NEW PULSE PUBLICATION: The inaugural issue of the PULSE Quarterly Briefing was published in late June and has already received a great deal of praise ("Brilliant" - Fran Silvestri, Director: International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership; "A triumphant inaugural issue" - Paul Lefkovitz, CEO: Behavioral Pathway Systems; "Very useful..." - Elaine Alfano, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law). The PQB comes bundled with two other services, the "PULSE Bulletin" (40 issues/year) and "Recent Resources" (10 issues /year) and organizational subscriptions include access to a set of Internet-based tools for distributing news and announcements. For details on subscriptions, please see the new PULSE Community Site.

 Monday, July 04, 2005

Is There a Delay in the Antidepressant Effect? A Meta-Analysis Journal of Clinical Psychiatry story at Medscape - "It has long been thought that there is a delay of several weeks before a true antidepressant effect occurs, although this theory has increasingly come into question. The goals of this meta-analysis were to determine whether significant drug-placebo separation occurs during the first 2 weeks of treatment and to ascertain whether the timing of response to antidepressant medication and placebo is distinct." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

FDA warns anew about antidepressants and suicide AP story reprinted at PsycPORT - "The Food and Drug Administration issued a second public warning Friday that adults who use antidepressants should be closely monitored for warning signs of suicide, especially when they first start the pills or change a dose. Much of the concern over suicide and antidepressants has centered on children who use the drugs. The FDA last fall determined there is a real, but small, increase in risk of suicidal behavior for children and ordered the labels of all antidepressants to say so. A year ago, the FDA issued a warning that adults, too, may be at increased risk. The agency began reanalyzing hundreds of studies of the drugs to try to determine if that's the case, and told makers to add or strengthen suicide-related warnings on their labels in the meantime. Since then, several new studies have been published in medical journals about a possible connection. Citing them, FDA issued a new public health advisory reminding doctors and patients to watch closely for suicidal thinking or worsening depression and seek medical care if it happens."  
  

State health care plans to continue (Minnesota) Minneapolis Star Tribune story - "Minnesotans covered by subsidized health care programs will continue to receive services if a partial shutdown of state government occurs, a judge ruled Thursday. Ramsey County Chief District Judge Gregg Johnson denied a request by attorneys for Gov. Tim Pawlenty to reconsider his June 23 order, which designated the programs as essential government functions that must be funded. A state that intends to move ahead with road projects and keep state parks open during a government shutdown also must provide continued health care to its most vulnerable citizens, Johnson said. He also ordered Human Services Commissioner Kevin Goodno to send notices to people covered by the programs clarifying that the state will continue to fund their care..."  
  

Judge denies move to block Medicaid cuts Belleville News Democrat story - "The first round of cuts in the state's Medicaid program took effect Friday as scheduled, after a federal judge late Thursday denied an attempt to block them. Medicaid recipients sued Wednesday, contending the Department of Social Services violated constitutional due process rights by not providing parents adequate notice of the cuts in health care coverage. The suit sought class-action status and an injunction preventing anyone from losing Medicaid benefits. U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey heard arguments for a temporary restraining order Thursday afternoon and denied the request hours later."  
  

Michigan checks up on doctors Brief Detroit News story - "To improve care for people who are mentally ill, the state Department of Community Health is launching a two-year program to make sure doctors are up-to-date and follow recommendations when they prescribe medicine. The Michigan Pharmacy Quality Improvement Project is aimed at assuring that some of the 450,000-650,000 Michiganians who suffer mental illness or emotional disorders get proper medication. ... Advocates for the mentally ill complain that the mental health system in Michigan does not provide a program for recovery, including a regimen of the latest medications and adequate supervision. The new program, financed by drug manufacturer Eli Lilly and Co., enables the state to analyze prescriptions for Medicaid members to identify patterns inconsistent with industry guidelines."  
  

Troubled Iraq veterans face impediments to mental health Knight Ridder story at the Centre Daily - "Thousands of soldiers are returning home mentally and emotionally spent, some of them with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The Pentagon is making unprecedented efforts to help them deal with the trauma, including sending counselors to the battlefield. But the military's culture keeps many troops from seeking help, fearful of being labeled weak or damaging their careers.One in six soldiers and Marines reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression or anxiety after deployment in Iraq, according to researchers at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Maryland. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine last summer. ... Things might be worse now, some experts said."  
  

Low birth weight linked to psychological distress in adulthood Medical News Today story - "Low birth weight is associated with adult psychological distress. The research found that children born full term but weighing less than 5.5 lbs had a 50% increased risk of psychological distress in later life. Low birth weight is associated with adult psychological distress, according to a new study published in the July issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. The research found that children born full term but weighing less than 5.5 lbs (almost 3% of the total sample) had a 50% increased risk of psychological distress in later life. This remained the case after taking into account potential confounding factors, such as the father's social class, maternal age and adult marital status."  
  

Provision aims to boost aid for mental health (Washington) Story in The Olympian - "Thurston County could raise the sales tax by one-tenth of a percent to fund treatment for people with mental illness and drug or alcohol addictions. That's one of the most significant provisions in State Senate Bill 5763, parts of which take effect today, and which is lauded by mental health advocates as a triumph from the recent legislative session. Thurston County commissioners haven't said whether they'll increase the county's sales tax, but they know they now are authorized to do so without putting it to a public vote..."  
  

Report: Mental health care spotty (Georgia) Macon Telegraph story - "If you have a serious mental illness in Georgia, you have about a one-in-three shot at getting treatment from the state, and the level of services you do receive will probably vary depending on where you live. Your chances are even worse if you're a young person, speak little English or have any one of several disabilities. Those and other conclusions are included in a Mental Health Gap Analysis that was recently completed for the state by the consulting firm APS Healthcare. The company announced Thursday that the report is available for public viewing on the Internet.."  
  

Mental health system sees shift (Minnesota) St. Cloud Times story - "The shift of the state's mental health system to community-based treatment is beginning to take shape in Central Minnesota. Parts of the system already are operational, while others will begin next year as part of the statewide redesign of mental health services. The changes are part of the state's plan to move away from large treatment centers, such as those in Willmar, Fergus Falls and St. Peter, to smaller, community-based centers. Willmar Regional Treatment Center, where most patients from the St. Cloud area have been treated, has been sold to two companies that will turn it into a technology center. The shift will create four new vehicles for treatment of the mentally ill. The reorganized system will provide many benefits, officials have said..."  
  

Globalisation affecting children's mental health around the world Medical Net News story - "A child psychiatrist says that globalisation is affecting children's mental health around the world, by imposing Western child rearing beliefs and psychiatric practice. Sami Timimi, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust, in the UK, says that western culture promotes individualism, competitiveness, and weakens social ties, while in contrast, many non-Western cultures encourage values such as duty and responsibility within a close family structure. Timimi says that while the rates of psychological problems, such as crime, anxiety, and unhappiness, have increased sharply among young people in Western societies, the communal ethic of non-Western cultures seems to promote psychiatric wellbeing."  
  

Costly limits for mental health persist (New York) Albany Times-Union story - "Limiting sessions and mandating big co-pays are among the policies that private insurers use to limit mental health coverage, according to doctors, psychologists and other advocates. In addition, insurers' efforts to nitpick and deny requests for coverage make it hard for patients of all ages to get good care -- and for psychologists to make a living."