February 2016 - Links to additional articles, videos, and information from around the nation
Congress Orders Defense Dept. to Study Combat’s Effects on Veteran Suicide Rates
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/19/us/congress-orders-defense-dept-to-study-combats-effects-on-veteran-suiciderates.html?emc=edit_tnt_20151218&nlid=55114051&tntemail0=y&_r=0
Understanding Mental Illness – 14 minute video http://www.davidpickar.com/understanding-mental-illness/
A Year of Reckoning – Police Fatally Shoot Nearly 1000 http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/12/26/a-year-of-reckoning-police-fatally-shoot-nearly1000/?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_most
Scientists open ‘black box’ of schizophrenia with dramatic genetic discovery
Now that a gene variant has been linked to individuals at higher risk for the disorder, researchers hope it will lead to
early detection and new treatments. By Amy Ellis Nutt • Read more »
This superintendent has figured out how to make school work for poor kids
Jennings, Mo., schools leader added more mental health care, a food pantry and shelter for homeless kids
By Emma Brown • Read more »
Glennon Doyle Melton: Mom Power!
This blogger speaks to and for moms about parenting with depression and anxiety.
Soothe Stress — The Comfort and Joy of Baking
The hands-on acts of baking can eases depression, calms anxiety and relieves stress.
Shyness & Social Anxiety Solutions— Join the Party!
Sitting at home isn’t the solution for shyness and social anxiety—try these ideas.
Clutter to Calm: Organize to Reduce Stress
Keeping your living space clear and uncluttered generates good energy and reduces stress.
Ask the Doctor: Medical Conditions and Depression
Chronic illnesses have been associated with an increased risk of developing major depression.
Medicaid delay makes some Iowa kids' coverage uncertain – DM Register
WellCare to Iowa: Don’t count us out just yet – DM Register
Appetite for Medicaid contracts on display in WellCare's Iowa battle
Iowa's decision to boot WellCare from its new Medicaid managed-care program has roiled tensions in the state. It also
shows how fiercely insurers will fight to secure a big-ticket source of revenue. READ MORE
The Associated Press: Branstad: Remaining 3 Companies Will Offer Medicaid Services
Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday said Medicaid recipients enrolled with a private company that had its state contract
terminated can be covered by one of three remaining companies set to take over Iowa's $4.2 billion Medicaid program.
Branstad said three is an adequate number of companies providing managed care of Medicaid services in the state. He
said he can't predict the outcome of an expected legal challenge from WellCare of Iowa, the company whose services
were formally dropped on Friday. (Rodriguez, 12/21)
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The Des Moines Register: Medicaid Delay Makes Some Iowa Kids' Coverage Uncertain
The two month delay in Iowa's effort to privatize management of Medicaid means that most of the 37,000 children
enrolled in a special health care program must transition to a new insurance carrier Jan. 1. But some of those children
may face situations where their doctors don’t accept their new insurance carrier. (Clayworth, 12/21)
Tampa Bay Tribune & Sarasota Herald Tribune: 'Definition Of Insanity'
Every year, Florida courts send hundreds of people accused of minor crimes to high security mental hospitals. Forced to
live among violent offenders, they get medication to stabilize their symptoms, but little therapy or long-term support to
help them manage their illnesses. Instead, the hospitals run patients through drills, day after day, to teach them how a
courtroom works. “What is a bailiff?” “What is the role of a judge?” The singular goal: to get them deemed legally
competent so they can return to face their charges. (Braga, Cormier and Anton, 12/18)
Health News Florida: Mental Hospital Focus On Court, Not Treatment
Florida is spending more than $50 million a year getting defendants charged with nonviolent crimes declared competent
for trial and not providing these same people significant mental health treatment, according to an investigation by the
Tampa Bay Times and Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The current system has defendants spend two hours a day watching
courtroom procedure videos reminiscent of game shows, and cuts off care once they are removed from mental
hospitals. The result is that about 200 of these individuals a year are returning to state mental hospitals within 12
months, the investigation reports. (12/21)
The Kansas Health Institute News Service: Mental Health System At Crossroads As Session Approaches
Kansas mental health advocates will enter the 2016 session at a critical juncture, 25 years into the state’s effort to move
away from institutionalization to community-based care. Crowded prisons and state hospitals have helped create
momentum for statewide reforms to fill the gaps in that system — to provide a “continuum of care” to keep Kansans
with persistent mental illness out of crisis. (Marso, 12/21)
The Charleston Gazette-Mail: DHHR Brings Down Patient Numbers At Psych Hospitals
The number of staff vacancies at the state’s two psychiatric hospitals have dropped since court-ordered raises were
introduced for current and prospective employees in January, according to testimony from state officials in Kanawha
County Circuit Court Thursday. (Nuzum, 12/20)
WellCare files suit in Iowa over terminated Medicaid contract
WellCare, which is contesting its terminated contract to help oversee Iowa's Medicaid program, has filed a lawsuit
against the state. READ MORE
Wellcare: Iowa Official Erred in Terminating on Medicaid Conclusions
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/2015/12/23/wellcare-iowa-official-erred-medicaidconclusions/77827284/
The Associated Press: Feds Accuse Osawatomie State Hospital Of 'Systemic Failure'
A Kansas mental hospital that lost federal funding failed to supervise care, perform safety checks and protect suicidal
patients, inspectors said. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services report cited a rape at the Osawatomie State
Hospital in October as an example of the problems that prompted the federal government to cut off funding Monday.
Kansas now has to pay for care at the facility, which is one of only two of its kind in the state. (12/23)
The Associated Press: Illinois Settles Class-Action Suit On Mentally Ill Inmates
Lawyers representing 11,000 mentally ill inmates in Illinois prisons have reached a settlement with the state in a longrunning class-action lawsuit that alleged inadequate treatment amounted to "cruel and unusual punishment," a deal
both sides heralded on Wednesday. Among a long list of provisions, the agreement calls for the Illinois Department of
Corrections to build four new treatment units, including at Logan, Pontiac, and Dixon prisons, at a cost of $40 million.
