http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/Console/XmlSyndication/Display/RSS.asp?xsid=1589762DEE3D4BD79161A35B8FB978A1 Behavioral Healthcare Current News http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=059EA3D0BF1D4388907FBD14B2D0F627 New York, NY — The Interoperability Workgroup, sponsored by the Software and Technology Vendors' Association (SATVA), met in Chicago on August 19, 2010 at MHCA's summer conference.  The presentation by Bill Connors, SATVA Board President, and Mike Morris, SATVA Board Member, provided attendees introductory material related to interoperability, Meaningful Use, and the various types of certification.  Attendees received an overview of the Interoperability group's success in advancing health information exchange in behavioral health.  SATVA member companies demonstrated the successful sending and receiving of a Continuity of Care Document (CCD) for the group.  The CCD is an HL7 standard specification for exchange of patient summary clinical data.   MHCA and SATVA representatives worked together to better understand some of the challenges implementing a CCD and realizing true interoperability and health information exchange.  This included mechanisms to manage patient consents, re-disclosure of client information and operating within confines of state and federal laws governing patient information.  The next meeting of the Interoperability Workgroup will be at MHCA's November Conference in San Francisco.   About SATVA:  The Software and Technology Vendors' Association (SATVA) is a trade organization for vendors of behavioral health and human services software and information technology. Its members have a genuine concern for promoting the use of effective information technology in behavioral health and human services; helping to formulate and support quality improvement for the highest industry standards; and facilitating the delivery of more efficient and effective consumer services through use of information technology.   To stay on top of these issues make sure to visit the SATVA Certification watch at www.satva.org/CCHITWatch.htm . Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:09:58 EST 059EA3D0BF1D4388907FBD14B2D0F627 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=C81AA18A1C8042C18943525A6683468D Evanston, IL — Naurex Inc., a clinical stage company developing innovative treatments for depression and other CNS disorders, today reported that its clinical stage candidate for the treatment of depression, GLYX-13, and its second-generation NRX-1050 series have been selected for inclusion on Windhover's list of the "Top 10 Most Interesting Neuroscience Projects to Watch."  They were chosen by a committee that included Windhover Information, the publishers of IN VIVO and Start-Up, and independent CNS expert Harry Tracy, president of NI Research and editor of the neuroscience business analysis journal NeuroInvestment. GLYX-13 and the molecules in the NRX-1050 series represent a novel mechanism at a well-known target—they are glycine-site functional partial agonist selective modulators (GFPAs) of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) that have been designed to be devoid of the limiting side effects of classic NMDAR-modulating drugs while maintaining their well-documented efficacy. GLYX-13 is in clinical development for treatment-resistant depression and has demonstrated a positive safety profile in a Phase I trial.  In preclinical studies, GLYX-13 has shown promising signs of robust antidepressant activity with excellent safety, demonstrating rapid onset of effect and long duration after a single administration.  Naurex will initiate a Phase II proof-of-concept trial later this year to evaluate GLYX-13 in patients who are not achieving an adequate response to their current antidepressant agents. "We are delighted that these respected industry experts have selected our novel NMDA receptor modulators as among the most promising candidates in the CNS field," said Derek Small, acting CEO of Naurex.  "Treatment-resistant depression is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people.  We are optimistic that GLYX-13 and our NRX-1050 series have the potential to make a dramatic difference for these patients, helping those poorly served by existing therapies and providing relief within hours—rather than weeks—of receiving a single dose.  Both programs have also demonstrated potential in a number of other CNS indications." The NRX-1050 series of GFPAs comprises numerous second-generation, orally available molecules with structures and mechanisms of action similar to GLYX-13.  This series includes multiple potential lead molecules, and in vivo proof-of-concept data have been generated for a number of the candidates. "Selected companies have been screened using a strict set of judging criteria for the Top 10 award and represent what our committees considered the most attractive neuroscience opportunities the industry has to offer," said David Cassak, vice president, content, Windhover Conferences, a division of Elsevier Business Intelligence.  "Winners have met rigorous criteria, including: unmet medical need, market potential, diversity of indications, strong science, multi-level partnering opportunities (biotech and pharma), potential for new opportunities beyond initial indications and corporate stability." Along with inclusion in the "Top 10 to Watch" list, Naurex has been selected to present at Windhover's Therapeutic Area Partnerships meeting, which will be held November 2-4, 2010 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, MA.  More information on the meeting can be found at www.tapartnerships.com . Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:05:38 EST C81AA18A1C8042C18943525A6683468D http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=B67F59AC7D054D7AA23729AF73676DF9 Washington, DC — The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), Chicago, Ill. and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI), Austin, Texas, were named by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as the first technology review bodies that have been authorized to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for compliance with the standards and certification criteria that were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year. Announcement of these ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ONC-ATCBs) means that EHR vendors can now begin to have their products certified as meeting criteria to support meaningful use, a key step in the national initiative to encourage adoption and effective use of EHRs by America’s healthcare providers. “Less than two months following the issuance of final meaningful use rules, we have approved our initial ONC-ATCB certifiers.  EHR vendors can begin immediately to get their products certified.” said David Blumenthal, MD, national coordinator for Health Information Technology.  This is a crucial step because it ensures that certified EHR products will be available to support the achievement of the required meaningful use objectives, that these products will be aligned with one another on key standards, and that doctors and hospitals can invest with confidence in these certified systems.” Applications for additional ONC-ATCBs are also under review. Certification of EHRs is part of a broad initiative undertaken by Congress and President Obama under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.  HITECH created new incentive payment programs to help health providers as they transition from paper-based medical records to EHRs.  Incentive payments totaling as much as $27 billion may be made under the program.  Individual physicians and other eligible professionals can receive up to $44,000 through Medicare and almost $64,000 through Medicaid.  Hospitals can receive millions. To qualify for the incentive payments, providers must not only adopt, but also demonstrate meaningful use of, certified EHR systems.  The law envisions that defined meaningful use requirements will help ensure that the patient and provider benefits of EHRs are realized.  Initial meaningful use criteria were defined in a final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 28. In addition to the CMS rule, ONC also issued standards and certification criteria for EHRs on July 28, aimed at ensuring that EHR systems will support the specific tasks required under meaningful use.  Also, through regulations issued on June 24, ONC created a system by which technology review organizations could also qualify as ONC- ATCBs that will certify EHR products as meeting the requirements necessary for meaningful use. With the initial two ONC-ATCBs now named, EHR vendors can apply to them for certification of their products.  By purchasing certified products, providers will have assurance that the products will support achievement of the meaningful use objectives. “Multiple steps are underway to carry out the intent of Congress in supporting rapid and effective adoption of EHRs throughout our health care system,” Dr. Blumenthal said.  “The naming of initial ONC-ATCBs is one important step.  Actual certification of multiple vendors’ systems by the ONC-ATCBs is an important next step.  CMS is also working to create an online system for providers to register and attest for the EHR incentive programs. The first incentive payments are targeted to be made in May 2011.  Meanwhile, ONC is also carrying out new programs of technical assistance and training, especially for smaller hospitals and physician practices.” Dr. Blumenthal said the Health IT initiative “is on an aggressive schedule to meet the urgent targets set by Congress and the President toward realizing the quality and safety improvements that we can achieve through health information technology.” To learn more about the ONC-ATCBs named today visit www.cchit.org   and www.drummondgroup.com . For more information about the ONC certification programs visit http://healthit.hhs.gov/certification . For more information about other HHS Recovery Act Health Information Technology funding and programs, visit http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/index.html#Health . Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:05:29 EST B67F59AC7D054D7AA23729AF73676DF9 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=350A1C2E5A1B4B6CBCB08BA8AE46CEED Arlington, VA — Religiousness may have a positive impact on the quality of life of older adults with schizophrenia, according to new research looking at a large multiracial group of people with schizophrenia living in the community.  