Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of Feb. 26, 2007
*DID YOU KNOW?
... There is no evidence of a "well-coordinated or well-disseminated approach to providing behavioral health care to [military] service members and their families," an American Psychological Association task force reports. Read more.
*TODAY´S NEWS
Military Mental Health System Found to Be Lacking
There is no evidence of a "well-coordinated or well-disseminated approach to providing behavioral health care to [military] service members and their families," an American Psychological Association task force concluded in a report released yesterday. This is particularly true of many veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families due to a military mental health system that is overwhelmed and understaffed, according to the task force. The task force, chaired by an active military psychologist and comprised of other military and Veterans Health Administration psychologists, noted that "relatively few high-quality" mental health programs exist in the military, leaving far less than one-half of the estimated 30 percent of veterans with mental health problems without access to care. A Pentagon official hadn't read the report, but noted that the military to proud of the mental health services it offers. (Los Angeles Times, 2/26/07)
Administration Rebuffs Request for Additional SCHIP Funding
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt yesterday offered little hope that the administration would agree to demands from state governors to provide additional funding, now and in the future, to the State Children's Health Insurance Program. At their winter meeting, a bipartisan group of governors called on the administration to provide enough money to keep the program afloat through October and to expand the program during the next five years. Many governors are counting on the money as a first step to provide universal health coverage to their residents. Leavitt said that there's enough money to fund the program through October if some states transfer their funding surpluses to states with deficits. He also said that the program shouldn't be expanded and should continue to focus on children of low-income families. (The Associated Press, 2/25/07)
Health Care Spending to Double During Next Decade
Spending on health services in the United States is expected to nearly double during the next decade, from $2.1 trillion in 2006 to $4.1 trillion in 2016, a study published in the journal Health Affairs indicates. Fueling the spending increase would be rising demand for new pharmacological therapies largely by the Baby Boom generation, the leading edge of which has begun to retire. The surge in costs will come despite a recent leveling off in health care spending. The study was conducted by the National Health Statistics Group, which is a part of the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Reuters, 2/21/07)
Employers Expect Worker Health Care Cost to Rise
U.S. employers expect to see their employee health care costs to increase by 8 percent this year and next, a survey conducted by the National Business Group on Health and Watson Wyatt, a benefit firm, indicates. Although the number is lower than the 13 percent increase employers experienced in 2003, "8 percent would be a frightening number for other corporate expenses, like payroll," a Watson Wyatt representative said. Although the proportion of health care costs paid for by employees will remain relatively stable, they should expect to pay more than in the past, according to the organizations. (Reuters, 2/22/07)
French Interior Minister Seeks to Reinstate Dropped Provisions from Juvenile Sentencing Bill
The French parliament passed legislation last week that will toughen the country's sentencing rules for juveniles convicted of crimes. The legislation would make 16- and 17-year-olds serve the full terms of their sentences; currently, as juveniles, their sentences are cut in half. Other provisions of the bill, including one to develop a database of all "psychiatric patients," were scrapped in a compromise to pass the bill. Interior Minister and presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, the bill's primary supporter, said that he would seek to reinstate the dropped provisions if he wins the presidential election. (The Associated Press, 2/22/07)
Latest Research News
Lung Diseases Linked to Mental Illness Development: Lung diseases appear to be associated with the development of mental health problems, Columbia University researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology. People examined in the study who had restrictive lung problems, such as asthma, and those with obstructive lung diseases were more likely than people with normal lung functions to have lower feelings of overall well-being and higher feelings of depression than other people. The researchers suggest that restrictions on physical activities may be one link between lung disease and mental health. (Reuters, 2/22/07)
Cigarette Effect on Brain Found to Be Similar to Drugs: Cigarette smoking appears to change key enzymes in the brain in similar ways as do cocaine and heroin use, a National Institute on Drug Abuse study indicates. The enzymes helps brain cells process chemical signals from other brain cells, or neurons. The study's researchers found that smokers, even those who had quit years before, had elevated levels of these enzymes that were similar to those levels found in people who had used drugs. "This strongly suggests that the similar changes observed in smokers and former smokers contributed to their addiction," one of the researchers said. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience. (Reuters, 2/20/07)