Hiring new staff members is expected to reach another $40 million a year. (Tarm, 12/23)
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The Houston Chronicle: Schools Play Growing Role In Addressing Mental Health Challenges
The first grader was shuffling through his school papers when he stumbled across it: the test he had been taking last
month when he got so angry that he had punched another student in the face. (Rosenthal, 12/23)
KIMT: Mercy Signs With Medicaid Companies Prior To Managed Care
Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa is announcing they will be signing on with two private Medicare companies as part
of the new managed care. Mercy officials say they’ve signed contracts with AmeriHealth Caritas and Wellcare Health.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s highly controversial change to privately-managed care is set to take effect January 1, 2016 in an
effort to make the program more efficient. (Ismail, 12/23)
Official says no to WellCare request to continue operation | The Gazette www.thegazette.com
Robert Spitzer, psychiatrist of transformative influence, dies at 83
He brokered the American Psychiatric Association’s landmark 1973 vote to stop treating homosexuality as an illness
By Amy Argetsinger • Read more »
"RESEARCH WEEKLY: Psychiatric Hospital Beds: A National Disconnect"
The Treatment Advocacy Center is a leader in tracking and reporting the declining population of state psychiatric
hospital beds, a vanishing breed whose numbers have shrunk by at least 95% in the last half-century. Now a team of
North Carolina researchers has created a simulation model to analyze how many non-forensic beds it would take to
reduce the amount of time people in psychiatric crisis currently spend waiting for a hospital bed. READ IT ALL...
“Congress Budget Deal to Fully Fund Assisted Outpatient Treatment”"
Congress last week approved a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending measure, including full funding for a new grant program
to help local mental health systems establish and implement assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs nationwide.
READ IT ALL...
"Four Alaskan Inmate Deaths Signal Trouble in the 'Frontier State'"
New images and video released earlier this month show the moments leading up to the deaths of four inmates while in
the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections. One of the inmates, Davon Mosley, was found dead in his cell in
April of 2014 after spending two weeks in segregation. Mosley suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia but
never received his medications while in jail, according to his family. READ IT ALL...
"The Realities of Serious Mental Illness"
“The Realities of Serious Mental Illness,” a short documentary by renowned psychiatrist and researcher Dr. David Pickar,
is a crash-course on schizophrenia and the many devastating consequences of untreated severe mental illness. The 14minute film features appearances by former NIMH director Dr. Thomas and Representative Tim Murphy, among others.
Watch it now! READ IT ALL...
Why so many police calls involving the mentally ill end in death
Quintonio LeGrier, killed Saturday by Chicago police, and at least 246 other people with mental health problems have
been fatally shot by U.S. police in 2015. Experts said police training gives a clue why so many encounters are fatal.
By Peter Holley and Wesley Lowery • Read more »
"On Losing My Darling Natalie" - personally speaking
“Natalie was the bravest person I ever knew, and her suicide doesn’t change that,” wrote Chief of Research and Public
Affairs Doris Fuller following the devastating loss of her daughter in March. “The work to save other lives goes on. She
wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other way.” READ IT ALL...
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"My Danny Matters" - personally speaking
“Danny's first psychiatric hospitalization occurred at the age of 15,” said Teresa Pasquini about her son. “Danny now
spends 23 hours a day in a jail cell in the beautiful Napa Valley awaiting a competency ruling by the court. He has been in
and out of two state hospitals for almost 3 years. It is a torturous process. I yearn to hug him, help him, and heal him.”
READ IT ALL...
"The Time is Now"
With broad bipartisan support, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (HR 2646) went to committee markup in
the House. The legislation made it out of the health subcommittee mark-up with all provisions in tact to help the most
severely ill – one of the most important steps toward meaningful health reform. READ IT ALL...
"Supreme Court Ruling May Force Widespread Implementation of Crisis Intervention Training"
The Sheehan v. San Francisco Supreme Court case ruling could bring about much-needed changes in the way law
enforcement officers across the country are trained to interact with people with mental illness. READ IT ALL...
"Severe Mental Illness Brought My Son to His Knees" - personally speaking
“The illness caused my son’s thoughts to become disordered so that he didn’t even understand he was sick,” wrote
Kathy Harkey about her son, Joshua. “I tried to get Joshua help. I tried to explain the symptoms he was showing but no
one would talk or listen to me. The HIPAA privacy rule prevented me from helping my son and forced me to stand
helplessly by and watch him suffer.” READ IT ALL...
Lawmakers split over need for Medicaid oversight - The Green Gazette cedarrapidsgazette.ia.newsmemory.com
The New York Times: Programs Expand Schizophrenic Patients’ Role In Their Own Care
Frank, who eight months earlier had received a diagnosis of psychosis, the signature symptom of schizophrenia, and had
been in and out of the hospital, gradually learned to take charge of his own recovery, in a new approach to treatment
for people experiencing a first psychotic “break” with reality. At a time when lawmakers in Washington are debating
large-scale reforms to the mental health care system, analysts are carefully watching a handful of new first-break
programs like the one that treated Frank in New York as a way to potentially ease the cycle of hospitalization and
lifetime disability that afflict so many mentally ill people. (Carey, 12/28)
The Washington Post: How One Couple’s Loss Led To A Push For Psychological Care For Kids With Cancer
What has stuck with Vicki and Peter Brown for years, beyond the enduring grief of losing their only child, Matthew, are
the emotional traumas they all suffered during his struggle with a rare form of bone cancer. ... The couple ultimately
launched a years-long effort to try to ensure that children with cancer and their families get the help they need for the
non-medical aspects of the disease. Last week, their hard work paid off with the publication of the first national
standards for the “psychosocial” care of children with cancer and their families. (Dennis, 12/29)
The Associated Press: Mental Health Settlement Talks Founder On Enforcement Issues
Talks over a deal to improve mental health care for children broke down largely because the state didn't want a federal
judge to oversee its implementation. That's according to a transcript of what lawyers for Mississippi Attorney General
Jim Hood and the U.S. Justice Department told U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate. (Amy, 1/1)
The Associated Press: State Asks To Delay Speedup In Mental Evaluations For Defendants
Washington state says it needs more time to comply with a federal judge’s order requiring officials to quickly provide
mentally ill defendants with competency evaluations and treatment. (1/2)
Columbus Dispatch: Old Rules Say Medicaid Patients Can’t Fill Psychiatric Beds
More than half of the 1,141 patients who sought inpatient psychiatric services last month in Franklin County were
enrolled in Medicaid. On average, they waited 26 hours for that care — twice as long as the typical 13-hour wait for
patients who had private health insurance. Fueling that disparity is the fact that most of the region’s private psychiatric
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beds remain largely off-limits to Medicaid enrollees, even as their numbers swell as a result of Ohio’s Medicaid
expansion. (Sutherly, 12/29)
World’s – Best and Worst – Places to be Mentally Ill http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/blogs/couch-crisis/worlds-bestand-worst-places-be-mentally-ill
Calm Voices, Calmer Kids It’s hard to keep your cool when children are acting up. But less yelling means better
communication, and a better chance that behavior will improve.