The research appears in the September issue of Psychiatric Services, a journal of the American Psychiatric Association. Previous research has identified the potential benefit of religion in the recovery of persons with schizophrenia, but has not specifically looked at older adults. With an anticipated doubling of the older population with schizophrenia over the next 20 years, the focus of this research was specifically on the potential role of religiousness among older adults. The study participants included 198 people 55 and older living in the community who developed schizophrenia before age 45 and a randomly selected community comparison group of 113 older adults. Researchers used a seven-item religiousness scale consisting of three dimensions:  salience (the importance of religion in the person’s life), use of religion as a way of coping, and attendance at religious activities. The researchers found that persons with schizophrenia attended religious activities less frequently than their peers, four times a year compared with once a month, but were equally likely to report that religion was important in their lives and that they used religion as a coping strategy. The study found that religiousness had independent and positive effects on the participants’ quality of life—that is, it did not simply act as a buffer that prevented psychotic symptoms from eroding a person’s quality of life. In addition, participants who had psychotic symptoms were no more likely to be religious than those without such symptoms. The authors concluded that religiousness “must be considered along with other therapeutically important agents.” The authors also note that “mental health professionals have been found to be much less religious than their patients, and often they are not aware of their patients’ religious involvement….clinicians may overlook a therapeutically important agent.” The study authors included Carl I. Cohen, M.D, Carolina Jimenez, MD, and Sukriti Mittal, MD—all affiliated with SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the study was supported by grants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:43:04 EST 350A1C2E5A1B4B6CBCB08BA8AE46CEED http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=EC23C789EA5A465FAC6369BB31704F55 Radnor, PA — QlikTech today announced that its customer, Centerstone Research Institute (CRI), has been recognized as a 2010 Best Practices Award Winner by The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI). CRI is a private, not-for-profit company dedicated to improving healthcare delivery through the marriage of research and information technology. Based in Indiana and Tennessee, CRI works with community mental health centers to conduct clinically relevant research and provide high quality services to over 70,000 patients annually. The company deployed a business intelligence and data warehouse solution in 2008 that helped produce a 30 percent ($12-15 million) increase in annual revenue in its first year without appreciable increases in cost. In addition, staff productivity rose 30 percent, and a 25 percent rise in treatment plan completion has indicated an increase in the quality of clinical services provided. "The purpose of the CRI BI/DW solution was to empower end users, who previously did not have access to data, with actionable information to inform their business management and clinical practices," said Thomas Doub, PhD, Chief Operating Officer at CRI. "Thanks to our use of QlikView in our solution, users can now see and explore vital information related to service quality, financial viability, and patient outcomes." Use of the BI/data warehouse spans the CRI organization from the CEO down to front-line clinicians, who use the tools every day in their work. In addition to these operational and management tools, predictive models have been developed in order to better inform clinical decisions about patient care and select optimal treatment options. "We congratulate CRI on the revenue and productivity gains they have achieved with their program, which have not only improved patient care but directly impacted their bottom line," said Tim Wassman, President of QlikTech Americas. "They are a perfect example of an organization that has transformed its business by providing visibility into its data, and we are happy they are being recognized for their achievements in this area." TDWI's Best Practices Awards program honors companies that have demonstrated excellence in developing, deploying and maintaining business intelligence (BI) and data warehousing (DW) applications. CRI was selected as one of two winners in the Government and Non-Profit category along with the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA). For more information on the awards, visit http://tdwi.org/pages/research/tdwi-best-practice-awards-2010-winners.aspx . Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:42:55 EST EC23C789EA5A465FAC6369BB31704F55 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=2E022C9C25D94F4CAF1E0325FAA21D95 Clearwater, FL — As part of its continued commitment to meet the mental health needs of the Tampa Bay community, BayCare Behavioral Health has opened the Morton Plant North Bay Hospital Recovery Center in Lutz. Morton Plant North Bay Hospital Recovery Center is a 72-bed acute care, behavioral health facility to treat adults, children and adolescents. The facility has 56 adult beds and 16 beds for children and adolescents. It is the only hospital-based children's mental health facility in Pasco County. The Recovery Center provides a full-range of behavioral health services for adults, children and adolescents who require inpatient care. Located at 21808 State Road 54 in Lutz, the building has been completely renovated to create an atmosphere that promotes healing and ensures patient safety. Patients can receive treatment for inpatient psychiatric crisis stabilization, crisis intervention and support in a tranquil environment. "We are committed to providing our patients with a complete range of behavioral health and wellness treatment options that are focused on the needs of each individual patient," said John Sheehan, Vice President, BayCare Behavioral Health. "As a healthcare partner to the Tampa Bay area for more than 30 years, we are constantly striving to meet the changing needs of our community.  By developing a safe environment that is conducive to healing, patients can focus on their recovery. And after patients leave our recovery center, we continue to work with them to coordinate proper follow-up care that care that focuses on their long-term recovery." BayCare Behavioral Health will also begin construction later this year on St. Joseph's Hospital Recovery Center, a 60-bed acute care, mental health facility for adults and children in Hillsborough County. When it opens in 2011, it will have 40 adult beds and 20 beds for children and adolescents. St. Joseph's Hospital Recovery Center will be located at 4918 N. Habana Avenue in Tampa. Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:42:42 EST 2E022C9C25D94F4CAF1E0325FAA21D95 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=D87AE382603E444F959201F3B5923F41 Cary, NC — Doug & Rebecca Jackson, owners of a new Brain Balance Center in Cary , North Carolina, are opening their doors to families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders this week by hosting a three day grand opening that will include open houses, book signings and a number of lectures by Dr. Robert Melillo, author of Disconnected Kids (Penguin). Also available to meet with parents is Rene Carlberg, school psychologist and the Director of the Brain Balance Center in Cary, NC. All events are free and open to the public:   Monday, August 30th:   --  3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Open House, 'Meet and Greet' and book signing with Dr. Robert Melillo at Brain Balance Achievement Center, 8204 Tryon Woods, Cary, NC.   --  7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Lecture on Neurobehavioral Disorders in Children by Dr. Robert Melillo (Parent Focus) Cary Elementary, 400 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary , NC.   Tuesday, August 31st:   --  10:30 a.m. Official Ribbon-Cutting of New Brain Balance Center, 'Meet and Greet' with Dr. Robert Melillo, Doug & Rebecca Jackson and Rene Carlberg at Brain Balance Achievement Center , 8204 Tryon Woods, Cary , NC.   --  7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Lecture on Neurobehavioral Disorders in Children by Dr. Robert Melillo North Carolina State University, McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St., Raleigh NC.   Wednesday, September 1st:   --  9 am - 11 a.m. "Coffee Talk with Dr. Robert Melillo" Briggs Restaurant, 1040 Tryon Village Dr. Cary , NC. All events are free and open to the public. To reserve a seat either call 919-851-2333 or e-mail: BBGrandOpening@yahoo.com . Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:15:44 EST D87AE382603E444F959201F3B5923F41 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=47947B54CAEA427EA341111DC682E414 Dallas, TX — RemitDATA Inc., a provider of reimbursement and utilization data and analysis solutions in the outpatient healthcare market, today announced it was recognized in Inc. magazine’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 list, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. RemitDATA achieved an overall ranking of No. 1725 and a healthcare industry ranking of No. 134. Also ranked in 2009, RemitDATA’s higher 2010 ranking is a result of its three-year sales growth of 161 percent. The Inc. 5000 ranking measures revenue growth between a three-year span—2006 through 2009. RemitDATA generated $2.4 million in annual revenue in 2006. By 2009, the company’s annual revenue climbed to $6.2 million. “We’re thrilled that RemitDATA has been named as one of the fastest growing private companies by Inc. magazine for the second year in a row,” said Dave Ellett, chief executive officer of RemitDATA. “We continue to experience significant growth as we add more innovative solutions to our product line and stay focused on the needs of our customers and partners in the ever-changing healthcare industry.” RemitDATA is a provider of real-time, SaaS-based reimbursement and utilization solutions, providing transparent data, actionable insights, comparative analysis and digital document management to the outpatient healthcare provider market through channel partners. Currently, RemitDATA serves more than 75,000 healthcare providers throughout the United States. Founded in 2000, RemitDATA started as a single idea created by Bently Goodwin, CPA. With more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Goodwin envisioned success from creating a company that could help outpatient healthcare providers improve financial performance through increased reimbursements, improved business practices and operational efficiencies. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, and Dallas, Texas, the company has enjoyed a more than 90 percent client renewal rate since its inception. For more information about RemitDATA products and services, please visit www.RemitDATA.com or call (866) 885-2974. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:15:33 EST 47947B54CAEA427EA341111DC682E414 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=D0703365C21B4D4ABB65B6AF1FA88DA5 Columbus, OH — Even after leaving a violent or controlling relationship, the mental health of mothers may actually get worse before it gets better, a new study suggests. Researchers found that in the two years after the end of an abusive relationship, mothers showed poorer mental health, became more depressed and maintained high levels of anxiety.  In those areas, they were no better off than women who stayed in abusive relationships. However, abused mothers who had more social support fared better after the end of their relationship than did similar mothers with less help from friends and family. “Our findings really help us understand how unstable those first few years are for mothers who leave violent or controlling relationships,” said Kate Adkins, lead author of the study, who did the work as a doctoral student at Ohio State University. “Even though getting out of the relationship may be good in the long run, they first have to deal with multiple sources of stress, including financial problems, single parenting and sharing custody with the abuser.” Adkins conducted the study with Claire Kamp Dush, assistant professor of human development and family science at Ohio State.  Their results appear online in the journal Social Science Research and will be published in a future print edition. The findings don’t suggest that women shouldn’t leave abusive partners, Kamp Dush emphasized. “What our results mean is that these women still need a lot of support and a lot of services even after they leave.  Family members and friends may think things are OK because she has left the abuser.  But she still needs support and she still needs social services,” Kamp Dush said. The researchers used data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being study, a project of Princeton and Columbia universities.  They used data on about 2,400 mothers who were married to, or co-habiting with, the father of their child at the end of the first year of the three-study. They separated the mothers into three groups: those who experienced no abuse, those in controlling relationships (in which fathers were extremely critical and insulting, and controlled her actions) and those in physically violent relationships.  They also looked at whether those relationships continued or ended by the end of the three years. In addition, women were tested for levels of depression and anxiety, and levels of social support and religious involvement. Results showed that all women—including those in non-violent relationships who stayed with their partners throughout the study—showed higher levels of depression and anxiety by the end of the three years. That was probably because of the nature of this sample, Adkins said.  These were nearly all low-income and minority women who had just become mothers, so they were under a lot of stress, Adkins said. However, those who stayed in violent and controlling relationships—and those who left such unions—showed significantly greater increases in depression and anxiety, compared to those left or who remained in non-violent relationships. Why did women who left violent and controlling relationships continue to experience larger increases in depression and anxiety? A key reason may have been that, because of the shared child, the mothers still had substantial contact with their abusers. Findings showed that, of abused women whose relationship ended, about half talked to or saw the father once a week.  Only about a quarter were in contact with him a few times a year or less. “They might be going through a divorce, or working out child arrangements.  Research shows that more than a third of women continue to experience physical abuse and 95 percent experience emotional abuse following the end of the relationship.  All of this adds to the stress and anxiety they already feel,” Adkins said. The one sliver of good news was that abused women who had the support of friends and family did not show as much depression and anxiety as did women without that level of support. “After the relationship ends, that is when these mothers really need the protection and help of their family and friends,” Kamp Dush said. Higher levels of religious involvement did not by itself protect abused mothers from depression and anxiety, the study found.  However, it is possible that the religious involvement was associated with social support, and mothers received help and encouragement through people they met through their church activities, Adkins said. Adkins, who is currently a family therapist working with domestic violence victims, said the results are consistent with what she sees in her practice. “People often wonder why abused women don’t leave their partners,” she said.  “But as this study shows, things aren’t necessarily better after you leave an abuser, at least right away.  It’s a difficult process.” But these results shouldn’t dissuade abused mothers from leaving their partners, particularly when there are safety concerns to themselves or to their children, she said. “The number one reason to leave is safety, not only for the mothers but for their children as well.  While things may not get better right away, we only looked at up to two years after the relationship ended.  We’re not sure what happens after that,” Adkins said. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:15:19 EST D0703365C21B4D4ABB65B6AF1FA88DA5 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=7C8F462FB7B144C6B7D42A20903D4C34 Rockville, MD — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), along with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Development Disabilities (TDMHDD), the Tennessee National Guard (TNNG) and the Tennessee Veterans Task Force will host the third OPERATION IMMERSION August 30 to September 1, 2010, at the Tennessee National Guard Training Center in Smryna, TN. Substance abuse professionals from 19 states and 5 tribal organizations will participate in and learn about this first-of-its-kind military immersion training with the goals of replicating similar programs nationwide.   The training is designed to immerse attendees in military culture and the deployment experience in an effort to help remove the barriers and apprehension soldiers often face when seeking help for mental health or substance use disorders. SAMHSA’s role in this effort is part of the agency’s strategic initiative on promoting the behavioral health interests of those in the military, veterans, and their families.   During the event, attendees will stay in barracks, go through a modified early morning Physical Training (PT), complete chores and inspection, tour a C-130 cargo plane and Black Hawk Helicopter, and eat a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE).   Major General Terry M. Haston, Adjutant General of the Tennessee National Guard: TDMHDD Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts and Dr. H. Westley Clark, Director, SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, will provide opening remarks for the event. The event will also feature presentations by experts from SAMHSA and Tennessee on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), homelessness, and suicide prevention. Attendees also will hear personal stories of deployment from combat veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and from military spouses and family members.   "This training offers a unique opportunity for behavioral health care providers in Tennessee and from many states across the U.S. to experientially learn about life from the military perspective," said TDMHDD Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts. "It is our hope that Operation Immersion will help to foster a better understanding of these unique issues and concerns to lead to better treatment and prevention of mental health and substance abuse disorders for those who serve our country through military service."   Operation Immersion, which began in June of 2009, is a collaboration between TDMHDD, TNNG, and the Tennessee Veterans Task Force as an effort to reduce the stigma of mental illness and substance use disorders in military populations. The two-day curriculum focuses on military culture and issues unique to service members and veterans who have served in combat and experienced one or multiple deployments and their families.   Attendees will hail from 24 states and tribal organizations receiving Access to Recovery (ATR) II grant funding. ATR II is a SAMHSA discretionary grant, designed to provide client choice among alcohol and/or drug treatment and recovery support service providers to individuals in need through the use of a voucher system. Tennessee-ATR II consumers are able to choose from over 80 statewide providers including secular organizations and faith-based organizations. The goals of the ATR II grant include expanding access to treatment, increasing the diversity of network providers, ensuring client choice, and providing a more streamlined entry into treatment and/or recovery services.   For more information, contact Linda Fulton, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at linda.fulton@samhsa.hhs.gov or 240-276-1573 or Maggie Throckmorton, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities at maggie.throckmorton@tn.gov or 615-532-3025. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:10:51 EST 7C8F462FB7B144C6B7D42A20903D4C34 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=4CE5CD1725494EB4B1B36F65864307F1 Philadelphia, PA — Friends Hospital announced that it is redeploying the assets of its former Crisis Response Center as a new intake center based on the principles of recovery-oriented care. Friends Hospital has experienced dramatic success with individuals treated in its Recovery-Oriented Care unit. It was created with the input of former users of the CRC, physicians, community stakeholders, and representatives from Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services. The new Intake and Recovery Center will serve as the portal through which individuals come to the hospital for assessment, possible admission, or referral to a community resource.  