Tuesday, April 01, 2003

NIMH launches public health campaign to reach men about depression
NIMH press release - "The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one of the National Institutes of Health, today announced the launch of the first national campaign to raise awareness that depression is a major public health problem affecting an estimated 6 million men annually. Research suggests that men are less likely to seek treatment for this serious illness; data also show that men die by suicide at four times the rate of women."  
  

Self-Protection or Delusion? The Many Varieties of Paranoia
New York Times article - "Probably no psychiatric term is bandied about as loosely as paranoia. But paranoia covers a broad terrain, from a stable personality trait to a symptom of severe mental illness." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Screening of teens may prevent suicide (Ohio)
Canton Repository story - "Mental-health experts hope teens will sit down at a computer to reveal whether they are at risk for suicide. Stark is one of five counties in Ohio taking part in a free pilot program offered by Columbia University and the Ohio Department of Mental Health."  
  

Bay State strips 36,000 of Medicaid (Massachusetts)
Boston Globe story - "Last-minute efforts to reverse cuts to the state Medicaid program fell short yesterday, meaning that more than 36,000 chronically unemployed adults today lose their state-funded health insurance. Some of these patients, who were notified two weeks ago that they were about to be dropped, will be eligible for other forms of state aid, health care advocates said. But many in this vulnerable group -- most have substance abuse or mental health problems -- will go without basic care, then turn up in emergency rooms nursing severe illnesses, the advocates said."  
  

Children’s mental health gets attention (Idaho)
Idaho Statesman story - "As children struggle to learn multiplication or basic reading, schools are struggling to identify those students with mental illnesses that make it difficult to learn. But even tougher than discovering which children have depression, schizophrenia or other problems is helping them navigate Idaho´s convoluted system of mental health agencies the children rely on for care."  
  

Mental health court better, official says (Alabama)
Huntsville Times story - "The Madison County courts and local mental health groups are looking into an alternative to the jail cell for mentally ill people facing misdemeanor charges."  
  

Layoffs deplete health services (Oregon)
Story in the Bend Bulletin - "Because of state budget cuts, the Deschutes County Mental Health Department is going to lay off about 16 employees in July, meaning longer waits for appointments for some patients and dropping service to others."