Tuesday, October 01, 2002

Cuts affect those most in need (Idaho)
Spokesman Review story on how "the disabled, the mentally ill and the poor will bear the brunt of the $26.5 million in cuts that Gov. Dirk Kempthorne authorized this week."  
  

HIPAA Privacy Regulations Will Require Changes
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly article at Medscape - "With the release of final rules by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) governing the privacy of medical records (see ADAW, Aug. 19), as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), addiction treatment providers will have to alter their practices regarding medical records and reconcile the differences between the HIPAA regulations and the existing federal confidentiality regulations that apply to addiction treatment." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Pro and Con Views on Psychostimulant Use in Children Presented to Congress
Reuters Health story at Medscape on testimony last week over the widespread prescribing of stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. {Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Court for Mentally Ill Defendants Will Start Today
New York Times story on "an experimental court intended to give certain mentally ill criminal defendants treatment instead of jail time" which opens today in Brooklyn. The court has been operating as a pilot program since earlier this year and will primarily handle cases involving persistent mental conditions and nonviolent offenders. [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Magellan unable to refinance bank debt
Baltimore Sun story - "Magellan Health Services Inc. officials said yesterday that the company had not secured refinancing of its bank debt and warned that it would not have the funds if early repayment is demanded. They also said it might not have the funds to continue operating if that were to happen."  
  

Report - Establish 12 Psychiatric Beds By July (Arkansas)
Morning News story - "Establishing 12 beds for acute psychiatric care by July is one of several recommendations of two subcommittees of the Northwest Arkansas Mental Health/HIV Task Force. The subcommittees on forensic and acute care have completed a draft of actions meant to provide adequate care for the mentally ill in Northwest Arkansas. The groups met Monday to sketch in the recommendations they intend to forward to the Governor's Mental Health System Task Force."  
  

Results mixed for county's care plans (Ohio)
Cincinnati Business Courier story - "Two experiments in managed care, costing $150 million, have proved hard lessons for Hamilton County's Department of Job and Family Services. Deals struck four and five years ago, respectively, with Creative Connections and Magellan Public Health Solutions were part of the county's plan to reduce costs while providing more coordinated care for more than 18,600 children and their families who are referred to the system. But those agreements are ending, causing people to question whether the expense is improving outcomes in mental health, abuse and addiction services."  
  

Eastern State unit cut as state tightens budget (Oklahoma)
Miami News-Record story - "Budget cuts are being blamed for the phase out of a 44-bed enhanced residential treatment unit at Eastern State Hospital in Vinita. The phase out became public just days after Oklahoma Department of Mental Health officials announced a $10 million cut in their department’s budget."