The Associated Press: Highlights Of Executive Actions Addressing Gun Violence
The Obama administration is announcing a series of executive steps aimed at curbing gun violence, including broader
background checks and the hiring of additional specialists to process those checks. The White House is also proposing a
$500 million investment to improve mental health care. (1/5)
The Wall Street Journal: Obama to Announce Expansion of Background Checks for Gun Purchases
President Barack Obama is directing administration officials to explore ways to expand the use of technology that can
ensure a weapon can be fired only by its owner and proposed efforts to invest in mental-health care and include
information in the background-check system about individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm for mentalhealth reasons. (Nelson and Fields, 1/5)
The Hill: Rules Eased On Providing Mental Health Records For Background Checks
Some health providers, courts and state officials have been hesitant to share records because of strict privacy laws. As a
result, the federal background check system, known as the NCIS, has significant gaps on people disqualified from owning
guns because of mental illnesses. New rules issued Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are
intended to make it clear that legal authorities can pass along mental health records that could be valuable in a
background check. The rules from the Obama administration, to be published Tuesday, clarify that only limited
information about the patient is shared – only a person’s name and the entity that made the ruling. (Ferris, 1/4)
Politico: Doctors Can Report Some Mentally Ill Patients To FBI Under New Gun Control Rule
Delivering on its promise to deliver "common sense" gun control, the Obama administration on Monday finalized a rule
that enables health care providers to report the names of mentally ill patients to an FBI firearms background check
system. While the 1993 Brady law prohibits gun ownership by individuals who have been involuntarily committed, found
incompetent to stand trial or otherwise deemed by a court to be a danger to themselves or others, federal health care
privacy rules prohibited doctors and other providers from sharing information without the consent of their patients.
Under the rule, which takes effect next month, for the first time health providers can disclose the information to the
background check system without legal repercussions. (Pittman, 1/4)
Reuters: Obama Tightens Gun Rules, Requires More Background Checks
"The president is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will," Republican Speaker
of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan said in a statement before the White House announcement. Republicans
have called for more focus on mental health care rather than measures to restrict gun ownership. The White House said
it would ask Congress for $500 million in its 2017 budget to boost access to mental health care. (Mason and Rampton,
1/4)
NPR: Veterans Say Trained Dogs Help With PTSD, But The VA Won't Pay
Service dogs are often trained to help veterans with physical disabilities. Now, a growing number are being trained to
meet the demand from vets with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. So far, though, the
Department of Veterans Affairs won't help pay for service dogs for PTSD, citing a lack of scientific evidence. But it's
launching a study to find out what effect specially trained service dogs can have on the lives of veterans with PTSD.
(Silverman, 1/4)
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Mobile Resources To Support Behavioral Health
Download Free Apps From SAMHSA
This New Year, resolve to promote positive behavioral health in your community. SAMHSA has resources that can help
address some of the toughest mental health and substance use challenges, including suicide prevention, bullying
prevention, behavioral health following a disaster, and underage drinking prevention.
 Suicide Safe helps health care providers integrate suicide prevention strategies into their practice and address
suicide risk among their patients.
 KnowBullying provides information and guidance on ways to prevent bullying and build resilience in children. A
great tool for parents and educators, KnowBullying is meant for kids ages 3 to 18.
 SAMHSA Disaster App provides responders with access to critical resources—like Psychological First Aid and
Responder Self-Care—and SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to help responders provide
support to survivors after a disaster.
 Talk. They Hear You is an interactive game that can help parents and caregivers prepare for one of the more
important conversations they may ever have with children—underage drinking.
Learn More and Download SAMHSA's Free Mobile Apps
HHS test will try addressing social needs to improve health
The effort reflects the government's ambition to shift the industry toward value-based payment models as well as an
acknowledgement that social factors, not just the quality of healthcare services, determine the health of a
community. READ MORE
The Hill: Obama Dares GOP For Mental Health Reforms
President Obama is pressuring congressional Republicans to make good on their promise to fix the nation’s broken
mental health system, which the GOP has frequently blamed for gun violence. As part of his wide-reaching efforts to rein
in gun violence, Obama on Tuesday called for a half-billion dollars in new mental health spending, taunting the GOP on
their failure to pass a mental health reform bill since pledging to do so in 2013. ... "Put your money where your mouth
is,” Obama said during an emotional speech at the White House. (Ferris, 1/5)
Roll Call: GOP Sidesteps Obama Mental Health Proposal
Bypassing Congress on new rules for gun purchases, President Barack Obama Tuesday offered GOP lawmakers exactly
what they have been asking for: expanded access to mental health services. But Republicans, angered by his unilateral
actions, didn’t bite. Republicans have consistently pointed to mental health legislation in the wake of mass shootings,
while Democrats focused on tighter rules for buying guns. On Tuesday, Obama proposed a $500 million investment in
the mental health system. (Bowman, 1/5)
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Modern Healthcare: Obama's Actions On Guns Could Bolster Mental Health Bills Before Congress
President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced $500 million for expanding access to mental health treatment as part of
a series of executive actions aimed at curbing gun violence. ... The White House did not elaborate on how the $500
million for mental health would be spent. A fact sheet states it would help improve access to care by increasing service
capacity and the number of behavioral healthcare providers. (Muchmore, 1/5)
Minnesota Public Radio: Large State-Run Psychiatric Hospital Risks Losing Federal Funds
Minnesota's second-largest state-run psychiatric hospital is at risk of losing federal funding over patient care and staff
safety. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center could lose $3.5 million annually
from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which gave the state a March deadline to come up with solutions.
