MHA Society for Behavioral Health

Five ways social media may change mental health care

Much has been written about how social media have changed medicine and health care. But how will things like online patient advocacy sites, blogs and Facebook affect mental health care? Psychologist Susan Giurleo, PhD, explores this issue on KevinMD.

Read more here.

SAMHSA outlines strategic plans

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Md., released eight strategic initiatives it plans to use to focus its limited resources on areas of “urgency and opportunity.”

The HHS division will focus on the strategic initiatives as it sets budget and policy priorities and manages grants, contracts, technical assistance, staff, and interagency efforts, according to a SAMHSA report on the initiatives.

The initiatives that will guide SAMHSA through 2014 are: data, outcomes and quality; health information technology; health reform; military families; prevention of substance abuse and mental illness; public awareness and support; recovery support; and trauma and justice.

“The strategic initiatives paper provides a clear roadmap for SAMHSA's immediate and longer term priorities for reaching our essential public health mission,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said in a news release.

[ via Paul Barr, Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose ]

SAMHSA reports sharp rise in ED visits involving Ecstasy

Hospital emergency department visits involving the illicit drug Ecstasy increased 75% between 2004 and 2008, according to a report released recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More than two-thirds of the 17,865 visits in 2008 involved patients aged 18-29, while 18% involved adolescents.

Eight in 10 visits related to Ecstasy also involved alcohol or other drugs, which can increase the severity of adverse reactions to the substance. "The resurgence of Ecstasy use is cause for alarm that demands immediate attention and action," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde.

The report is based on data from the agency's Drug Abuse Warning Network, which monitors drug-related hospital ED visits.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Are psychiatric symptoms dictated by gender?

A study in the journal Epilepsia found 38% of children with epilepsy had psychiatric symptoms compared with 17% of healthy children. Researchers also found psychiatric problems in boys usually include hyperactivity and inattention problems, while problems in girls include more emotional issues. Boys, with or without epilepsy, were more likely than their girl counterparts to develop psychiatric symptoms, according to the study.

 

Bill Would Extend EHR Incentive Pay to Behavioral Health Care

Legislation recently proposed by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse would make meaningful use incentive payments available to health care providers who offer mental health, behavioral health and substance treatment services. The bill also would clarify that certain behavioral care providers can receive assistance from regional extension centers.

Learn more here.

Older adults comprise more than half of ED visits for drug reactions

Adults aged 50 and older comprise 51.5% of emergency department visits related to adverse reactions to medications, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. About 8 in 10 of these visits involve reactions to just one medication. Cases include a broad range of medications, led by central nervous system drugs such as pain relievers (24%).

One-third of older adults treated for adverse drug reactions in the ED are admitted to the hospital. The findings are based on data from SAMHSA's 2008 Drug Abuse Warning Network, which monitors drug-related hospital ED visits.

Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals set for April 5-8

In an effort to help educate Mississippians about alcohol and drug abuse and prevention, the 4th Annual Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals, hosted by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, will be held April 5 – 8 at the Hattiesburg Convention Center. 

The MS School for Addiction Professionals will offer exciting plenary sessions, special events and a variety of courses in prevention, intervention and treatment, all of which are designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of each participant. The MS School offers many courses that address contemporary topics to help professionals remain abreast as to the latest trends in their areas. The MS School is open to treatment professionals, service providers, educators, parents, nurses, social workers, school counselors, law enforcement, faith based organizations, concerned citizens and others. 

Keynote presenters include: Sandy Queen, “Lighten Up: Taking Care of the Caretaker;” Joseph B. Washington, “Breaking the Spirit of Average;” Glenda Crump, “Using Emotional Intelligence in Clinical Practice;” John McAndrew, “Like a Child, I’m Always Learning;” and David Duresky, “Motivational Interviewing.”

Mississippi communities can easily feel the negative impact of substance abuse disorders. Thousands of Mississippians are in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse. They are neighbors, friends and family members leading healthy and productive lives in our communities. More than 23 million people aged 12 or older needed treatment for a substance use disorder in the United States in 2007, and in Mississippi alone, 183,000 people and their families are affected by this disease. Each year, the alcohol and drug residential treatment centers in Mississippi certified by DMH’s Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, provide residential treatment to more than 6,000 Mississippians suffering from substance abuse and dependence problems.

For more information about The MS School for Addiction Professionals, contact 601-359-1288 or visit www.dmh.ms.gov. If you or someone you know is in need of treatment, call the DMH’s 24 hour-a-day, 7 days a week at 1-877-210-8513.

Program eases depression in hospitalized cardiac patients

About 60% of patients with acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia or heart failure who received an intervention from a psychiatrist, care managers and doctors before and after hospital discharge reduced their depressive symptoms by 50% by six weeks post-discharge, compared with 30% of those who did not receive the intervention, researchers said. The intervention group also had fewer and less severe cardiac symptoms, the study in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found.

Read more from Health Daily News here.

U.S. leads 11 countries for highest bipolar disorder rate

Data from 11 countries, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, showed the lifetime rate of bipolar disorder was highest in the U.S. at 4.4% and lowest in India at 0.1%, which experts say could be attributed to several factors, including genetics, cultural awareness and stigma and social structures. The study also found that regardless of region or country, people with the disorder exhibited similar symptoms and usually had other mental health problems such as anxiety disorder.

For the full story from CNN, click here.