Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of April 20, 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?
Military personnel who have poor mental or physical health before they go into combat are more likely to experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following their battlefield experiences...more
*TODAY’S NEWS
Survey Finds Difficulties in Referrals for Mental Health Treatment
A nationwide survey found that two-thirds of primary care physicians reported in 2004-2005 that they had trouble finding high-quality mental health treatment for their patients. That rate is at least twice as high as the troubles they reported in accessing other services. The survey, published in the journal Health Affairs, was conducted before passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, which when fully implemented will require group health policies that cover mental health conditions to provide the same level of coverage as other medical conditions. But the study suggests some problems will remain. Parity laws won’t cover the uninsured and won’t ease the shortage of mental health providers, particularly psychiatrists for children and adolescents. (Wall Street Journal, 4/14/09)
Americans Postponing Medical Care
Twenty percent of Americans say they have delayed or postponed visiting a doctor or getting other health care because of cost, a new survey finds. The Thomson Reuters survey found 21 percent of U.S. adults expected to have difficulty paying for health insurance or healthcare services in the next three months. Twenty-four percent of people who canceled or postponed care said cost was the primary reason. In 2006, the last time the question was asked on the survey, 15.9 percent of people said they had postponed or canceled medical care in the past year. (Reuters, 4/20/09)
Comparative Effectiveness Panel Holds First Listening Session
The Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research last week held the first of three listening sessions to hear from interested parties how they believe $1.1 billion included in the stimulus package for comparative effectiveness research should be spent. The 15-member council—made up of various government officials—was created to offer guidance on how the funds should be allocated. During the three-hour session, certain points were emphasized, such as the need for the process to be transparent, collaborative, and inclusive of patients. The next hearings are tentatively scheduled for May 6 and May 13. At least one meeting is being held outside of Washington, D.C. (Kansas Health Institute News, 4/14/09).
Obama Links Health Care Reform To Economic Recovery
Linking health care reform to broader economic issues, President Obama said last week that an overhaul is crucial to bringing down costs across the system, including Medicaid and Medicare. “The key to dealing with our deficit and debt is to get a handle on out-of-control health care costs,” he declared in a speech on the economy. He called on Congress to complete action on a health reform bill this year. (The Washington Post, 4/15/09)
West Virginia Mental Health Advocates Urge Approval of Overhaul
Community mental health advocates are urging West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III to sign legislation that would add $6 million in funding for a system called one of the worst in the country. The West Virginia legislature unanimously approved the bill, which would send most of the money to 13 privately run regional mental health centers in the state. Advocacy groups estimate that the state has cut more than $100 million a year from mental health care over the last 15 years. That has caused bankruptcies of companies that provide community treatment and the closures of many facilities, which has driven people with mental health needs either into jail or to the state’s two mental hospitals. (The New York Times, 4/16/09)
Latest Research
Family Ties May Help Prevent Teen Suicide: Support from a person’s parents, not their friends, helps prevent suicidal behavior in teens that have experienced depression or have attempted suicide in the past, a new study finds. “Our findings suggest that the protective quality of family support and bonding, or having an intimate partner, are not replaced by peer support and bonding in emerging adulthood," said James Mazza, a University of Washington professor of educational psychology. Data for the research was drawn from a larger National Institute of Drug Abuse 15-year study of youth in a Seattle-area school district that looked at risk factors for marijuana and cigarette use, binge drinking, depression and past suicidal behavior. (HealthDay News, 4/16/09)
Deployment Takes Toll on Military Moms and Teen: When military mothers are away at war, their teenage children are more likely to slip into trouble, from getting into fights to earning poor grades at school, a new study finds. But adolescents whose mothers reported that they had strong family support during the deployment tended to fare better. "Adolescents are in that difficult time of life where they are exposed to a lot of risk factors, possibly from their peer group," said study author Mona Ternus, an associate professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (HealthDay News, 4/15/09)
Poor Health before Combat Linked to PTSD Among Vets: Military personnel who have poor mental or physical health before they go into combat are more likely to experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following their battlefield experiences, a U.S. military study finds. The study of 5,410 personnel found that 395 of them—7.3 percent—had a diagnosis or symptoms of PTSD after fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the report which was published in the online edition of the British Medical Journal. More than half of the cases of PTSD occurred in those with the lowest health scores on a questionnaire they filled out between 2001 and 2003, the report said. The data came from the Millenium Cohort Study, a long-running study of the health of American military personnel. (Reuters, 4/18/09)
*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Mental Health America, an advocacy organization with over 300 affiliates in 41 states, works with people to connect them with affordable mental health services in their communities. "We spend an enormous amount of time helping people navigate the system, doing problem solving," says David Shern, the group's president and CEO. US News & World Report, “6 Ways to Get Affordable Mental Health Services,” April 15, 2009
Adolescents typically consider their friends their most important relationships. But new research shows it is support from mom and dad, not friends, that helps prevent suicidal behavior in teens who've experienced depression or have attempted suicide in the past. Mental Health America has more information on teen suicide. US News & World Report, “Family Ties May Help Prevent Teen Suicide,” April 16, 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
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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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