(Feshir and Crann, 1/6)
Kansas Health Institute News Service: Mental Health Advocates Say Osawatomie Troubles May Provide Chance To
Revamp System
Some mental health advocates in Kansas see a silver lining to Osawatomie State Hospital losing its Medicare payments: a
chance to redesign a system they say was already strained and underfunded. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services announced in December it would decertify Osawatomie, meaning the hospital no longer would receive about
$1 million in monthly payments from Medicare to care for patients with severe mental illnesses. Federal surveyors
pointed to what they called widespread security problems. (Hart, 1/5)
Reuters: Virginia Politician Sues State Over Stabbing, Son's Suicide
A Virginia state senator whose mentally ill son stabbed him 13 times and then committed suicide has filed a $6 million
lawsuit against the state and a community services board. ... Among other things, Deeds charges that his son, Austin
"Gus" Deeds, was improperly denied treatment. ... Deeds became an advocate for mental health reform and introduced
legislation to make changes in Virginia’s mental health system. The legislation, signed into law in 2014, established a
framework to help ensure that psychiatric beds are made available for those who meet standards for temporary
detention. (Robinson, 1/5)
Medicaid Privatization Has No Upside for Iowa | Iowa Hospital Association Blog blog.iowahospital.org
GAO investigating impact of Medicaid non-emergency transit waivers
Federal law requires coverage of necessary transportation to and from providers. But as Medicaid expanded under the
ACA and costs increased, the CMS granted states' requests to waive the requirement. The GAO is investigating the
impact of the waivers. READ MORE
Kaiser Health News: Medicaid To Fund More Addiction Treatment
For decades, if someone on Medicaid wanted to get treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, they almost always had to
rely solely on money from state and local sources. Now, in a dramatic shift, the federal government is considering
chipping in, too. The agency that governs Medicaid is proposing to cover 15 days of inpatient rehab per month for
anyone enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan. (Allen, 1/7)
TED ED presentation on Depression by Dr. Helen Farrell, a psychiatrist on the Medical School faculty at Harvard
University http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-depression-helen-m-farrell
Plan to pardon some youthful offenders will help them get their lives in order – The Buffalo News
In keeping with the holiday spirit, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that he would pardon thousands of
people who were convicted of nonviolent crimes as teenagers and have stayed out of trouble since being released. It is a
good decision. People usually deserve a second chance, especially if they have spent a lifetime attempting to make up
for a mistake made in their youth. More here.
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New Illinois laws aim to keep teens out of prison system - Chicago Tribune
A package of new laws taking effect Friday aims to keep more juveniles out of the prison system, including changes that
stop youths from being detained for misdemeanor crimes and give judges more discretion on whether teens should be
tried as adults. An additional measure eliminates mandatory life sentences for minors convicted of murder, while
another seeks to keep children younger than 13 out of the justice system altogether by attempting to place them with
community service providers instead of a juvenile detention facility. More here.
Bipolar and Anger: Unravel Your Wrath
Bipolar irritability and anger can damage relationships and hurt you in the workplace. It pays to learn how to prevent
and defuse flare-ups in temper. Click Here for Content & Images: bphope.com/partners-this-month/
Social Anxiety Solutions
Social anxiety can keep you sitting at home. Our solutions help you get out and forge connections that build your wellbeing. Click Here for Content & Images: hopetocope.com/partners-this-month/
"In Memoriam: Ted Stanley"
The Treatment Advocacy Center marks the passing of Ted Stanley, an unequaled philanthropist, friend and champion for
eliminating barriers to the treatment of severe mental illness. Inspired by the triumph of his son, Jonathan, over severe
mental illness, Mr. Stanley for decades committed his considerable vision, energy and wealth to reshaping the
landscapes of mental illness research and advocacy in America. No one has done as much to advance the cause of
mental illness treatment. We all stand in awe of his contributions that promise to benefit humanity for
generations. READ IT ALL...
“ACT NOW: Don't Give Up Virginia's Psychiatric Hospital Beds"
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe plans to close Catawba Hospital in Roanoke County, even though there are more than
85 prisoners with mental illness in VA jails waiting for a psychiatric bed to become available. The state currently has only
37 percent of the psychiatric beds needed to adequately meet the needs of its population with severe mental illness. We
urge VA residents to contact their representatives and tell them Virginia cannot afford to lose any more public
psychiatric beds. READ IT ALL...
"RESEARCH WEEKLY: Improving Medication Adherence"
Those who live with psychotic disorders – the individuals, their family members, caregivers and others nearby –
inevitably live with the issue of medication adherence. Literature reviews on the subject typically report average rates of
adherence in the 40-60% range; the NIMH estimates that approximately half the population with severe bipolar disorder
or schizophrenia is not receiving treatment on any given day. Improving adherence to antipsychotic medications is
critical, as it could reduce the annual cost of schizophrenia to the states by $3.28 net of the increased expense for the
medications themselves. READ IT ALL...
"Solutions to Reduce the Criminalization of Mental Illness in Pennsylvania"
In the final installment of their year-long investigative series "From Patients to Prisoners," PennLive presents 11
potential solutions to the criminalization of mental illness - from increasing state hospital beds to implementing assisted
outpatient treatment (AOT) - and asks readers to vote for the policies they support. Pennsylvania residents can voice
their support by voting for policies that would help people with severe mental illness. READ IT ALL...
Systematic denial: Will Iowa’s poor face a Kansan fate? www.desmoinesregister.com
Mental health and gun violence meet at a bumpy crossroad
In an address during which he wiped away tears, President Barack Obama last week dared Republicans to finance
mental health reform as part of a package of executive actions meant to combat gun violence. READ MORE
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Wyoming Public Radio: In Rural Wyoming, Cops Learn New Skills To Deal With Mental Health Crises
Across the country, the first professional responder someone in a mental health crisis sees is often law enforcement.
