MHA Society for Behavioral Health

FDA to manufacturers: Study suicide risks associated with medications

The Food and Drug Administration has announced it will require drug manufacturers to study correlation between medication and suicidal behavior during clinical trials.

According to a New York Times report, the manufacturers of drugs for such conditions as obesity, incontinence, depression, and more have been asked for the first time to study the psychiatric effects of their drugs during clinical trials.

The initial impetus for the change dates back four years, when it became clear that antidepressants could cause suicidal behavior in children and teenagers. Now it has come to the FDA's attention that classes of medications could come with the side effect of potential adverse psychiatric side effects. To read the full Times report, click here.

[ via Accreditation Connection ]

Rigby appointed to State Drug Court Advisory Committee

Forrest General Hospital recently announced that Ruth Ann Rigby, Alumni Coordinator for Pine Grove Behavioral Health Services, has been appointed to Mississippi’s State Drug Court Advisory Committee. She has been appointed to serve until December 31, 2009. She is the only member on the newly appointed Drug Court Advisory Committee from a treatment facility in Mississippi.

“Ruth Ann's appointment is a unique honor, not only for her but for Pine Grove,” said Susan Slaughter, Director of Business Development at Pine Grove Behavioral Health Services. “We are very proud that Ruth Ann will represent Pine Grove as the only treatment center in Mississippi appointed to the Advisory Committee.”

The State Drug Court Advisory Committee was established to develop and periodically update proposed statewide evaluation plans and models for monitoring all critical aspects of drug courts. The committee also provides recommendations to the Chief Justice, the Director of the Administrative Office of Courts and state officials concerning improvements to drug court policies and procedures. The State Drug Courts Advisory Committee shall act as deciding parties and make judgments of disputes arising out of the operation of drug courts established under this act and make recommendations to improve the drug courts; it also makes recommendations to the Supreme Court as necessary.

Rigby is the Alumni Coordinator for Pine Grove, and she also performs national fundraising for the Circle of Healing Foundation. Rigby is involved in many community events. She was elected this year to the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Association of Drug Court Professionals where she is currently the treasurer and the sponsorship and exhibitor chairman for their 2008 conference that will be held in May on the Gulf Coast. She is a member of LEAPS (Mississippi Law Enforcement Alliance for Peer Support); this group offers assistance to any law enforcement officer when they are faced with many stressful challenges. Some of these challenges are divorce, domestic abuse, grief, hostage situations, shootings, suicide prevention, chemical addiction and other addictions. Rigby is currently President of the Board of Directors of the Central Mississippi chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency and also chairs the largest annual fundraiser. She is the 2008 Conference Chairman for the Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals conference that will be held in Hattiesburg in July, and she is also a past Board Member. Rigby resides in Jackson, and she is a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Ridgeland.

Mental health must become a priority

Mental health centers in Mississippi faces a $22.8 million deficit for the current fiscal year that began July 1. The shortfall is the product of the state's putting insufficient matching funds into the Medicaid program that serves the poor, elderly and special-needs residents.

"It's a good chunk of money to have to suddenly come up with," said Ed LeGrand, director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, in The Hattiesburg American.

And without those funds, the scope of the centers could shrink. The centers provide a range of services for the seriously mentally ill, behavioral interventions for children and residential treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, to HIV testing and counseling, prevention programs and specialized services for the elderly.

The centers not only provide services at their own facilities, but also in schools, prisons, churches and homes.

SAMHSA mental health services grants available

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is accepting applications through March 28 for $4.15 million in grants to support mental health outreach, treatment and recovery services for Americans 60 and older. The Older American Targeted Capacity Expansion program expects to award up to 10 grants of up to $415,400 each annually for three years.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit entities that provide mental health services.

Study: Antipsychotics don't manage aggressive outbursts

In a finding that would potentially mount a challenge to, among other treatments, the widespread practice of sedating agitated nursing home patients with antipsychotics, a new study suggests that these drugs may be no more effective than placebos in managing aggressive outbursts. The study, which didn't address Alzheimer's patients directly, focused on 86 adults with low I.Q.'s in community housing in England, Wales and Australia. It found that that adults taking the placebo actually saw a 79 percent reduction in aggressive behavior, while the reduction was 65 percent or less among those taking antipsychotics. Those taking the medications received Janssen's Risperdal or traditional antipsychotic Haldol.

Researchers speculated that it was attention from caregivers in the study, not the drugs themselves, that may be responsible for changed behaviors. They're recommending that physicians stop prescribing the use of such drugs for aggression.

To find out more about the study, read this New York Times piece.

[ via Fierce Healthcare ]

Reports on integrating mental, substance abuse treatment released

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on Jan. 4 released the last in a series of reports on integrating treatment research and practices to better meet the needs of people with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. The three new reports explain services integration, systems integration, and the epidemiology of co-occurring disorders.

A New Tool for Predicting Schizophrenia

Researchers have demonstrated an ability to more accurately predict whether and when teenagers and young adults might develop schizophrenia before they experience their first full-fledged bout of psychosis.

The finding, in a study published Jan. 7th in the Archives of General Psychiatry, may help doctors monitor certain high-risk patients more carefully and treat them at the first sign of instability, rather than wait for a full-blown psychotic episode.

For the full story from Shirley S. Wang in the Wall Street Journal, click here.