Smokers Fair Worse After Disasters Than Non-smokers: People who smoke are more than twice as likely as people who don't to develop severe anxiety disorders after a disaster, a Dutch study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry indicates. Smokers are also nearly twice as likely to have severe symptoms of hostility and three times as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD four years after the disaster, the study's researchers found. If confirmed by other studies, the researchers conclude that smokers might reduce their risk of developing mental health problems after disasters if they stop smoking. (Reuters, 2/22/07)
*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
In the past week, Mental Health America was cited in numerous news articles and by many media outlets. Here are some noteworthy mentions:
- "Any knee-jerk or pressure-based actions by the FDA may put an untold number of Americans at risk of the tragedy it aims to avoid-suicide. The risk associated with not treating depression is far greater than any potential risk of adverse effects of medication," said Shern in an article on the FDA's decision not to expand the black box warning to all age groups. Nation's Health, "FDA panel advises warning be expanded," 2/1/07
- "I think patients and family members bring a unique and important perspective to a wide range of issues, including study design, outcome measures, safety parameters, subject recruitment and informed consent," wrote Dr. David Fassler, Mental Health America board member. Dr. Fassler adds, "Active consumer involvement helps us make sure we're asking the right questions and measuring safety and efficacy in a manner that makes most sense, both in terms of research methodology and from a real world clinical perspective." FDA Week, "Patients Use PDUFA Meeting To Urge More Input In Trial Designs," 2/22/07; similar articles appeared in Drug Industry Daily and Washington Drug Letter
- Dianne Dorlester, senior director of Research Policy and Practice at Mental Health America, says that for consumer leaders involved in the mental illness recovery movement, a threatened loss of federal funding for national consumer technical assistance (TA) centers means just another fight for legitimacy. She says mental health consumers have become accustomed to having to repeat the refrain, "Nothing about us without us," began a front-page article that focused on the federal Consumer TA centers that were targeted by the White House fiscal 2008 budget for elimination. Ralph Ibson and Julio Abreu from the Mental Health America Federal Affairs team also appeared in articles on the White House budget and the Senate parity bill. Mental Health Weekly, "Consumer TA centers gird for fight over possible loss of federal funding," 2/19/07.
- Nearly 70 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth report experiencing some form of harassment or violence in school, according to Mental Health America, read an article on a recent Snickers commercial that contained homophobic undertones. The Star-Ledger (N.J.), "That commercial for Snickers: I'm sorry I laughed," 2/21/07
- An article on the parity hearings being held around country mentions that Mental Health America and its affiliates are lead organizers. US Fed News, "Overwhelming Response to Mental Health Parity Forums Speaks to Demand for Bill," 2/16/07 &
- quot;As it stands now, most private health care plans set arbitrary and inequitable limits on behavioral health care-millions are denied care each year," said David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America. "Limiting access to needed health care based solely on society's characterization of an illness raises a profound civil rights issue. The legislation introduced today would thrust our nation forward in both improving access to care and realizing a broader principle-namely that our nation must address mental illness with the same urgency and priority attached to other chronic illnesses." Medical News Today, "Senators Propose Protections For Americans With Mental Health Needs," 2/13/07
- According to a recent attitudinal survey conducted by Mental Health America, most Americans would be willing to pay $1 more each month on top of their insurance premiums in order to have parity, or equal coverage for mental and physical health coverage. San Mateo Daily Journal, "Mental Health Advocates Want Equity," 2/22/07
- Mental Health America is among several advocacy groups that demanded Volkswagen pull a commercial making light of suicide. Volkswagen stopped airing the ad. New York Post, "Volkswagen Kills Ad with Suicide Theme," 2/19/07; this and similar articles also appear in USA Today, Brandweek, Adland and more.
*Stay Up to Date With More News, Views and Tools
- Mental Health America Web Highlights:
- News Release: FDA Hearing to Discuss PDUFA, Agency's User Fee Program to Maintain Drug Safety
- News Release: President George W. Bush Nominates Mental Health America Board Member Wainscott to National Council on Disability
- Increased Suicide Rate in Children and Teens Found: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/index.cfm?objectid=9327EFEC-1372-4D20-C8CEAD8075905557/a>
- Tell Congress to make mental health a priority: https://secure2.convio.net/nmha/site/SPageServer?pagename=vision_for_change
- Join the campaign to make mental health insurance "equity" a reality: http://equitycampaign.org/
- Nominate a local journalist for a 2007 Mental Health America Media Award: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/media-awards
- Sign up for monthly publication sale notices from Mental Health America at http://www.nmha.org/newsroom/system/mhHeadline.main.cfm.
- Previous issues of Mental Health in the Headlines: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/Mental-Health-in-the-Headlines/
Mental Health in the Headlines is produced weekly by the Mental Health America. Mental Health America´s Mental Health in the Headlines staff: Ken Chamberlain, writer and editor; Holly Seltzer, senior editor; and Bridget Toland, media and publications assistant. Other staff include Julio Fonseca, director of training for Healthcare Reform, and Heather Cobb, senior director of Media Relations.
