Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Wisconsin Counties Begin Charging Copayments for Behavioral Health Medications
Item at the highly recommended Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, based on reporting in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel - "Some Wisconsin counties are requiring copayments for prescription drugs to maintain programs that provide mental health treatment to low-income residents who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Waukesha County, which provides mental health medications to more than 500 patients, on Feb. 1 implemented a copay of $15 for each mental health prescription or refill, which patients previously received without charge...."  
  

Helfer to lead restructuring of social services (New York)
Buffalo News story - "Erie County is moving full steam ahead with its ambitious effort to completely revamp the way it delivers services to more than 10,000 children and families countywide. Starting today, County Executive Joel A. Giambra is tapping a new man to run the county's Department of Social Services and is charging him with the task of creating a new Department of Family Services and Community Health by the start of next year. The new department will oversee and redefine five existing county departments: Health, Mental Health, Social Services, Senior Services and Probation..."  
  

Mental health services united (Louisiana)
Times-Picayune story - " Helping people with mental problems before they become severe will be one of the main thrusts of a new state agency created by the Legislature last year. The Metropolitan Human Services District, expected to be in operation by July, will cover Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. While new to those three parishes, both Jefferson Parish and Baton Rouge have already successfully taken local control of mental health services and consolidated them under a single umbrella. The system will coordinate services for people with developmental disabilities, psychiatric disorders and drug and other addictions. The agency will assume local control of three subdivisions of the state health department..."  
  

Bill exempts mental health in hiring freeze (Mississippi)
Clarion-Ledger story - " The Mississippi Department of Mental Health would be exempted from a temporary hiring freeze, based on an amended bill the state House passed Monday. House Bill 805 originally passed the 122-member chamber Friday to include a freeze on new equipment purchases, too. The temporary freeze is expected to save the state $8 million to $14 million through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The bill was amended at the request of Rep. Bobby Moody, D-Louisville. ...Moody said his amendment could immediately affect the hiring of up to 25 mental health workers, including nurses and pharmacists. The positions are critical for the agency and the jobs are 'very stressful,'' he said."