Information related to managed care, behavioral health, Medicare, sustainability, and other administrative issues

Public Costs of Better Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents

The Jan./Feb. issue of Psychiatric Services, the journal of the American Psychiatric Association, includes research on the costs of systems of care communities, as compared with other models of mental health care. Researchers report that the superior services delivered through systems of care reduce state spending on inpatient hospitalization, the juvenile justice system, the child welfare system, and the special education system. In a recent interview, researchers note that system of care communities “may be spending roughly the same amount of tax dollars as non-system of care communities but getting more out of them.”

To read more, visit http://www.news-medical.net/?id=8700

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NJ Bill to Improve Medical Care for Minorities

New Jersey Governor Richard Codey officially signed into law NJ Senate Bill S144, which makes New Jersey the first state in the nation to require cultural competency training for physicians. The bill requires physicians to receive cultural competency training in order to obtain medical licenses and as a condition of renewing their licenses. Cultural competency training will also be included in New Jersey medical schools' curricula.

To read more, visit http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/

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Children's Mental Health Summit Day

The first-ever Children's Mental Health Summit Day will take place on May 4, 2005. Summit Day is an opportunity for system of care communities to call attention to their important work related to transforming mental health care systems for children, youth, and families.

To support the activities on May 4, the Caring for Every Child's Mental Health Campaign Team has prepared a toolkit containing materials and resources to help communities shape their Summit Day activities. This tool kit is available online at http://www.vancomm.com/campaign/summit.html

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Legislation Introduced to Increase Children's Mental Health Services

U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has introduced legislation to improve the availability of mental health services for children and adolescents. The Child Health Care Crisis Relief Act proposes several actions aimed at increasing the number of children's mental health providers. These actions include providing educational loan repayment assistance and scholarships for child mental health professionals; providing grants for graduate schools to help develop and expand child and adolescent mental health programs; and providing grants for graduate schools to support internships and field placements in child mental health services.

To read more, visit http://bingaman.senate.gov/Press_Files/Press_by_Date/Press_Release/press_release_26.html

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President and Mrs. Bush Discuss Helping America 's Youth Initiative

The President and Mrs. Laura Bush announced two new important steps in the Helping America's Youth Initiative, an effort to reach at-risk youth and get them involved in their communities. The first of these steps is the first-ever White House Conference on Helping America's Youth, which will convene next fall to promote public awareness of the problems facing at-risk youth in the U.S. The conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, educators, parents, and community leaders to discuss ways to help youth avoid risky behaviors and build successful lives. The second new step in the Initiative will be the creation of an assessment tool for communities to assist them in their efforts to help at-risk youth. This guide, titled "Community Guide to Helping America's Youth: An Assessment Tool for Youth Outreach," will reflect the work of researchers and experts and will be created with input from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Justice, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Interior, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

To read more, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/03/20050307-6.html

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New Report Confirms Substance Abuse, Child Abuse Link

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has released the results of a new study examining substance abuse in families in the U.S. The report, Family Matters: Substance Abuse and the American Family , reveals that half of all children in the U.S. live in a home where an adult abuses alcohol, uses tobacco, or uses illicit drugs. In addition, results suggest that children in these homes are at greater risk of abuse or neglect and are more likely to develop physical and mental illnesses and become involved in substance abuse. The report is composed of chapters informing readers about how substance abuse affects family functioning and the health of family members; steps parents can take to prevent children's substance use and abuse; and how families can get help.

To view the complete report, visit www.casacolumbia.org/supportcasa/item.asp?cID=12&PID=136