Monday, January 26, 2004

State to change kids' mental aid (Illinois)
Chicago Tribune story - "Mental health screenings for children in crisis psychiatric situations will be merged under a single statewide program to save money and streamline services, according to a plan announced Sunday by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The state plans to set up a hot line and consolidate the screening programs geared toward children from low-income families by July 1, said Mike Claffey, spokesman for the governor. The new system will allow Illinois to generate an additional $1.1 million in federal matching Medicaid funds and will include follow-up medical services not currently in place, he said. ..." [Viewing Chicago Tribune resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

More and More Autism Cases, Yet Causes Are Much Debated
New York Times feature story - "No one disputes it. Cases of autism, the baffling and often devastating neurological disorder that strikes in early childhood, are rising sharply. In California alone, the number of children receiving special services for autism tripled from 1987 to 1998 and doubled in the four years after that. National figures tell a similar story. The upsurge has lent urgency to calls for more research on autism and more government spending to educate autistic children and has inspired federal officials, who late last year held an 'autism summit' meeting in Washington, where they presented a 10-year plan of action. But what lies behind the increase in cases is sharply debated.." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].