Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of April 5, 2010
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
*DID YOU KNOW?
Schizophrenia may be caused by a genetic mutation that disrupts communication between areas of the brain involved in working memory...more
*HEALTH REFORM UPDATE
Insurers to Cover Children
Health insurance companies said last week they would comply with rules implementing
the new health reform law requiring them to cover children with pre-existing
medical conditions. The new law does not specifically require that that insurers
must sell insurance to families whose children have those medical problems,
but the White House and congressional leaders said that was the intent of the
law.
Advocates Applaud Inclusion of Mental Health Parity
Advocates are applauding health reform provisions that build on the federal mental health parity law approved in 2008. Under the health reform overhaul, employees of companies with 50 or fewer workers, whose employers were not required to comply with the existing parity law, would receive equal mental health benefits if their employers opt for the state-run exchange plans, available in 2014. The 2008 law did not require coverage and only applied to companies with 51 or more workers. The health care reform law also requires that those in Medicaid managed care plans be offered the same mental health and substance use benefits as medical and surgical benefits. Previously, only Medicaid managed care plans provided that coverage. (The New York Times, 3/30/10)
Prevention Emphasized in Health Reform Law
The new health reform law includes a number of initiatives to prevent medical conditions and encourage healthy lifestyles. These include a requirement that chain restaurants include nutrition information in menus; that employers offer breaks for nursing mothers; and that insurers cover the full cost of certain screenings, vaccines and other preventive measures. In addition, Medicare beneficiaries will get free annual physicals and Medicaid will cover drugs and counseling to help pregnant women stop smoking. A new trust fund will pay for more bicycle paths, playgrounds, sidewalks and hiking trails. (The New York Times, 4/04/10)
*TODAY’S NEWS
Teen Suicide Prevention Campaign Launched
A new public education campaign was launched last week to
reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts among
Student Suicides Highlight Need for Bullying Programs
The suicide of Phoebe Prince of
Harriet Shetler, Helped Found NAMI, Dies at 92
Harriet Shetler, whose experience as the mother of a son with schizophrenia led her to help start the National Alliance on Mental Illness, died last week at the age of 92. Mrs. Shetler’s work began when she met another mother who faced similar challenges with a schizophrenic son. The two decided to bring together others with similar concerns. They later decided to hold a national conference, which created the national organization. (The New York Times, 4/02/10)
Ban on Antidepressants for Pilots Lifted
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will let some pilots who take four popular antidepressants return to flying, dropping a decades-old ban on psychiatric medications. The government said that improvements in drugs help eliminate risks from side effects such as drowsiness. The FAA also said it wants to remove the stigma associated with depression and that some pilots with depression weren’t being treated or were doing so in secret out of fear of losing their jobs. (The Wall Street Journal, 4/02/10)
Author Changed Views on Children and Medication
Judith Warner, the author of a new book about child psychiatry, “We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication,” had believed that American children were over-medicated. After several years of research and interviews, she changed her views and now believes that many children’s lives are saved by medication and treatment. “A couple of simple truths have become clear,” she writes. “That the suffering of children with mental health issues (and their parents) is very real. That almost no parent takes the issue of psychiatric diagnosis lightly or rushes to ‘drug’ his or her child; and that responsible child psychiatrists don’t, either.” (MHH Reporting, 4/05/10)
Mental Health Groups Protest Burger King Ad
Mental health groups last week called on Burger King to remove an advertisement that they called blatantly stigmatizing. The ad features the mascot King running through an office building. He breaks a window pane, gives a woman a Whopper, then is tackled by two individuals in white uniforms, who call him “crazy” and “insane” for wanting to give away a hamburger at a low price. Burger King defended the ad, saying it was “not intended to reflect any group or situation." (The Washington Post, 4/03/10)
Latest Research
Memory Gene Linked to Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia may be caused by a genetic mutation that disrupts communication between areas of the brain involved in working memory, a new study reports. A genetic mutation, known as 22q11 deletion and common in schizophrenia patients, hinders communication between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, the researchers report in the online edition of the journal Nature. They found that mice with the 22q11 deletion performed much worse on tests of working memory than normal mice. (HealthDay News, 3/31/10)
Low-income Latinos with Depression Less Likely
to Take Medication Because of Stigma: Low-income Latinos who have depression
are less likely to take medications because of stigma, a new study finds.
Researchers interviewed 200 poor, Spanish-speaking Latinos in
*HEADLINES at Mental Health America
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*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Economic uncertainty can lead to outbreaks of depression for those prone to the condition. But losing a job can also mean losing health insurance, so people who are already depressed may cut back on doctor visits and even discontinue medication. With cutbacks in government programs, affordable treatment options are dwindling. “It's a perfect storm,” said David Shern, president and CEO of Mental Health
Mental health advocates last week called on Burger King to
remove a commercial that featured men in white coats calling the company’s
King mascot crazy. The commercial capitalized "on some of those most negative
stereotypes of people with mental illnesses," said David Shern, president
and CEO of Mental Health
Stay Up to Date With More News, Views and Tools
- New national survey shows economic downturn taking toll on Americans’ mental health
- Survey reveals obstacles to health care for people who have schizophrenia
- New report reveals link between states’ depression status and access to treatment
- 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
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