Mental Health

[unable to retrieve full-text content] UpTech Grad Wants to Bring Mental Health Services to All    American Inno Lennie Carter, CEO of TruCircle, credits therapy with saving his life — and he hopes to return the favor with his secure video conferencing *service* for therapists ... http://bit.ly/2ShDGFk

COLLIN BREAUX News Herald Reporter @PCNHCollinB Thursday Jan 31, 2019 at 6:30 PM “Just as I’m going around the city and running into people and talking to my own folks, there’s still a good bit of what I call hurricane PTSD going on. There are a lot of people still living under tarps and who haven’t gotten their homes fixed.” PANAMA CITY — Psychological first aid and help for Hurricane Michael survivors will be available at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Saturday. Mental health professionals will be at the church’s parish hall, 1608 Baker Court in Panama City, to listen to survivors and make suggestions of what people can do to help them feel better. The free event is from 10 a.m. to noon. “The entire area is invited. We want to reach out,” said Reverend Margaret Shepard. “Just as I’m going around the city and running into people and talking to my own folks, there’s still a good bit of what I call hurricane PTSD going on. There are a lot of people st...

In rural parts of the state, it can still be a hassle to access quality healthcare – especially for those in need of mental health services. One health system is trying to address that problem in southwest Virginia. Nick Gilmore has details. On Wednesday, officials at LewisGale’s Pulaski Hospital announced plans to build an Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at the facility. Hospital CEO Sean Pressman says it will fill a gaping hole in coverage in this portion of the state. “Right now about 70% of patients in the New River Valley who need placement for inpatient psychiatric care are having to travel outside of the area to receive that service. That takes them away from their friends, takes them away from their family, all the support systems that exist – and it makes recovery and treatment less effective.” The eight thousand square foot unit will include individual therapy space and provide access to social workers and recreational therapists. The project, which officials expe...

In November, property owners assumed the responsibility of paying for voter-approved tax initiatives like Ballot Measure 1A. The county-wide property tax, a mill levy increase of .75 of one mill, funds community-based mental health and substance abuse services. Glenn Raleigh, who has lived in Telluride for 45 years, was squarely against the measure.   Over the years Raleigh has contributed opposing views to the booklet that informs voters about ballot issues. In fact, he wrote the paragraph opposing 1A in this year’s booklet. “In it I warned the public that 1A would set a precedent for fraudulent property taxation and the only way to stop it was through legal measures,” Raleigh explained.   On Nov. 8, 2018, he filed a complaint and summons, seeking an injunction to stop the county from implementing 1A. According to San Miguel County Attorney Amy T. Markwell, Raleigh submits two central claims in his complaint. First, the county doesn’t have statutory authority to raise t...

January 31, 2019 Updated Jan 31, 2019 11:14 AM Massachusetts still struggles to provide access to mental health care and addiction treatment, according to a new report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation. The report follows a December  survey  of more than 2,000 Massachusetts adults, which found that more than half of respondents reported difficulty accessing behavioral health care services last year. Many of the people surveyed said this led them to abandon their search for treatment. The authors of the new report outline several recommendations for revamping mental health care and substance abuse treatment in the state, and say they hope this will serve as a call to action for policymakers. Audrey Shelto, president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, spoke with WBUR's Bob Oakes about the report and the recommendations. Here are some highlights from that interview. What are the most glaring problems for people trying to access...

Correction: The following story was updated at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. The original version of the story inaccurately claimed Rod Cleveland said there were 'no mental health resources' available for incarcerated veterans. The story has been updated to accurately reflect Cleveland's quotes and also added in comment from Cleveland County's Sheriff.  Around 27,500 veterans reside in Cleveland County, many of whom go unidentified day-to-day but often face mental health issues. When these issues go unaddressed, veterans sometimes find themselves within the walls of the Cleveland County Jail, where access mental health services becomes more limited, Cleveland County commissioner Rod Cleveland said. Once veterans are incarcerated they lose access to federal benefits, but can still receive mental health care from specialists at the Cleveland county jail, Cleveland said. In August 2018, Cleveland was invited to the White House to discuss prominent issues within the Norman com...

Jefferson County commissioners approved a two-year allocation of nearly $1.3 million for mental health and substance abuse services at their regular business meeting Jan. 28. The Hargrove Fund is raised by the county from 0.1 percent of its sales and use tax. The fund was authorized by former state Sen. Jim Hargrove for mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment programs along with therapeutic court systems. Commissioners approved $640,882 annually to fund mental health and substance abuse prevention services for 2019 and 2020. “We were the first county in the state to create an ordinance (for the Hargrove Fund), that was signed Oct. 3, 2005,” said Anna McEnery, who is the county coordinator of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Advisory Committee. “The priority funding areas are prevention in schools and at home for children coping with mental health and substance abuse issues,” McEnery said. “We also want to reduce the incidence and severity of substance-use disorder...

