Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Smith says human services 'under a lot of stress' (Vermont)Times Argus profile of Charlie Smith, secretary of the state's Agency of Human Services - "... And the challenges have been many during Smith's first year on the job. Vermont's prison population continues to boom, growing by about 15 inmates a month. The Department of Corrections this year opened a new prison in Springfield and converted the prison in Windsor to a women's facility. It was also hit with a spate of inmate suicides and drug-overdose deaths. The Department of Developmental and Mental Health Services was rocked by a series of highly critical federal inspection reports about the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury, and in September lost the hospital's federal Medicaid funding. The department is working to correct staff, program and other deficiencies. "
Effective Suicide Prevention Program Health Central story - "A broad-based suicide prevention program implemented by the United States Air Force is having the intended effect. According to a report in the Dec. 13 issue of
British Medical Journal, suicides are down 33 percent since the program was put into place in 1997. ... The key components of the ongoing program are to provide support for soldiers facing mental health or psychosocial problems, with an emphasis on removing the stigma associated with seeking help for such problems. The program consists of multiple community prevention efforts involving agencies inside and outside the health care sector."
Taft vetoes bill on mental health care (Ohio)December 13 story in the
Plain Dealer - "Gov. Bob Taft followed through on his threat yesterday to strike down a bill restricting his ability to close state institutions for the mentally retarded. It was the first substantive veto of a full bill by the Republican governor, and one likely to be met by opposition in the General Assembly. Leaders in both chambers are considering a veto override, since the provision opposed by the governor is contained in a sweeping reform bill that lays out new protections aimed at improving state care for those with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
Layoff reveals larger problem, those with mental health needs suffer (Florida)Sun Herald story - "The sole nonprofit responsible for giving no-cost mental health and substance abuse services to Charlotte County residents has just had a major layoff -- and more are expected. In the last three weeks, Charlotte Community Mental Health Services has laid off a dozen employees, bringing its total staff to fewer than 200. The layoff comes roughly one year after the state officially closed the G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital in Arcadia and made CCMHS the go-to agency for area services."
Despite growing demand, mental health care costly (Tennessee)Leaf Chronicle story - " Local providers say Middle Tennessee's mental health care system is saturated, which is not surprising with 20 percent of men and women nationwide seeking treatment. 'We're in kind of snowball care,' said Bob Benning, CEO of Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital and Center in Oak Ridge. 'What happens is that as people are forced to wait, or people aren't seeking treatment, and their symptoms worsen. They're not going to come to the attention of a care giver until they're looking at the most expensive level of care.' "
Medical schools will play role in mental health overhaulSioux City Journal story - "Nebraska's two medical schools will play an integral role in the sweeping overhaul of the state's mental health system, Gov. Mike Johanns said Monday. The medical centers at the University of Nebraska and Creighton University will help fill voids created by the planned closing of two state mental health centers and become part of a network to expand mental health services across the state."
