Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Medicare Prescription Drugs: Conference Committee Agreement Asks Beneficiaries to Pay Too High a Price For Modest Benefit
A report by Gail Shearer, director of health policy analysis for Consumers Union (Adobe Acrobat format) which indicates that "the $400 billion over 10 years set aside for Medicare beneficiaries drug costs would cover just 22% of anticipated medication expenses during that period." See also the related CU press release.

 

  
  

Mental Health Services for the Rural Aged
Psychiatric Times article - "Given the expected astronomical rise in the number of elderly over the next 15 years and the increase in mental health services that will need to be provided, it is of utmost importance to start planning now. Rural areas in particular present difficult challenges in providing mental health services to elderly patients. What are these challenges and how can health care providers overcome them?"  
  

Suicide rate soars on campuses
Herald-News story - "Second only to automobile accidents, suicide is the leading killer of college students -- claiming the lives of an estimated 1,100 each year, according to the Jed Foundation. The American Association of Suicidology reports on its Web site that the suicide rate for 15-to-25 year olds is 300 percent higher than it was in the 1950s. In the aftermath of three apparent suicides this fall at New York University, nearly 100 colleges and universities contacted the Jed Foundation about offering the nonprofit’s services to their students. The Jed Foundation also recently joined with Columbia, Harvard, Yale and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to begin developing more effective suicide prevention programs on campuses. "  
  

Government Mapping Out a Strategy to Fight Autism
New York Times news service story reprinted at the Ocala Star Banner (Florida) - " Propelled by the skyrocketing number of diagnoses of the perplexing brain disorder autism in children, federal officials have for the first time mapped out a long-term, interagency plan to deal with the problem. The plan includes objectives like the development of teaching methods that will allow 90 percent of autistic children to speak; the identification of genetic and nongenetic causes of the condition; and adequate services for all afflicted children in the next 7 to 10 years. The plan, which is to be unveiled at a major autism conference in Washington that begins today, signals the start of the push-pull process over financing. Such a plan was required by the Congressional appropriations committee that controls the budget for scientific and medical research and education programs of all kinds...."  
  

Mental health requires advocacy (Alaska)
Story in the Fairbanks News-Miner by Beth Corven of the Healthy Families Fairbanks Program on parental involvement when a diagnosis is made for a child with mental-health issues.  
  

Two mental health services merging (Connecticut)
New Haven Register story - "Birmingham Group Health Services and Griffin Hospital plan to merge their outpatient mental health services. The two facilities have filed a letter of intent with the state Office of Health Care Access to merge Griffin’s Cochran Outpatient Psychiatric Service with the Birmingham Group’s Valley Mental Health Center. The merger, which requires state approval, is expected to take place early next year. "  
  

Audit delayed for mental health agency (Michigan)
Detroit News story - " Until a series of troublesome financial issues are addressed, an independent audit of the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency should not be conducted, according to an auditor hired by the county. Plante & Moran, a certified public accounting and management firm with offices in Michigan and Ohio, also advised county officials that the unaddressed issues threaten the finances of both the troubled mental health agency and the county. "