Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Vance County takes mental health agency actions (North Carolina) Daily Dispatch story - " Vance Commissioners signed a resolution Monday night to help form a new "local management entity" for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse. ...  The mental health services agencies to be consolidated are the Vance-Granville-Franklin-Warren Area Authority and RiverStone Counseling and Personal Development. The new entity would be accountable to a five-county area comprised of Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Vance and Warren. The consolidation, which would affect more than 200,000 people, is being required by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services which is responsible for funding area authorities and local management entities."  
  

Mental health, Medicaid priorities in HHS budget (Utah) Salt Lake Tribune story - "Mental health providers and Medicaid recipients are the big winners in preliminary budgets approved Monday for Utah's Departments of Health and Human Services. After more than two hours of debate, a joint appropriations committee recommended among its top spending priorities: $2.5 million to expand the state's mental hospital; $3 million for local mental health providers; and a 2.5 percent pay hike for employees who contract with cities and counties to offer services for the elderly, substance abusers and the mentally ill."  
  

Health plan for vets called inadequate  Story in The Oregonian - " The Bush administration's proposal to fund health care for veterans is "woefully inadequate" to meet the needs of soldiers coming home from Iraq and tocontinue treatment for those who fought in other wars, Rep. Darlene Hooley said Monday. Hooley, D-Ore., and Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., asked the president to increase funding for veterans health services to meet growing needs as thousands of troops return after combat in Iraq. ... Baird said veterans' health services have been underfunded since the war began, and that not catching up now, especially for soldiers suffering post traumatic stress and other mental health needs, means there could be casualties at home. " See also the paper's related editorial.  
  

Justice for the mentally ill (Texas) Houston Chronicle story - "Harris County's felony judges are considering the creation of a so-called mental health court, with the hope of producing more success stories like Blair, who, by most accounts, has prospered under court supervision. Similar to the drug court created here in 2003, a mental health court would be designed to channel specialized medical treatment and legal consideration to those with such conditions as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychotic episodes. With the amount of prison and jail space dwindling statewide, court officials are exploring alternatives that may save money and reduce crime..."