PULSE EXECUTIVE EDITION is a free service of the Centre for Community Change International, selecting links to reports, articles, major news stories and Internet resources from CCCI's PULSE news service for leaders of mental health and consumer advocacy organizations. PULSE is researched, edited and designed by Bill Davis.
Monday, January 20, 2003
Suicide Risk Assessment and Management
Article in Current Opinion in Psychiatry at Medscape that "reviews recent research into the assessment and clinical management of suicide risk in patients with personality diagnoses." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Homeless Management Information Systems Implementation Guide
Adobe Acrobat version of the guide to systems for collecting Congressionally mandated data on the homeless - "Homeless Information Management Systems (HMIS). An HMIS is a relatively new concept that communities can use to collect ongoing data on people who are homeless who use service programs. Many communities lack a consistent means to identify service needs, barriers to accessing services, and program-, region-, and system-wide results. Now, using longitudinal data, communities can track service and demand trends. These data are critical to accurately calculate the size and needs of the homeless population as well as the outcomes of specific interventions and programs. Policymakers, agency directors, homeless program consumers, and advocates require this information for service and systems planning and advocacy. The HMIS Implementation Guide provides communities with valuable direction and technical assistance resources on strategies to collect information on people who are homeless."Prescription Drug Abuse Rising Rapidly
SAMHSA press release - "Abuse of prescription drugs is rising rapidly in the United States. Data released today indicate that in 2001 almost three million youth aged 12 to 17 had used prescription medications non-medically in their lifetimes."Maine Medical program aims to help patients with mental illness (Maine)
Brief WMTW story - "A new program at Maine Medical Center aims to help patients suffering from mental health crises by linking them up with someone who understand the ordeal from their perspective. The peer support program in the emergency room is winning high praise from medical staff and administrators at the Portland hospital."