Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Cultural Influences in Psychiatric Treatment
Article in the January Psychiatric Times - "Different psychiatric themes and problems in treatment present themselves for U.S.-born versus immigrant minority patients. Language barriers, culture-bound syndromes, and differences in customs and culture are often pronounced for immigrants and the basis for adaptation problems and stress. Problems are often more subtle for U.S. born minorities of color such as African-Americans who have lived in the United States for many generations (American Psychiatric Association Task Force on Ethnic Minority Elderly, 1994). The psychological sequelae of longstanding experiences of prejudice and marginalization may be profound for minority individuals..."  
  

Guilty of Mental Illness
Article in the January Psychiatric Times - "According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, U.S. prisons hold three times as many people with mental illness as psychiatric hospitals. The majority of these individuals are there because community-based treatments are not available, they have co-occurring substance abuse problems or they have previous involvement with the criminal justice system. Partnering with law enforcement agencies is key to devising workable solutions that ensure individuals with mental illnesses get the treatment they need."  
  

NAMI Executive Director Leaves
NAMI press release - "NAMI’s National Board of Directors today announced that national executive director Richard C. Birkel, Ph.D. is leaving the organization, effective immediately. Birkel has served in the position since 2001. ... Appointed as acting executive director is Michael Fitzpatrick, NAMI’s policy director, who has served on the national staff for five years."  
  

Century of Research Confirms Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Health - Question Is How to Apply that Knowledge to Healthcare Systems
APA press release - "Over 50 percent of deaths in the United States can be attributed to behavioral and social factors, says psychologist Oakley Ray, Ph.D., of the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University who reviewed the last century of research on psychosocial factors and health. Furthermore, recent research provides evidence that stresses that affect the brain can hurt the body at the cellular and molecular level and diminish a person’s health and quality of life. But, the research also says that maintaining a positive frame of mind can help a person overcome some of these stress effects, fight disease better and ultimately delay death. These findings are reported on in this month’s American Psychologist, published by the American Psychological Association..."  
  

Community in crisis: Drug use, mental illness and crime are a complicated combination (California)
The third article in a Times-Standard series - " Social stigma combined with a scarcity of available treatment have added to the existing stress of mentally ill people in Humboldt County. Mental health advocates are trying to encourage better collaboration among agencies, and better public awareness of mental illness. The intersection of mental illness, drug abuse and the criminal justice system can create challenges even for those with expertise in one of these fields. The desire to keep the community safe from criminals -- mentally ill or otherwise -- must be balanced against the fear of arresting people for aggressive or bizarre behavior related to their illnesses. .."