be removed (UK) Brief UPI story at PsycPORT - "A Bracknell, England, mental health study suggests children suffering from hyperactivity are the most likely to be removed from their homes. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service authored the study that indicates severely hyperactive children are three times more likely to be removed from their families than children with other mental health or behavioral problems. The study noted parents of hyperactive children often have a difficult time coping with the disorder..."  
  

ERs Underdiagnosing Psychiatric Illness Health Day News story at Yahoo - "U.S. hospital emergency departments greatly underdiagnose psychiatric disorders, resulting in unnecessary suffering among patients, a new study finds. Missing these diagnoses 'is potentially the most damaging for the more vulnerable minorities and the poor, who rely on emergency departments for much of their primary health-care needs,' the researchers wrote in the February issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology."  
  

Teen's Lawsuit Could Alter North Carolina Care WSOC-TV story - "North Carolina could be forced to spend millions of dollars to make mental health services more available statewide if it loses a lawsuit working its way through the courts. Wake Superior Court Judge Howard E. Manning Jr. ruled after hearings in December that the state is required to provide the services prescribed for a Henderson County 16-year-old by his psychiatrist. Manning has sent the case of Thomas Reiter back to an administrative law judge to determine whether the state has fulfilled its obligation. A hearing is expected in the next few weeks. But Thomas Reiter's mother, Kathy, has no more patience. The state has failed for decades to provide adequate care, she said. She doesn't believe the state will meet a July 1 deadline to launch new local programs that will keep her son out of institutions. The widely watched case has the potential to affect community-based care for the mentally ill across the state. In Wake, Durham and Johnston counties alone, 7,014 children receive such services..."  
  

When care is needed, not incarceration (New Jersey) North Jersey Media Group story on jail diversion - "...a program that provides alternatives for inmates with mental illness. The idea is to stop cycling people ...in and out of jail continuously. Instead, they are treated for psychological problems, and supported as they try to get established with a job and a place to live. The new approach holds the promise of a better life for the participants, and removes them from the prison system. Some even hope that by reducing jail populations, it may save taxpayers money."  
  

Teddy bear raises business ethics questions  AP story in the Buffalo News - "Someday, the straitjacketed 'Crazy For You' bear may be a case study in America's business schools. The decision by the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. to market the stuffed toy - and to keep doing so despite widespread criticism it was insensitive toward the mentally ill - has intrigued business ethicists and public relations executives around the country. Was the bear a brilliant marketing ploy or a big mistake? ... When mental health groups and Gov. James Douglas complained about the "Crazy for You" bear, the company responded by saying it was sorry if it had offended anyone, but would continue selling the bears until its inventory was gone. "  
  

Family advocate can relate to her clients (Maryland) Herald-Mail story - "As a family advocate hired to support Washington County families caring for children with mental health issues, Vivian Miller says she knows what many of them are facing. And it's not from reading about it in books. 'I have a 12-year-old son with four mental disorders so I know what it's like,' Miller said from her office at 33 W. Washington St., Room 210. When she first came on board, Miller sent out 300 letters in December to anyone and everyone she could think of who would be interested in the issues families face with such children, both at home and at school. 'I wanted them to know there is no cost associated with any of the services I offer,' Miller said. 'And I wanted them to know they aren't alone.'"  
  

Budget cuts threaten new St. Charles treatment facility (Missouri) St. Louis Post Dispatch story - "A new $1 million residential treatment facility for men with substance abuse problems, scheduled to open in April in St. Charles, might not serve its intended purpose if budget cuts proposed by Gov. Matt Blunt are approved. Janet Woodburn, president and CEO of Bridgeway Counseling Services Inc., said Thursday that her agency would be hit hard if Blunt's suggested cuts are approved. ... Blunt has proposed cuts in areas such as the Missouri Department of Mental Health, which includes substance and alcohol abuse treatment programs..."  
  

Crisis centers see risk in cuts (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger story - "Partially opening five mental health crisis centers last year and fully opening a sixth helped the state cut by a third the number of mentally ill people locked up in jail cells waiting for a bed, state mental health officials say. Now, they fear that number could rise if lawmakers make a deep cut to mental health services, and force them to scale back crisis center services. Lawmakers are still in budget negotiations, but the worst-case scenario for the Mental Health Department is severe. If the Legislature adopts its budget writers' recommendation, it could mean the elimination of 1,451 of its 9,300 positions and the closure of 685 beds, including all beds at the six crisis centers..."  
  

Mental health faces cuts (Washington) News-Tribune story - "Thousands of people across the state will lose mental health services July 1 unless the Legislature comes up with $82 million to restore federal Medicaid cuts. Already, hundreds of mentally ill people have been turned away from community services. Experts say many will end up in jail, on the streets or in emergency rooms if they can’t get help anywhere else. ... The state might not ride to their rescue. The Legislature and the governor are facing a $2.2 billion shortfall over the next two-year budget cycle. The federal cut will vaporize 20 percent of the state’s community mental health budget."