That’s especially the case in Wyoming, where the suicide rate is double the national average and lacks the mental health
resources of more urban areas. (Bryan, 1/8)
USA Today: Texas Allows Guns Into State Mental Health Hospitals
As of New Years Day, licensed gun owners in Texas have been allowed to openly carry firearms into restaurants, shops
and zoos. Add a new place to the gun-friendly list: state mental health hospitals. (Jervis, 1/8)
The Kansas Health Institute News Service: Kansas Insurer To End Prior Authorization On Mental Health
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas won’t require customers who need mental health services to get prior
authorization going forward, but it can recoup payments from providers if their treatment is significantly different from
that of their peers. Mary Beth Chambers, spokeswoman for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, said the change brings
the insurer’s mental health policies in line with its policies for other types of medical care and with mental health parity
laws. Eliminating prior authorization also will reduce paperwork for providers, she said. (Hart, 1/8)
Stop Locking Up People With Mental Illnesses http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosenberg/stop-locking-up-thementa_b_8771132.html
OTHER VOICES: Medicaid privatization offers no upsides for Iowa m.siouxcityjournal.com
Hospitals sue to block Medicaid managed care www.desmoinesregister.com
The Star Tribune: For Hundreds Of Minnesotans, The Wait For Disability Services Is Over
The number of Minnesotans with disabilities who endure prolonged waits for crucial social services has fallen sharply in
recent months, as the state removes long-standing barriers to families most in need of assistance. State officials are
pressuring counties to spend more of the billions of dollars allocated annually — much of it unspent in recent years —
for a coveted form of Medicaid assistance that helps people with disabilities build more independent lives in the
community. (Serres, 1/11)
Des Moines Register: Editorial: Wellmark Ruling Reveals Patient Struggles
Iowa’s largest health insurer searched for any way to justify not reimbursing an Iowa City pharmacist for drugs he
dispensed to hemophilia patients. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield ultimately breached its contract with Michael
Stein by not honoring 114 claims for drugs dispensed to 24 patients, according to a decision issued last month by the
Iowa Court of Appeals. If the ruling stands, the insurer may owe an estimated $9 million. (1/11)
Trying to Make Mental Health First Aid as Familiar as CPR https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-yourhealth/wp/2016/01/04/trying-to-make-mental-health-first-aid-as-familiar-as-cpr/
Stateline: Helping Drug-Addicted Inmates Break The Cycle
A week before 22-year-old Joe White was slated for release from the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, 26 law
enforcement officials and social workers huddled around a table to discuss his prospects on the outside. For substance
abusers like White, they aren’t good. In the first two weeks after a drug user is released from jail, the risk of a fatal
overdose is much higher than at any other time in his addiction. After months or years in confinement, theoretically
without access to illicit drugs, an addict’s tolerance for drugs is low but his craving to get high can be as strong as ever.
(Vestal, 1/13)
The New York Times: Where Police Violence Encounters Mental Illness
Nearly 20 years ago, I was a social worker in a county jail where I first began to understand just how frequently the
police deal with people with mental illnesses. Run-ins with the police were a regular occurrence for many of my clients,
with officers often knowing them by name. They were overwhelmingly poor, and poor people with mental illnesses are
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also likely to experience homelessness and substance abuse — issues that place them at increased risk of police contact
and incarceration. (Matthew Epperson, 1/13)
Editorial board: Branstad defends water quality, Medicaid dmreg.co
Prisons as Addiction Treatment Centers?
Telegraph-Forum—Jan. 4 | Ohio
Criminal Justice Reform in 2015: Year End Review
Huffington Post—Dec. 28 | National
Report: Less Segregation Working Well
The Pueblo Chieftain—Dec. 26 | Colorado
Illinois Settles Class-Action Suit on Mentally Ill Inmates
Chicago Tribune—Dec. 24 | Illinois
County Joins Initiative to Reduce Mental Illness in Jail Population
Clinton Herald—Dec. 22 | Iowa
New Programs and Provider Models Help Inmates in Transition
MedPage Today—Dec. 18 | National
Mayor Garcetti Announces Expansion of LAPD SMART Teams
Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti—Dec. 16 | California
Mental Health Courts Are Popular But Effectiveness Is Still Unproven
Kaiser Health News—Dec. 15 | National
California to Increase Addiction Treatment for Medicaid Recipients
PBS NewsHour—Dec. 14 | California
Illinois Supreme Court Establishes Uniform Standards, Certification Process for Problem-Solving Courts
Madison Record—Dec. 9 | Illinois
Parish ‘Stepping Up’ with Program That Helps Mentally Ill Behind Bars
American Press—Dec. 5 | Louisiana
New Parity Bill Aims to Hold Insurers Accountable for Behavioral Health Coverage
http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/capitol-connector/2016/01/new-parity-bill-aims-to-hold-insurers-accountable-forbehavioral-health-coverage/
Education Bill Includes Emphasis on Trauma-Informed Care in Schools
In December, Congress approved a long-debated education reauthorization bill that
included funding for mental health awareness trainings. In addition to this important
funding, the bill – the Every Student Succeeds Act – also emphasized the importance of
trauma-informed care in schools across the country. This includes new grant opportunities,
support services and implementation of promising practices for care. As with any law,
many of the important details will be ironed out in any subsequent guidance from the
Department of Education in the coming months.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn Starts A 'Cafe' For Alzheimer's Patients And Caregivers
Dementia can ruin a social life. Friends don't know how to act around someone whose brain is failing, and people with
dementia often withdraw as social situations get more confusing. As a result, people with Alzheimer's or another
memory-robbing dementia - and their caregivers - can become isolated. Knowing that, Genevieve Ilg, a social-work
graduate student who is interning at the Penn Memory Center, was intrigued when she read about "memory cafés," a
European innovation that is slowly taking hold in the United States. (Burling, 1/14)
Des Moines Register: Court Arguments: Iowa’s Medicaid Plan A 'Cancer'
Three companies on Thursday asked a judge to suspend or terminate Iowa’s plan to privatize Medicaid management,
one saying Gov. Terry Branstad’s plan is so ill-conceived it should be treated like a "cancer." The comments came in
response to revelations that WellCare, one of three companies selected to manage Iowa's $4.2 billion Medicaid
program, hired former House Speaker Christopher Rants and former Rep. Renee Schulte to help them win the contract.
(Clayworth, 1/14)
Iowa Public Radio: Aetna, WellCare and DHS Spar Over Medicaid Implementation Progress
About 20 lawyers representing six healthcare companies and the state of Iowa crowded into a small Polk County
courtroom Thursday. All want Judge Robert Blink to issue or reject various stays, or orders, relating to the upcoming
privatization of Iowa's $4.2 billion Medicaid system. All also argued a ruling in their favor prioritizes the healthcare of
Iowa's 560,000 Medicaid recipients. (Borden, 1/14)
Des Moines Register: Iowa Democratic Legislators Seek Medicaid Safeguards
Iowa Democratic legislators say they want to ensure that accountability and safeguards are part of Republican Gov.