Mental health care in the United States is going mainstream with the opening of the first mental health clinic tucked into a Texas Walmart. The company rolled out the concept to bring behavioral services to a community setting that was convenient and affordable, Walmart said in a press release. The clinic, which is Walmart's first foray into provider services, is to be launched through the company's Beacon Care Services umbrella. Beacon Health Options is a privately held behavioral services company that serves as an intermediary between insurers and providers. The clinic in Texas is staffed with one licensed clinical social worker and will focus on treatment for anxiety, depression, grief, relationship problems, and other stresses, the press release noted. Patients with more serious psychiatric problems or who require a prescription are referred to nearby mental health professionals within the Beacon system. Prices are on a sliding fee scale for those without insurance. ...

CLINTON — Amid a national conversation regarding the state of mental health care in America, new mental health services are coming to the Clinton School District. Utilizing the services of Life Connections, full-time mental health experts will be in-house at every school building in the district for the 2019-2020 school year, allowing for more in-depth assistance for students in need. District officials along with Alyssa Hennings, a mental health service provider for Life Connections, unveiled plans for the new program Monday night. A cost of roughly $65,000 for the year comes with the partnership, but it's a cost that Clinton School District Superintendent Gary DeLacy feels will immediately pay for itself. "I basically challenged the different agencies in Clinton to come up with a plan and present it to me, and one agency (Life Connections) really took that to heart," DeLacy told Clinton School Board members Monday. At Clinton High School, one licensed therapist w...

View Comments Wheeler: 'We need the state's help to be successful' with services attached to projects funded by city and Metro bonds that voters have approved. Metro area mayors have endorsed more state aid for housing and support services, such as mental health and drug treatment, that keep people from being homeless. A dozen of the 25 members of the Metropolitan Mayors Consortium outlined their six priorities for the 2019 Oregon Legislature at a press conference Tuesday in Salem. "Housing that is affordable, with support services attached, works to stabilize some of the most vulnerable people in our communities," Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. But for the city and Multnomah County to reach a joint goal of 2,000 new units for some of the poorest residents within 10 years, he added, "We need the state's help to be successful and we are eager to work with our colleagues at the state level." Portland voters approved a $258 million bond for hous...

Shortly after a gunman killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School last year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled a  40-point plan  for improving school safety, which included calls for boosting mental health services for students.  "The strategy that I most strongly encourage the legislature to consider is greater investment in mental health, especially in crisis intervention counselors," Abbott said. "As long as mental health challenges trouble our children, there will never be enough safety barriers that we can build to protect our students." The KERA News conversation Abbott's plan calls for adding more school counselors to individual campuses and making sure first responders are equipped with mental health resources. With the state legislature back in session, lawmakers are proposing their own ideas for meeting mental health care needs in Texas schools and beyond.  Expanding Services State Representative Shawn Theirry, a Democrat from  Housto...

(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana's school safety efforts are taking a turn from metal detectors and security officers to mental and emotional health. A Senate committee may vote next week on a bill allowing the state's school safety grants to be spent on providing mental health services in school. It's among the recommendations of a Holcomb administration report on beefing up school safety, Indiana Urban Schools Association executive director David Marcotte says getting help to students with mental or emotional issues can head off problems before they arise. Mental Health America of Indiana says the benefits would go beyond avoiding school shootings. MHAI's Lisa Hutchinson says one in five teenagers has anxiety, depression or other mental illness. She says providing in-school services could reduce bullying, dropout rates and suicides. Fishers began a communitywide push to improve mental health services three years ago, including in-school services. Mayor Scott Fadness says ...

One caseworker is already working at CCS and an additional psychotherapist is expected to start in the next few months. The grant funding covers one year, but Galligher said she and colleagues are working to make sure the grant is renewed next year and to make the program self-sustaining. The additional staffing from this grant to aid Counseling and Consultation Service is one of several steps the university is taking to implement recommendations from the Suicide and Mental Health Task Force commissioned by President Michael V. Drake last year. The  task force report  calls for enhanced and standardized mental health and suicide screening protocols to better guide students to appropriate services, and for enhancement of current counseling and support services. “A lot of the stressors that students are dealing with have a root in trauma,” Galligher said. “So the STAR staff will be able to not only provide services for students but also provide some training and support to C...

