Tuesday, August 26, 2003
A Scientist's Lifetime of Study Into the Mysteries of Addiction New York Times interview with Dr. Nora Volkow, the new director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who, the story notes, "intends to continue pursuing her own research into brain chemistry and addiction." [Viewing
New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].
Study: Stereotypes prevail in media coverage of depression University of Michigan Health System press release at
EurekAlert - "A new analysis of the media's coverage of depression, anti-depressant drugs and related issues over the past 15 years shows a significant shift in how newspapers and magazines portray mental health problems. Instead of describing depressive illnesses in terms of specific symptoms and medical terms, as they did when the era of Prozac began in the late 1980s, the printed news media are now far more likely to depict women's mental issues in relation to gender-stereotyped roles, such as marriage, motherhood, and menopause. But during the same time, descriptions of depression in men have not shifted in the same way. The new findings, made by researchers at the University of Michigan Depression Center and just published online by the journal
Social Science & Medicine, show that gender stereotypes increasingly pervade popular media discussions of mental illness."
Toll-free social services number called a success (Wisconsin) Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story - "Encouraged by results midway through a state experiment, proponents of 211 emergency telephone service are preparing to submit plans for extending the social services clearinghouse statewide. The proposal expected to be submitted within two weeks to the state Public Service Commission follows strong results reported during the first year of 211 service in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine and Dane counties. Operators of the toll-free networks - which link callers to suicide prevention agencies, drug treatment clinics and other services - have said call volumes are running 10% to more than 100% higher than the previous year under conventional hotline numbers."
Disabled avoid jail time (Michigan) Detroit News story - "A program designed to route mentally ill or disabled nonviolent offenders away from jail and into treatment has proved successful for juveniles, according to Oakland County's Community Mental Health Authority. The 2-year-old program has directed 21 juveniles accused of nonviolent misdemeanors into treatment instead of incarceration..."
Money and time run out for distinctive counseling agency (Washington) Seattle Post-Intelligencer story - "Shepherd's Counseling Services, which for 16 years has provided low-cost individual and group therapy to adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, will stop seeing clients at the end of the month. ... The loss of Shepherd's would tear a hole in the already-scant net of low-cost therapy available to adults grappling with sexual abuse in their past. The Crisis Clinic, a non-profit agency that maintains one of the most thorough databases of human services programs in King County, lists just three other organizations that offer low-cost or sliding-scale therapy for such adults."
Duplin-Sampson mental health joins with other agencies to form Eastpointe (North Carolina) Story in
The Sampson Independent - "Mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse patients in Sampson and Duplin counties may have noticed a new name surfacing around their services as Duplin-Sampson-Lenoir Mental Health joins forces with Wayne Mental Health to form Eastpointe. Directors from each of the areas gathered at Goldsboro Country Club yesterday to talk about the consolidation and its effects and to introduce Dr. Jack St. Clair as the new area director of Eastpointe."
