Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Using Medicaid to Support Working Age Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses in the Community: A Handbook A January 2005 handbook produced by HHS (and called to our attention by the Open Minds web site) that explains "how existing Medicaid options and waivers are used by states to finance a broad range of community services and supports for adults with serious mental illnesses and to demonstrate what aspects of state-of-the-art community services and supports for this population are funded by Medicaid."  
  

Lawmakers: Vermont slow to close state hospital Rutland Herald story - "A panel of legislators charged with overseeing mental health issues harshly criticized state officials Tuesday for taking too long to close the troubled Vermont State Hospital. The frustration was aired just four days after the Department of Justice issued a scathing report that concluded the hospital during 2004 failed to protect patients from harm, often did not develop adequate care plans and used restraint and seclusion excessively. The federal agency is threatening legal action unless improvements are made..."  
  

Hill District a microcosm of mental health challenges for African Americans (Pennsylvania) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story - "For about nine months, Earl Hill has directed mental health care at the Hill House, where the 30-year-old program is a satellite of UPMC's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. His position puts Hill on the front line of mental health wellness for black Americans and he knows that depression, anxiety, psychosis and suicide are as real as heart attacks or diabetes. Unfortunately, only one-third of Americans get the mental health care they need and for black Americans the gaps in mental health treatment and services are wider than ever. The Hill District, where many of Hill's 1,500 clients come from, is a microcosm of the mental health challenges for African Americans..."