Monday, April 04, 2005
Disturbances of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism During Treatment With New Generation Antipsychotics Current Opinion in Psychiatry article at
Medscape - "The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature about alterations of lipid and glucose metabolism in patients treated with second generation antipsychotics. This article also addresses possible underlying mechanisms of these changes and discusses ways of preventing these side-effects as well as their management." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Racial Discrimination and Mental Health: Racialized and Aboriginal Communities (Canada) Article by the Director for Corporate Diversity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at the Ontario Human Rights Commission web site, called to our attention by CMHA/Ontario's
Mental Health Notes - "Many studies confirm that one of the cumulative outcomes of social inequities, systemic racial discrimination, sexism, poverty and marginalization of Aboriginal peoples and members of racialized groups (including immigrants and refugees) is the debilitating impact on the mental health prospects for members of these communities, including the multidimensional impact of intersections of poverty, race, gender and sexual orientation..."
BC Launches New Program to Improve Police Response during Mental Health Emergencies (Canada) CMHA press release in
Adobe Acrobat format - " he provincial office of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has just launched a program to improve responses by police to people with mental illness in crisis. The six-month pilot project, called "Building Capacity: Mental Health and Police Project" (BC:MHAPP), will involve six communities across BC: Cranbrook, Williams Lake, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Richmond and Delta. According to a CMHA BC study, 30% of people with mental illness have contact with police while accessing mental health services for the first time, thereby making the police the de facto 'first responders.' "
2003 mental-health study credited with opening doors (Pennsylvania) Philadelphia Inquirer story - "In February, a new mental-health center for children and adolescents opened in Kennett Square. In just two months, 30 clients have come through the door. Last November, the Coatesville Area School District became the first in the state to have mental-health counselors available in all its schools. So far, 100 children have used the services. Leaders in Chester County's human services community told the county commissioners yesterday that these programs and others are vivid examples of turning results of a groundbreaking study into action. 'What we found out from the study was that we did not have good access to mental-health services for children and their families,' said Ruth Kranz-Carl, director of the Chester County Department of Human Services. The study, released in 2003, showed that in these two parts of the county, slightly more than 5 percent of people 19 and younger who were eligible for the services were receiving them, as opposed to 11 percent in the rest of the county, she said."
Pared-down mental health bill receives subcommittee approval (Alabama) Tuscaloosa News story - "A House panel has approved a bill that would require insurance companies to cover mental illness treatment but it limits how long the coverage would last each year. A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved the bill that would require coverage for nine mental disabilities including major depression and bipolar disorder. The proposal would limit coverage to 105 days a year. Key lawmakers insisted a cap was the bill's only chance of passing..."
Race equality in mental health initiative marks best practice (UK) Personnel Today story - "Seventeen sites across the England will pioneer best practice in eliminating discrimination in mental health care, health minister Rosie Winterton has announced. The sites will support the implementation of 'Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care, an action plan for reform both inside and outside NHS mental health services over the next five years, published in January this year..." See also the
full action plan, available in
Adobe Acrobat format.
Codey welcomes a fight for mental health reforms (New Jersey) Newark Star Ledger story - "Acting Gov. RichardCodey yesterday embraced a sweeping plan to improve the state's mental health system, pledging to enact a package of laws needed to make it happen by July 1. But to get two of the most controversial elements of his agenda done, he will have to contend with business owners and insurers worried about the cost of mandating more generous mental health coverage. He also expects to clash with mental health advocates who oppose a proposal that would force resistant patients to undergo treatment or face commitment in a psychiatric hospital." See also the Treatment Advocacy Center press release,
Governor's Task Force on Mental Health Recommends Assisted Outpatient Treatment for New Jersey.
Mental health officials sued (North Carolina) Charlotte Observer story - "A federally funded watchdog group is suing state and local mental health officials, accusing them of failing to protect mentally ill children in group homes. The Governor's Advocacy Council for People with Disabilities filed suit Friday in state court in Wake County. The civil rights protection agency seeks a court order that would force mental health officials to hire more monitors and issue stiffer punishment when they find problems in the more than 1,000 N.C. group homes serving mentally ill children. If the lawsuit succeeds, public agencies could be ordered to spend millions to improve the state's oversight of group homes..."
Drug court program expanded to include mental health issues (Idaho) Idaho State Journal story - "With the number of prison inmates rising and their health care costs showing no signs of slowing, the Idaho Legislature is turning to a familiar model for help. The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to establish a mental health court system in the state that will be similar to the widely-praised drug court system created in 2001. Calling them an 'innovative alternative to incarceration,' Sen. Patti Anne Lodge of Huston said mental health courts are a logical next step."
Mental health bill debated (South Carolina) Island Packet Online story - "Most people with health insurance in South Carolina could get more mental health coverage under a bill working its way through the state House of Representatives. But mental health officials argue the bill doesn't go far enough to provide equal coverage for mental and physical illnesses, despite the increased coverage the legislation would require. Others representing businesses claim the coverage would increase premiums for all those with insurance unless the diseases and amount of treatment are restricted..."
