Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of June 1, 2009
Mental Health in the Headlines offers summaries of the latest news and views in the mental health field. Coverage of news items in this publication does not represent Mental Health America's support for or opposition to the stories summarized or the views they express.
*DID YOU KNOW?
While many women avoid substance abuse while pregnant, their use of alcohol remains high and many resume drinking and smoking and using marijuana within three months of the birth of their child...more
*TODAY’S NEWS
Kennedy Readies Health Reform Plan
Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) is readying a health reform plan that would require every American to have insurance and would mandate that employers contribute to workers' coverage. It also calls for opening Medicaid to those whose incomes are 500 percent of the federal poverty level, or $110,250 a year for a family of four. Kennedy is expected to unveil the legislation on Monday with committee action scheduled to begin the next day. (The Washington Post, 5/29/09)
Report Finds Rural Mental Health Issues Overlooked
Rural Americans remain underserved in terms of health insurance coverage and mental health providers, a new report finds. The Center for Rural Affairs report, “Mental Health: Overlooked and Disregarded in Rural America,” points out that major depression rates in some rural areas significantly exceed those in urban areas. Teens and older adults in rural areas have significantly higher suicide rates than their urban counterparts. It calls for health care reform that includes an affordable, meaningful public health insurance option. And any such reform should also ensure that all Americans, rural and urban, have reasonable access to quality mental health care. (The Grand Island Independent, 5/29/09)
Group Says More Spending Needed For Drug Abuse Prevention
Most government spending related to smoking and substance abuse goes toward direct heath costs for the consequences of those conditions rather than prevention, a study by a private group finds. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, a private nonprofit, found that federal, state and local governments spent over $467 billion in 2005 on substance abuse-related costs, including health care, justice systems and family court, child welfare and homelessness. Only 2 percent of the total went to prevention and treatment. The group called for legislation to require broader coverage of substance abuse treatment by health insurers. (The New York Times, 5/28/09)
Latest Research
Some Moms Resume Substance Abuse After Birth of Child: While many women avoid substance abuse while pregnant, a new report finds that their use of alcohol remains high and many resume drinking and smoking and using marijuana within three months of the birth of their child. The National Survey of Drug Use and Health shows that fewer women drank the closer they got to their delivery date, but 19 percent still used alcohol in the first trimester. That could be because they weren’t aware they were pregnant. The study also found that 10 percent of women were binge drinking, which is defined as consuming five or more drinks with a few hours. (USA Today, 5/31/09)
Protein Involved in Addiction Changes Brain Circuitry: A naturally occurring protein plays a role in the disrupted functioning of the brain's reward circuitry seen in people with drug and alcohol dependence, says a new study. Previous studies found that chronic drug users can experience an increase of a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain's reward circuitry. In the new study, published in the journal Science the researchers found that a single injection of BDNF made rats behave as if they were dependent on opiates, even though they'd never been given the drugs. (HealthDay News, 5/28/09)
Tailored Treatments Effective for Depression Due to Pain: Combining drug and behavioral treatment help to reduce pain and depression in patients with lower back, hip or knee pain and coexisting depression, a new study finds. The study, which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association, included 250 patients who'd experienced physical pain for three months or longer and at least moderate depression. Patients receiving the test treatment received 12 weeks of individually tailored antidepressant therapy, followed by six sessions of a pain self-management program, followed by six-month period in which their symptoms were monitored and treatments reinforced with the goal of preventing relapse. After the 12 months, patients in the intervention group were twice as likely to experience depression response, nearly four times as likely to experience complete remission of depression, and less likely to have major depression. (HealthDay News, 5/26/09)
HEADLINES at Mental Health America
Mental Health America To Honor Senators Kennedy, Domenici: Mental Health America will honor Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Pete Domenici at its Centennial Gala on June 11. Special guest speakers include Tipper Gore, Glenn Close, Rosalynn Carter, Sanjay Gupta, and David Wellstone with performances by country music star Dwight Yoakam and Grammy nominee Vanessa Carlton.
Mental Health America, D.C. Department of Mental Health To Dedicate National Memorial at Saint Elizabeths Hospital: As part of its Centennial Celebration and Conference, Mental Health America—in partnership with the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health—will hold a dedication ceremony on June 10 at for a memorial planned on the grounds of Saint Elizabeths Hospital for hundreds of thousands of patients who were buried, many with unmarked graves, at state psychiatric hospitals nationwide.
*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
While employers focus on the potential cost of the mental health parity law, mental health providers and insurers are rushing to learn how benefit programs are written for other medical care. "There's a steep learning curve around how this is done in general in medical care," said David L. Shern, president and CEO of Mental Health America. CQ Weekly, “Waiting for the Health Rules of the Road,” May 23, 2009
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a survey of more than 350,000 Americans, ranked Utah as the happiest state in the country. Mental Health America ranked Utah the most depressed state in the country. The Plan-B Theatre Company's, "And the Banned Slammed On,” asks which one is correct in it’ new production. Deseret Morning News, “Banned Slammed On takes on censorship in Utah,” May 24, 2009
Stay Up to Date With More News, Views and Tools
- Register Today for Mental Health America’s Centennial Conference, June 10-13, 2009 in Washington, D.C. For information about speakers, the agenda and how to register, visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/conference
- Mental Health America’s 2009 Media Awards to honor excellence in reporting of mental health issues
- Survey reveals obstacles to health care for people who have schizophrenia
- New report reveals link between states’ depression status and access to treatment
- Donate to our Resource Center and help save lives
- Share your story on realLIVES
- Join Mental Health America’s Advocacy Network
- Check out previous issues of Mental Health in the Headlines
Mental Health in the Headlines is produced weekly by Mental Health America. Mental Health America's Mental Health in the Headlines staff: Steve Vetzner, senior director, Media Relation and Sarah Jones, communications coordinator.
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