Terry Branstad's plan to shift the management of the state's Medicaid program to private companies. Senate President
Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, told reporters Thursday protections are needed because Medicaid health insurance provides a
safety net for the most vulnerable Iowans facing severe medical challenges. (Petroski, 1/14)
Des Moines Register: Report: Iowa Medicaid Oversight To Cost $17 Million
Iowa would need to hire 134 additional workers and spend as much as $17 million more a year to properly expand
ombudsman oversight of Gov. Terry Branstad’s plan to privatize Iowa’s Medicaid management, a new multi-agency
workgroup report shows. The report mandated by the Legislature includes several key findings behind the privatization
plan that has already been delayed once by federal officials because of the state’s unpreparedness. (Clayworth, 1/14)
Des Moines Register: Medicaid Plan Could Be Zero Sum Gain, Or Worse
So now it turns out that two of the four insurance companies the state has picked to replace it in administering health
benefits to the poor have a history of denying claims, allegedly without cause, to save money. Who could have seen that
coming? (Rekha Basu, 1/15)
Changes to HIPAA Privacy Rule May Help Distinguish Mental Illness from Violence
Getting Reasonable Accommodations at Work Before Stage 4
Doctors Can Report Some Mentally Ill Patients to FBI Under New Gun Control Rule
Are The Mentally Ill Being Unfairly Targeted by the FBI’s Gun List?
Mental Health and Gun Violence Meet at a Bumpy Crossroad
Where Police Violence Encounters Mental Illness
9 Things People in Therapy want you to Know
Page 11 of 17
ALEC Endorses Raise the Age - By Anne-Lise Vray, Juvenile Justice Intern
Another important voice has recently called for states to raise the age of criminal responsibility to align with brain
science and youth rehabilitation. In early December, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) passed a
resolution that endorses raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include all 17 year old youth. The resolution now
awaits final approval from the ALEC Board of Directors. This is a great step towards ending the practice of youth
automatically being tried, sentenced and incarcerated as adults. More here.
Branstad: Recommended Medicaid oversight is ‘overkill’
Editorial: Are federal officials playing politics with Medicaid?
"At the Intersection of Treatment and Housing"
California legislators last week announced a funding proposal to the tune of $2 billion to build new, permanent housing
for the state’s mentally ill homeless. We agree that securing housing for this vulnerable population should be a priority.
But, in order to work towards a comprehensive solution, we need to go the extra mile and implement assisted
outpatient treatment (AOT) in all California counties. READ IT ALL...
“'My Son is Sick, Not Evil'" – personally speaking
"I want my son's story to be told to raise awareness of how poorly the police handled this case and continue to handle
other cases involving mental illness," writes mother Audrey Tripplett. "Myreon has been imprisoned for mistakes he has
made in the past, but he never shot or killed anyone. My son is not a killer; he is mentally ill. My son’s life should not be
taken at only 24 years old because he is sick. I pray someone can help me get help for him before it is too late." READ IT
ALL...
"RESEARCH WEEKLY: The Growing Focus on Inflammation in Psychiatric Research "
Over the past two years, the infectious/inflammatory theory – which states that infections play an important role in
causing schizophrenia, probably in conjunction with predisposing genes or the effects of infectious agents on
neurotransmitters – has become the first major new addition to schizophrenia study in the last half-century. Evidence of
its growing focus can be seen in the recent outpouring of professional papers proposing to use anti-infective and antiinflammatory drugs to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. READ IT ALL...
"Man Killed by Police Had History of Mental Illness"
Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Charles Hollstein was carrying a BB gun and wearing a homemade tactical-style vest while
taking photos of an elementary school last Wednesday morning before he was fatally shot by Zion police, according to
authorities. Tragedies like this are far too common. A 2015 Treatment Advocacy Center report found “the risk of being
killed during a police incident is 16 times greater for individuals with untreated mental illness than for other civilians
approached or stopped by officers.” READ IT ALL...
Author Pens History of Iowa Mental Hospitals http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/danielfinney/2016/01/16/author-pens-history-iowa-mentalhospitals/78835048/?from=global&sessionKey=jfXc9WrRHByYFP4gsx2BMcxxS65CflfCv4F18x2dppoi2ekXi3NHga7VQvYr2wx3Dx3DKKFgMa7q4upwZqUirb32Lgx3Dx3D-kh1H480KYwAHbhZBKab1x2Fgx3Dx3D4UvXaHD2CnS8tZQAfCoCeQx3Dx3D&autologin=SADjNPO0EIPbzJ60GUCeVLHrZvG5ENtY7CYx2BgKld300zvuQFraR6MAx3
Dx3D
This mother drank while pregnant. Here’s what her daughter’s like at 43.
Fetal alcohol syndrome has left a middle-aged woman with the developmental skills of a first-grader. Her mother hopes
telling her story may prevent another mom from doing what she did. By Alexandra Rockey Fleming • Read more »
L.A. County turns to psychiatric urgent care centers, rather than jails or ERs, to treat mentally ill in crisis.
Page 12 of 17
The Washington Post: Are The Mentally Ill Being Unfairly Targeted By The FBI’s Gun List?
When President Obama recently outlined steps to reduce gun violence, mental-health advocates applauded his proposal
to spend $500 million to aid access to care for the mentally ill. Advocates, however, are divided over whether proposals
to ease the sharing of information with the FBI’s background-check system breach patient rights. (Nutt, 1/14)
The New York Times: Drug Overdoses Propel Rise In Mortality Rates Of Young Whites
Drug overdoses are driving up the death rate of young white adults in the United States to levels not seen since the end
of the AIDS epidemic more than two decades ago — a turn of fortune that stands in sharp contrast to falling death rates
for young blacks, a New York Times analysis of death certificates has found. The rising death rates for those young white
adults, ages 25 to 34, make them the first generation since the Vietnam War years of the mid-1960s to experience
higher death rates in early adulthood than the generation that preceded it. (Kolata and Cohen, 11/16)
What’s Wrong With the Mental Illness Conversation? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chelsea-stephens/heres-whatswrong-with-the-mental-illness-conversation_b_8844452.html
Support grows for Medicaid pay for mental health institutions
Lawmakers and mental health advocates agreed during a Senate hearing Wednesday that Medicaid should pay for
short-term stays at residential mental health facilities as part of the broader goal of improving access to such
services. READ MORE
Des Moines Register: Ombudsman Warns Lawmakers About Medicaid Oversight
Iowa’s long-term care ombudsman delivered an unflinching message to lawmakers Tuesday: Provide proper oversight
for a plan to privatize Medicaid or face the fraud and mismanagement fate that has dogged other states. (Clayworth,
1/19)
The Des Moines Register: Branstad Staff: Medicaid Savings Report Shows More
Some lawmakers were told by state officials Thursday that “additional key observations” in an October report push the
savings behind Gov. Terry Branstad’s plan to privatize Medicaid beyond budget projections. But those additional
observations and other pieces of the report are also now drawing additional scrutiny by some lawmakers and an Iowa
healthcare reform advocate. (Clayworth, 1/21)
Des Moines Register: Jochum: Medicaid Not Ready For March 1 Rollout
Iowa Senate President Pam Jochum said Thursday she doesn’t believe Iowa’s Medicaid program will be ready for a
March 1 rollout of a privately managed initiative, adding she worries the plan will hurt Iowa’s poor and disabled people.
