02/14/2012
The Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services has contracted with eight county agencies to participate in a 30-month initiative to determine mental health services that specific ethnic or age groups need and what obstacles prevent them from obtaining those services. The initiative -- estimated to cost about $1.6 million annually -- will be funded through the 2004 Mental Health Services Act. Sacramento Bee.
02/02/2012
State worker payrolls in 2011 increased by $500 million largely because of reduced employee furlough days. The Department of Mental Health saw one of the biggest payroll increases last year at nearly $50 million, and it had the two highest-paid state employees. Sacramento Bee.
02/01/2012
Blue Shield of California has reached a settlement with the California Department of Insurance to cover behavioral therapy as a treatment for autism under the state's Mental Health Parity Law. Los Angeles Times, AP/San Jose Mercury News.
02/01/2012
In a Capitol Weekly opinion piece, DJ Jaffe -- founder and executive director of Mental Illness Policy Org. -- argues that the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission "is diverting" funding from the Mental Health Services Act to "committees, consultants, PR firms, publishers, art directors" and other uses "instead of programs for people with severe mental illness." Jaffe offers several suggestions to address the issue. Capitol Weekly.
01/31/2012
Seven San Francisco middle schools are participating in a federal survey funded by the U.S. Department of Education that examines mental, physical and emotional symptoms from stressful events in the lives of students. Early results from the four-year, $3.4 million study show that about five or six children in every classroom have the symptoms, which can increase their risk for post-traumatic stress disorder or other trauma-related issues. San Francisco Chronicle.
01/24/2012
On Monday, mental health advocates announced a settlement in a lawsuit filed against Sacramento County in 2010 over budget cuts to mental health care. In an effort to cut costs, the county planned to replace mental health clinics run under competitively bid contracts with clinics staffed by county employees. Under the settlement, about 5,000 adults with significant psychiatric disabilities will continue to receive outpatient care from their existing contract providers. Sacramento Bee.
01/24/2012
Last week, the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color in California convened a public hearing to discuss the disparities in health care and other social services that young black and Latino men and boys face in schools and communities. The committee heard from elected officials, religious leaders, community activists, educators and students to gather ideas on how to address such obstacles. Similar meetings are scheduled over the coming months. Oakland Tribune et al.
01/24/2012
A panel convened by the American Psychiatric Association is proposing changes to the definition of autism for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. About 25% of individuals diagnosed with autism under the previous guidelines would no longer fit the new criteria. As a result, many individuals who rely on government programs could lose those benefits because some of those services depend on an official diagnosis. New York Times.
01/24/2012
On Saturday, the Sacramento County Division of Behavioral Health Services launched a countywide media campaign designed to encourage individuals to seek treatment and to increase awareness of mental illness. This year, the county plans to spend $800,000 on the campaign, which will include commercials and public service announcements. The county campaign is part of a $12 million statewide initiative. Capital Public Radio's "KXJZ News."
01/12/2012
Catholic Healthcare West has awarded $647,000 in funding to 21 not-for-profit organizations in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. The grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 and will go organizations that provide primary care, mental health care and housing services. CHW Senior Vice President of Operations Michael Taylor said the grants are intended to "help fill the gaps that exist in our region's safety net as a result of the current economy and lack of public funding." Sacramento Bee.
01/12/2012
On Wednesday, first lady Michelle Obama announced a new initiative, as part of her "Joining Forces" campaign, in which more than 100 medical schools will commit to increasing research and training on treating veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. The initiative is intended to provide military-focused training to physicians beyond those who work at military medical centers or military bases. The initiative will not provide funding to the participating schools, but schools will be able to make individual decisions on how to integrate the additional training and research into their curriculum. AP/Washington Post, MedPage Today.
01/12/2012
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department report finds that jailers are more likely to use force on inmates with mental health conditions than other prisoners. Sheriff Lee Baca has responded by adding more deputies trained in using non-violent methods. Los Angeles Times.
01/10/2012
The Low Income Health Program aims to expand access to mental health care in California by setting minimum guidelines for mental health care, such as providing beneficiaries with up to 10 days of acute inpatient treatment and up to 12 outpatient treatments annually. HealthyCal.
01/09/2012
The state has begun to shift supervision of newly released state prisoners to county probation agencies as part of its efforts to reduce prison overcrowding and cut costs. However, officials in Los Angeles and other counties are discovering that many of the inmates lack complete medical records and suffer from serious mental health issues. Officials warn that counties might not have the resources to provide adequate care to the former inmates. Los Angeles Times.
12/21/2011
A Sacramento Bee editorial states that Laura's Law -- a 2002 state law allowing counties to be more assertive in treating people with mental illness -- is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2013, and California's legislative leaders "ought to seize the opportunity to strengthen the law." The editorial argues that California's mental health care regulations have several shortcomings, including restrictions on the types of mental health care services that can be funded through Proposition 63. According to the editorial, state lawmakers "should undertake a longer-term review" of the state's mental health care laws and "leave their mark by helping people who, through no fault of their own, cannot help themselves." Sacramento Bee.