Tuesday, July 15, 2003

Community Surveys of Mental Disorders: Recent Achievements and Works in Progress
Current Opinion in Psychiatry article at Medscape which asks to what extent the recommendations of Lee N. Robins - one of the pioneers of psychiatric epidemiology and author of an important review 25 years ago in the Archives of General Psychiatry - have been fulfilled. [Viewing Medscape resources requiresregistration, which is free].  
  

Psychiatrists for children in short supply
Cleveland Plain Dealer story reprinted at the NAMI web site - "A severe national shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists has heightened urgency to plug a gaping hole in mental health care for kids in Greater Cleveland. The crisis has put in motion plans to use public money to attract the specialists to the area and to spur pediatricians to take a bigger role in treating mental illness."  
  

Structured Care Key in Treating Depression in Minority Women
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story reprinted at PsycPORT - "Providing transportation and child care and taking extra time to establish trust are key components in improving the treatment of depression in low-income minority women, a new study says. The study is one of the first involving primarily blacks and Hispanics -- who traditionally have been underrepresented in such studies -- and suggests that these extra steps, coupled with anti- depressant medication or psychotherapy, are the most effective way to improve their depression symptoms. The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association."  
  

SAMHSA Takes First Step Toward Reshaping Addiction Block Grant
Feature story at Join Together - "For years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been talking about pushing states to be more accountable for how they spend federal block-grant funds. In late December, absent much fanfare, SAMHSA finally unveiled its proposal for transforming the addiction and mental-health block grants into more demanding -- yet more flexible -- Performance Partnership grants." See also the page indexing related resources at SAMHSA.