Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Current Psychopharmacology: It's Much More Complex Than You Think Article in the latest Psychiatric Times - "The discipline of psychopharmacology has expanded enormously during the last several decades. As this Special Report illustrates, while the treatment of mental illness with medication has definitely advanced, it is neither quick nor easy. Instead, it has become more complex and complicated"  
  

Diagnosing and Treating Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa Psychiatric Times article - "Diagnosis of the two main major eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, can be difficult because of denial of symptomatology by the patients and problems with some of the diagnostic criteria. Although CBT has been the most effective, there are no treatments available that can guarantee a cure for either disorder. Medication is only a helpful adjunct to the treatment of anorexia, while many controlled studies that show antidepressant medications are effective in reducing binge/purge behavior in bulimia."  
  

Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Stabilizes at High Rate in 2004 Data Bulletin from the Center for Studying Health System Change - "The recent slowdown in health care spending growth leveled off in 2004 as health care costs per privately insured American increased 8.2 percent in 2004—virtually the same rate of increase as in 2003. Nonetheless, health spending growth continued to outpace overall economic growth by a wide margin—2.6 percentage points—in 2004, despite a robust 5.6 percent increase in the overall U.S. economy as measured by per capita gross domestic product. If health care spending growth continues to exceed growth in workers’ incomes by a significant margin, health insurance will become unaffordable to more and more people..." See also the article at Health Affairs, Tracking Health Care Costs: Declining Growth Trend Pauses In 2004, which is also available in PDF format.  
  

Insanity Defense Seminar Reflects Tragedy, Pain and Inadequacies of Criminal and Mental Health Systems Page at the NAMI web site - "Contrary to popular perceptions shaped by the media, 'the overall contribution of mental disorders to the total level of violence in society is exceptionally small,' according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health (1999). Similarly, the insanity defense in criminal cases is seldom used and seldom successful. On June 20, NAMI’s national convention in Austin, Texas, convened a special seminar, 'The Insanity Defense: Time for a New Model?' The discussion was especially poignant as a result of presentations from George Parnham, attorney for Andrea Yates, and David Kaczynski, brother of 'Unabomber' Ted Kaczynski..."  
  

Bipolar I and II Patients Differ in Styles of Coping With Mania Prodrome  Medscape Medical News story - "Patients with bipolar disorder vary by subtype regarding the choices they make to cope with the prodrome of mania, according to a team of Canadian investigators whose findings were presented here at the Sixth International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. 'Psychiatrists need to know the various ways people with bipolar disorder try to help themselves when they experience the early warning signs of mania,' said principle investigator, Vytes P. Velyvis, MA, in an interview. 'In order to help patients develop effective coping strategies, we need to know how they are currently coping. If a patient is using denial and blame, we need to know that.' " [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Medical College of Georgia Partners with the GA Certified Peer Specialist Project Information at the Georgia Certified Peer Specialist web site - "The Department of Human Resources, Division of MHDDAD’s GA Certified Peer Specialist Project and the Medical College of Georgia’s School of Psychiatry have created a new partnership in which our insight (mental health consumers/ survivors/ex-patients) into our own recovery experience will be central to mental health care, and 'doing things impossible will become the stuff of everyday work,' stated David Stern, Dean of the School of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in his opening remarks for the day’s celebratory gathering, 'Pioneers of Recovery: Achieving the Promise of a New Georgia.'”  
  

Journal of Dual Diagnosis Information on a new journal from Hawthorne Publications - "The Journal of Dual Diagnosis examines the latest research in the co-occurrence of mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders. This important new publication provides you with current trends in research and practice as well as case studies from treatment programs internationally. This journal will serve clinicians, research neuroscientists, mental health services researchers, and health service administrators, as well as junior colleagues in training who are encouraged to contribute articles for publication."  
  

"Health Centers and Rural Clinics: State and Federal Implementation Issues for Medicaid's New Payment System GAO report in PSF format - "GAO recommends that CMS explore the development of a more appropriate inflation index for the BIPA PPS and improve its guidance for states and its oversight of states’ payment methodologies. CMS said it will take steps related to its oversight but disagreed on the need to issue additional guidance. CMS also disagreed on the need to develop an inflation index; GAO maintained the recommendation and also elevated the issue to a matter for congressional consideration."  
  

New clinical tool to help war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder Emory University Health Sciences Center press release at EurekAlert - "A new clinical tool for assessing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), developed by the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN), the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), and Emory University School of Medicine, could enable researchers to develop better treatments for war veterans suffering from the disabling anxiety disorder. Pilot studies of the system are currently being conducted with Vietnam War veterans at the Atlanta VA, and will soon be launched with Iraq War veterans at Fort Bragg, NC, and Serbo-Croatian War veterans in Zagreb, Croatia."  
  

Why not make Kendra's Law permanent? Empire Information Services press release - "A new Kendra's Law bill has been introduced into both houses of the state legislature that would renew the law for five more years. This move has baffled the bills supporters, including Patricia Webdale, the mother of Kendra, for whom the bill is named, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), which represents families with loved ones who have a mental illness. Named for Kendra Webdale, who was pushed under a subway train by a man with a serious mental illness who did not take his medications, Kendras Law provides for Assisted Outpatient Treatment to persons with severe mental illness who could not otherwise survive safely in their communities 'While the bill includes improvements to the law, we are deeply disappointed that it won't make the law permanent,' J. David Seay, Executive Director on NAMI-NYS said. 'The law has saved many lives and has dramatically lowered the rate of re-hospitalizations, incarcerations and homelessness for those whom it has served.'"  
  

Mandatory care for mentally ill OK'd (Maine) Portland Press Herald story - " Large majorities in the Maine House and Senate have approved a bill that would require some mentally ill outpatients to adhere to court-ordered treatment plans or risk being hospitalized against their will. The measure, which deeply split the state's mental-health community and sparked passionate debate in Augusta, faces one remaining obstacle. The Appropriations Committee, which is expected to meet later this month, must allocate $520,000 to fund the bill, said its sponsor, state Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds."  
  

Missouri Foundation for Health grants $5 million to area organizations St Louis Business Journal story - "A $1.06 million grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health will fund training for police officers to be better equipped in incidents where people may be in need of mental health services, the health foundation said Tuesday. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill will provide the training and establish liaisons to ensure continuing care for people with mental illness, the foundation said in a release. The goal is to reduce incarceration rates for mentally ill people and to reduce injuries that result during police questioning at the scene, the release said."