“This has never been about politics. It has been about policy,” said Jochum, D-Dubuque, whose developmentally
disabled daughter, Sarah, is enrolled in Medicaid. Jochum said an adequate Medicaid provider network is needed, as
well as a strong ombudsman’s program. (Petroski, 1/21)
Sioux City (Iowa) Journal: Senate Leader: Iowa Still Not Ready For Privatized Medicaid Care
A top Senate Democrat said Thursday she does not believe Iowa will have the safeguards in place by March 1 to proceed
with the change to privately managed Medicaid services and she hopes federal regulators again will delay
implementation of Gov. Terry Branstad’s modernization effort. ... Jochum said the final decision rests with the federal
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which funds 55 percent of Iowa’s Medicaid program. (Boshart, 1/21)
Reuters: Sexual Trauma Raises Suicide Risk Among Veterans
Men and women veterans who experienced sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment while serving in
the military are at heightened risk of suicide, according to a recent U.S. study. Researchers with the department of
Veterans Affairs found that men with a history of what the VA calls military sexual trauma (MST) are 70 percent more
likely than fellow vets without such experience to commit suicide, and women veterans with MST are more than twice
as likely as other female vets to do so. (Nelson, 1/20)
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‘It Has Brought Us to our Knees’: Small Oklahoma Town Reeling from Suicide ‘Epidemic’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/25/it-has-brought-us-to-our-knees-small-oklatown-reeling-from-suicide-epidemic/?wpmm=1&wpisrc=nl_most
Broward Health CEO's suicide may cast light on depression in cardiac patients
The death of Broward Health's president and CEO less than two weeks after undergoing triple bypass surgery may draw
attention to a complication related to heart procedures, and the need for cardiologists to treat the mind along with the
heart. READ MORE
Medicaid official: Iowa is ready for privatization in March
The head of Iowa's Medicaid program on Monday said she's "very confident" the $4.2 billion system will be ready for
private management beginning March 1, though some lawmakers expressed lingering concerns about the looming
deadline. READ MORE
Des Moines Register: In Iowa, Governor Can Ignore Lawmakers
Separation of powers in government is one of the most basic concepts in our democracy. Iowans frustrated with Gov.
Terry Branstad’s plan to privatize administration of Medicaid understandably turn to the Iowa Legislature for help.
Lawmakers, however, seem to be at a loss for what to do. Short of holding the state budget hostage, they don’t have
many options. The Obama administration is the only hope for stopping the governor by denying his application for a
waiver needed to move forward. (1/25)
Huffington Post: Here’s Why Mental Health Care Is A Real Issue In This Presidential Campaign
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) jumped at a chance to talk about mental health care during a presidential town hall event in
Iowa hosted by CNN on Monday. “Mental health should be treated as part of health care, and should be available to all
people,” he said. That may not sound like a controversial position and, within the Democratic Party, it isn’t. Democrats,
including Hillary Clinton, have long championed treating mental health on the same footing as physical health. But
historically, health insurers have not treated mental and physical health the same way. Insurers routinely capped
psychiatric benefits -- by limiting inpatient hospital days or therapy sessions, or putting dollar caps on mental health
benefits. (Jonathan Cohn, 1/25)
Health Affairs: Reducing Health Care Costs Through Early Intervention On Mental Illnesses
This month’s edition of Health Affairs features an article focusing on patients with high mental health costs — and how
they incur 30 percent more costs than other high-cost patients. This research helps to make the increasingly compelling
case for earlier identification and intervention to address mental illnesses — if we’re concerned about saving money.
(Paul Gionfriddo, Theresa Nguyen, and Nathaniel Counts, 1/25)
Rocky Medicaid privatization rollout looms as a political issue in Iowa
Ahead of the Iowa presidential caucuses, the spotlight is on arguments over the Affordable Care Act. But many
providers, patients and public officials in the Hawkeye State are more immediately concerned about Gov. Terry
Branstad's shaky Medicaid privatization effort. READ MORE
Task force urges depression screening for all U.S. adults
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has expanded its recommendation for depression screening to all U.S. adults
over the age of 18, including pregnant and postpartum women. Experts say raising a red flag about depression is just the
first step in securing treatment for patients. READ MORE
Editorial: In Iowa, governor can ignore lawmakers
Page 14 of 17
The New York Times: Scientists Move Closer to Understanding Schizophrenia’s Cause
Scientists reported on Wednesday that they had taken a significant step toward understanding the cause of
schizophrenia, in a landmark study that provides the first rigorously tested insight into the biology behind any common
psychiatric disorder. ... The researchers pieced together the steps by which genes can increase a person’s risk of
developing schizophrenia. That risk, they found, is tied to a natural process called synaptic pruning, in which the brain
sheds weak or redundant connections between neurons as it matures. During adolescence and early adulthood, this
activity takes place primarily in the section of the brain where thinking and planning skills are centered, known as the
prefrontal cortex. People who carry genes that accelerate or intensify that pruning are at higher risk of developing
schizophrenia than those who do not, the new study suggests. (Carey, 1/27)
The Wall Street Journal: Study Gives New Clues To Schizophrenia Risks
Scientists have identified key genetic traits that for the first time point to a biological mechanism behind schizophrenia.
