Schools should play a larger role in helping children with mental health problems, according to a new report. In wealthy nations including the United States, only one-fourth of children with mental health problems are diagnosed and treated, HealthDay reports.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, May 9- Thursday, May 15, 2014.
The recent spike in heroin deaths—which is real-- is being attributed to heroin mixed with fentanyl. We wring our hands about overdoses, but do little to make effective treatment widely available. Policy changes must be made to end this scandal explains David L. Rosenbloom, PhD, Professor at Boston University School of Public Health.
About 3.7 million Americans, who live in states that have not expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, suffer from mental illness, psychological distress or a substance use disorder and don’t have health insurance, according to a recent report.
A bill designed to overhaul the mental health care system in the United States has spurred debate among advocates for the mentally ill, The New York Times reports. Some groups oppose the measure because it includes provisions for expanded use of involuntary outpatient treatment.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, March 28- Thursday, April 3, 2014.
The economic impact of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires larger employer-based insurance plans to cover psychiatric illnesses and substance use disorders in the same way they do illnesses such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, has been minimal, a new study finds.
A study of more than one million Swedish men finds those who had an alcohol use disorder in their late teens had a higher risk of heart disease over the next two decades than those without a drinking problem. Later hospitalization for substance use disorders was also associated with a higher heart disease risk.
More than half of teens in the United States who have mental health disorders do not receive treatment, according to a new study. The findings come from an analysis of more than 10,000 teens.
A new Pew Research Center survey finds only 16 percent of Americans think the nation is making progress on prescription drug abuse, and 19 percent see progress in dealing with mental illness.
Addiction and mental health treatment experts say they are hopeful new rules issued by the federal government that require parity between treatment for mental and physical illness will greatly expand access to care. They say a critical component of the rules’ success will be the criteria insurers use to include patients for addiction and mental health coverage.
Rules that will require health insurers to provide coverage for addiction and mental health that is equal to benefits for general medical coverage will be issued Friday by the Obama administration, The New York Times reports.
As a growing number of young adults receive mental health care under the Affordable Care Act, costs are likely to rise, according to a new analysis. Under the law, mental health issues will now be treated the same as physical ailments, USA Today reports.
A new study finds 30 percent of U.S. veterans prescribed psychiatric medications do not have a diagnosed mental health problem.
Five years after the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 was signed by President George W. Bush, experts say the law has not created parity for mental health coverage.
The number of patients receiving mental health care is expected to soar under provisions of the Affordable Care Act that will take effect next week, the Wall Street Journal reports.
President Obama on Monday said it is time to bring mental illness “out of the shadows.” At the National Conference on Mental Health, sponsored by the White House, Obama spoke about the stigma associated with mental illness.
Addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco are the most common mental health problems in teenagers, a new government report concludes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed problem overall in youth ages 3 to 17.
Older teens and young adults with mental health issues who participate in community-based treatment programs report lower levels of substance use disorders, a new government report finds.
A study of the Army’s mental health care system identifies a number of gaps, and provides recommendations, including increasing the number of behavioral health specialists, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which makes it easier to gain access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, has increased care, but at an added cost, a new study concludes.
The federal government on Wednesday issued a final rule on “essential health benefits” that most health insurance plans must offer next year, including treatment of drug addiction and alcohol abuse.
Veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome are often prescribed medications not supported by existing government guidelines, according to a new study. Most of these prescriptions are written by mental health care providers.
While extensive research exists on the effects of tobacco use in the general population, few studies focus on individuals with mental illnesses. Further research is needed to address tobacco cessation efforts in this underserved community, explains Legacy President and CEO Cheryl Healton
A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill that would strengthen the nation’s mental health care system, and improve access in communities, according to The Washington Post. The bill would require about 2,000 federally qualified community behavioral health centers to provide substance abuse treatment and 24-hour care.
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