Over the past year, Clara Barton Medical Clinic has been focused on treating the whole body through the introduction of mental and behavioral health therapy. Offering mental health services in the clinic setting has made it possible for patients to be treated for both their medical and mental health needs all in one convenient location. Licensed Master Social Worker, Pam Middleton, has been with CBMC since the introduction of mental health services to the clinic, providing help to patients with anxiety, ADHD, school troubles, everyday life issues, stress, and other mental health needs. During her time at Clara Barton, Middleton has also been working toward her addiction counseling license in hopes to better serve those with substance abuse and other addictions. Clara Barton Medical Clinic is excited to announce that Middleton has officially attained her Master’s Addiction Counselor License and will now be providing therapy for those struggling with addiction. Middleton graduated with...

PORT TOWNSEND — A total of $1.28 million for mental health and substance-abuse programs was approved unanimously for funding Monday by the Jefferson County commissioners. Budget allocations of $640,882 each year for 2019 and 2020 will come from the Jefferson County 1/10th of 1 percent tax revenue set aside for mental health programs. If for any reason the sales tax revenue decreases during the terms of the contact, vendors will be contacted and their contracts may be renegotiated. The allocations are the result of a request for proposal (RFP) and in-depth review process, and are recommended by the Mental Health/Substance Abuse Advisory Committee of Jefferson County Public Health. Anna McEnery, developmental disability coordinator, and Vicki Kirkpatrick, public health director, presented the recommendations to the commissioners. Those set to receive funds include the Nurse Family Partnership Program, Jumping Mouse services, Jumping Mouse Brinnon Pilot Project, school-based mental ...

The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Erie and Ottawa Counties (MHRBEO) is a local government agency consisting of 18 board members and five employees charged with planning, developing, funding, managing and evaluating a range of mental health and substance use disorder services and programs. Our statutory requirements are outlined in O.R.C. 340. The Board uses local levy, state and federal dollars to contract with community agencies and other professionals to ensure that counseling and support services, trained professionals and evidence-based programs are in place and accessible. The contracts are secured after a program and budget proposal is reviewed by board staff and presented to the board. Currently, we support over 200 services that address prevention, intervention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorder services throughout the two counties. In FY 2018, 27,000 individuals benefitted from programs and services. Providers such as the Sandusky Artisans Recove...

Access to mental healthcare, housing and transportation are some of the county's top health priorities, according to the new Grand County Public Health Improvement Plan. The county health improvement plan is a five-year guiding document that identifies health priorities, provides health data and gives actionable suggestions for the Grand County Public Health office and other local health organizations. This year's health improvement plan identifies six priorities: access to mental health; housing; transportation; lack of social services; substance abuse; and preventative health. "This plan is not just for public health to look at, it's for the community to look at it and other health and human services agencies," said Brene Belew-LaDue, director of Grand County Public Health. "It will be used as a guide to continue the work for the next five years." These priorities were identified by the public health office and its partners using resident, health p...

Outpatient mental health services in Hong Kong should be resumed in the evenings and weekends so patients do not have to take time off during office hours and face discrimination, a study has found. About 80 per cent of 439 mental health patients polled by the Concord Mutual-aid Club Alliance, a patient rights and self-help group, said if such services were available, they would not have to make up excuses to attend consultations. In 2001, the Hospital Authority offered the first general outpatient service in the evening for mental health patients, but this was terminated in 2006 because of low usage rates and what was deemed as sufficient daytime services. Mental health in Hong Kong at worst level in seven years Advocacy groups however said there was not enough public awareness of the services, as the government did not promote it widely. Half of the respondents in the survey work in the private sector and the rest are employed by social enterprises or sheltered workshops. Close ...

It’s not often you find the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 all in agreement on an issue. This past week, however, the Power 5 conferences voted at the NCAA convention to require member schools to make mental health services and resources available for student-athletes. The legislation passed 80-0 (all Power 5 schools plus 15 student-athlete representatives) during the Division I Autonomy Forum and Business Session portion of the convention, according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson . “It’s powerful it was passed in unanimous fashion,” Washington State AD Pat Chun told ESPN. “Stuff like this is a no-brainer for college athletics. We do a lot for our student-athletes, so I think it’s time we do something in terms of the mental health. Most, if not all, schools in the Power 5 are doing something, but the worst-case scenario is dealing with a tragedy that no school or family wants.” Washington State QB Tyler Hilinski committed suicide in 2018. His brother, Ryan Hilinski, signed with Sout...