There has been a tremendous amount of research on the genetics of the condition, which has a strong hereditary
component. But, previous work has yielded little understanding into what goes wrong in the brain to cause the illness,
which is characterized by cognitive and emotional changes, often including hallucinations and delusions. (Wang, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times: Geneticists Uncover A Key Clue To Schizophrenia
Scientists say they have broken new ground in the study of schizophrenia, uncovering a potentially powerful genetic
contributor to the mental disorder and helping to explain why its symptoms of confused and delusional thinking most
often reach a crisis state as a person nears the cusp of adulthood. Genes associated with the function of the immune
system have long been suspected in schizophrenia, but scientists have been at a loss to understand the nature of the
link. (Healy, 1/27)
The Washington Post: Scientists Open The ‘Black Box’ Of Schizophrenia With Dramatic Genetic Discovery
For the first time, scientists have pinned down a molecular process in the brain that helps to trigger schizophrenia. The
researchers involved in the landmark study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature, say the discovery of
this new genetic pathway probably reveals what goes wrong neurologically in a young person diagnosed with the
devastating disorder. The study marks a watershed moment, with the potential for early detection and new treatments
that were unthinkable just a year ago. (Ellis Nutt, 1/27)
PBS NewsHour: Postpartum Mom Says Depression Screening Would Have Made All The Difference
The United States Preventative Task Force’s new guidelines urge medical workers to screen pregnant women and new
mothers regardless of whether they have services in place to provide treatment, given that mental health services are
now more widely available and screenings are accepted as part of mental health care. The recommendation received a
“B” rating from the Task Force, making it so that screening for maternal depression must now be covered under the
Affordable Care Act. (Pasquantonio, 1/27)
Democrats to Obama: Sink Medicaid privatization plan
Senate Oversight Chair Hogg asks Governor to detail facts behind claimed savings due to Medicaid...
Ragan: Medicaid mistakes putting additional burdens on at risk Iowans; Legislators must “clean...
Major concerns and unanswered questions force attempt to delay Medicaid privatization
The Associated Press: Deal Would Ban Solitary Confinement For Some Indiana Inmates
A proposed settlement of a class-action lawsuit that targets Indiana's treatment of seriously mentally ill inmates is a
game-changer, a plaintiffs' attorney said Thursday, that ensures the state will treat those inmates "the best we can in
prison." The agreement, which took three years to reach, bars solitary confinement for most seriously mentally ill state
inmates and significantly improves their access to mental health care. (Callahan, 1/28)
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The Chicago Sun-Times: Emanuel Steps Up Crisis Intervention Training For Cops, 911 Operators
Five years after closing six of the city’s 12 mental health clinics, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is stepping up crisis intervention
training for Chicago Police officers and 911 operators to improve the city’s response to emergencies involving people
suffering from mental illness. The police shootings of Laquan McDonald in October 2014 and Quintonio LeGrier and
Bettie Jones in December 2015 are only the most recent examples of incidents where deadly consequences might have
been avoided if police officers and 911 operators had been better trained, said Alexa James, executive director of the
National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago. (Spielman, 1/28)
Reuters: Adding Behaviorial Therapy To Meds Reduces Depression Long-Term
When depression does not respond to antidepressant medication, replacing it with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or
adding CBT to treatment may be effective and last for several years, according to a trial in the U.K. Three to five years
after having up to 18 CBT sessions, trial participants were less depressed than those who didn’t get the added behavioral
therapy, suggesting a long-term benefit that makes CBT cost-effective, the authors conclude. (Doyle, 1/27)
The Des Moines Register: To Obama: Save Our Medicaid Program
Every single Democrat in the Iowa Senate —a majority of the chamber’s members — signed a letter sent to President
Barack Obama this week asking for help. Stop Gov. Terry Branstad from privatizing management of our state’s Medicaid
program, they urged. Deny his request for federal permission to proceed. (1/29)
Des Moines Register: Iowa Is Not Ready For Medicaid Transition
Senate Democrats have submitted a letter to President Obama and other federal officials about our concerns over
Governor Branstad’s unilateral decision to privatize Iowa’s Medicaid program. We appreciate the decision by federal
officials in December to delay implementation of Medicaid privatization until at least March 1. ... But Iowa still isn’t
ready. Since the delay by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) more than 40 days ago, we have seen
no evidence that the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise and the out-of-state companies picked to help privatize Medicaid have
taken the steps necessary to ensure the health and well being of more than 560,000 Iowans. (State Sen. Dick Dearden,
1/29)
The Associated Press: Task Force Urges Doctors To Screen All Adults For Depression
All adults, including pregnant women and new mothers, should be screened for depression as a routine part of health
care, a government advisory group recommended Tuesday. Depression is a common public health problem, and
screening simply involves health workers asking about certain symptoms even if patients don't mention them. (1/26)
The New York Times: Panel Calls For Depression Screenings During And After Pregnancy
The recommendation, expected to galvanize many more health providers to provide screening, comes in the wake of
new evidence that maternal mental illness is more common than previously thought; that many cases of what has been
called postpartum depression actually start during pregnancy; and that left untreated, these mood disorders can be
detrimental to the well-being of children. (Belluck, 1/26)
USA Today: Task Force: Doctors Should Screen All Adults For Depression
Primary care doctors should screen all adults for depression, an expert panel recommended Tuesday. The task force for
the first time said screening benefits specific groups, including older adults, pregnant women and new mothers. In the
past, there wasn't strong enough evidence to weigh in on whether depression screening helps or hurts these groups.
(Szabo, 1/26)
The Kansas Health Institute News Service: Parents Speak Up For School Staff Suicide Prevention Training
Parents of Kansas children who committed suicide urged the Senate Education Committee to support a bill that would
require suicide prevention training for Kansas teachers and school staff. The bill — also known as the Jason Flatt Act —
would require all licensed teachers and principals to complete two hours of suicide prevention training each year.
Supporters of the bill note that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people, and one that’s often
not talked about. (Kite, 1/26)
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The Associated Press: Ohio Seeks To Boost Early Childhood Mental Health Services
An Ohio initiative seeks to boost access to mental health consultants in an effort to curb the number of children expelled
or suspended from kindergarten, preschool and other early childhood education settings. Officials set aside $9.1 million
for the initiative in the state's two-year budget, which will benefit 75 counties, according to the state Department of
Mental Health and Addiction Services. The funds allow for up to 64 mental health consultants who will work with
teachers and at-risk students in programs such as Head Start, preschool and child care settings. Some consultants
already are in classrooms. (Sanner, 1/26)
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