Dr. Ken Glass, Chief Executive Officer of Friends Hospital, says, “Last year when our Crisis Response Center closed, it was a turning point for our hospital and a clear sign that we needed to change to meet the needs of the Philadelphia behavioral health community.  Since that time, we have worked closely with community residents, regulators, and payors to embrace change and position the hospital for the future.  Central to this was our opening of a Recovery-Oriented Care unit, the first of its kind in the Philadelphia Region.” Dr. Glass continues, “Our experience shows that recovery-oriented care works, creating dramatic, breakthrough changes in individuals, many of whom have lived with mental illness or addiction for years or even decades.  Given these powerful success stories, we are now extending this new paradigm of care to our intake department. The Intake and Recovery Center ensures that individuals receive a no-cost confidential assessment by a qualified mental health professional utilizing the principles of recovery-oriented care, literally from their first interactions with the hospital.” Individuals who are assessed by the Intake and Recovery Center at Friends Hospital will be referred to the most appropriate level of care.  Whether admitted or referred to community resources, each individual, when appropriate, will be provided with a personalized recovery plan, a consultation with a peer specialist, and referral to outside resources that can be an aid in their path to recovery. “Friends Hospital was the first inpatient psychiatric facility in Philadelphia to systematically incorporate recovery-oriented care into their treatment services. We are thrilled that they are now opening an Intake and Recovery Center,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, Director, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services. “Clearly, recovery-oriented care helps people with serious mental illness and addiction restore their lives. This approach to care, with its emphasis on evidence-based practices and recovery outcomes is the way of the future in psychiatric care.” The Intake and Recovery Center will schedule no-cost confidential assessments from 8 a.m.to 9 p.m., seven days a week.  The Center will continue to accept direct admissions from other facilities as Friends is no longer a Crisis Response Center. Individuals seeking help are encouraged to call ahead and speak to an Intake Coordinator to provide a coordinated point of entry through which each person is effectively assessed and referred to the most appropriate, accessible type of care.  For more information or to schedule a no-cost confidential assessment contact the Intake and Recovery Center’s direct line 215-831-2600 or call 1 800 889-0548. Friends Hospital expects the Intake and Recovery Center to be open for business beginning on September 13, 2010. “We are delighted that Friends Hospital is playing a major leadership role in these efforts.  We wish Dr. Glass and his team well as they launch this new initiative,” said Dr. Evans. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:42:18 EST 4CE5CD1725494EB4B1B36F65864307F1 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=7C84A40038D24880B778C85FE3569D83 New Orleans, LA — Free HIV/AIDS tests, other significant tests and medical exams (including physicals) will be available to uninsured residents of the area when the National Association of Free Clinics holds a massive free clinic in New Orleans on Aug. 31 and Sept 1.  Patients should call (877) 236-7617 to make appointments. Other services at the free clinic from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Aug. 31 and from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will include: medical exams (including physicals), EKGs, cholesterol blood tests, glucose tests for diabetes, blood pressure tests, muscular skeletal exams, urinalysis, pregnancy tests, hemoglobin tests and strep tests. In addition, the free clinic will provide mental health services and pharmacy counseling. Providers will write prescriptions that conform to the generic programs offered by many drug stores. "Patients at the free clinic will be referred to resources in the community for ongoing care," Lamoureux said. "The goal is to connect uninsured patients to safety-net providers, such as free clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospitals." Along with the toll-free number for appointments, 1-877-236-7617, information about the Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 free clinic for both patients and volunteers is available at: www.freeclinics.us . Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:41:26 EST 7C84A40038D24880B778C85FE3569D83 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=E0E7C33401F34ED79D5067AEB80C9F2B Albany, NY — The New York State Chief Information and Director of the Office for Technology, Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart, is pleased to announce the National Association of State CIO’s (NASCIO’s) has selected three New York State agencies’ exemplary IT initiatives as finalists for the 2010 NASCIO Recognition Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology. This is a major milestone for the state which has never received more than one finalist position in the past. New York’s Department of Health and Office of Mental Health and The Psychiatric Services & Clinical Knowledge Enhancement System (PSYCKES) project were recognized for in the Cross Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships category. Through collaborative technologies, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and Office of Mental Health (OMH) has undertaken the initiative to improve the quality and efficiency of psychotropic prescribing practices in NYS. The Psychiatric Services and Clinical Knowledge Enhancement System (PSYCKES) initiative is based on an award-winning portfolio of web-based tools designed to identify Medicaid enrollees statewide who are receiving care that is considered both costly and questionable in quality. Through PSYCKES, system users are able to easily review quality indicators, identify consumers whose treatment could benefit from review, and obtain medication and service utilization information to support quality improvement and clinical decision-making. The OMH/DOH PSYCKES has resulted in significant benefits to the stakeholder groups, Medicaid patients, and New York State.   Michael F. Hogan, PhD, Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health, said, “PSYCKES is a terrific project that ‘bends the curve’ of improving healthcare quality and reducing cost. It uses available information to improve medication treatment, for example by reducing risky use of multiple medicines for both adults and children. New applications are empowering consumers to collaborate with their doctors, and helping coordinate care for people in crises. I want to congratulate Dr. Molly Finnerty and her medical team and Dr. Hao Wang and his IT team for this recognition, and acknowledge terrific support our colleagues at the NYS Department of Health. PSYCKES is the kind of effort we need to make healthcare safer, better and more cost-effective.”   State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, MD, said, “New York State is a national leader in integrating health information technology into patient care,” said. “PSYCKES allows healthcare providers to access a patient’s full medical and prescription history, which can be used to develop an appropriate treatment plan. It is another use of technology to improve clinical decision-making and benefit patients.”   Projects and initiatives from NASCIO member states, territories, and the District of Columbia were eligible for nomination, and finalists were selected by NASCIO’s Awards Committee from a field of more than 130 nominees. New York State submitted nominations for ten state IT projects.   To view a description of New York State’s nominated projects and finalists please visit http://www.cio.ny.gov/assets/documents/NASCIO/081310_NASCIO_Awards.pdf . Details about all the nominated projects are posted on NASCIO’s Web site at www.nascio.org/awards . Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:06:55 EST E0E7C33401F34ED79D5067AEB80C9F2B http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=3513E7BFE0F8422BBDD97E8D2AB8F146 Bethesda, MD — BrainScope Company, Inc. today announced the publication of clinical research findings from a study in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) following a closed head injury.  The study published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Injury, the official journal of the International Brain Injury Association, entitled "Use of brain electrical activity to quantify traumatic brain injury in the emergency department", suggests BrainScope's technology, compared with Computed Tomography (CT), may provide clinically useful triage for CT in patients presenting to the ED. "This study suggests that clinical presentation alone may not be sufficient to make a prediction regarding the presence of abnormal brain function," said Dr. Rosanne S. Naunheim, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who was the lead author of the study.  "Having completed this study, there is great promise that this portable technology will be able to predict which patients are abnormal after a closed head injury.  We found the device easy to use and predictive of whether CT scans were positive or negative which could be exceptionally useful in triaging patients, whether on the sidelines in sports, the battlefield or the urban Emergency Department." The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of BrainScope's technology to distinguish between patients who present with mild head injury symptoms, but result in either a positive head CT scan (CT+) (a head injury severe enough to warrant more extensive evaluation and treatment), a negative head CT scan (CT-), and ED control (normal) patients. The study, led by Dr. Naunheim, was conducted in collaboration with Washington University's Barnes Jewish Hospital and New York University's Bellevue Hospital Center.  The study, conducted with written informed consent, enrolled 105 head injury patients (53 CT+ and 52 CT-) with complaints of altered mental status following a closed head injury and 50 ED controls patients. The majority of patients were enrolled within 24 hours of the suspected injury and involved a variety of mechanisms for injury, including assaults, falls, motor vehicle, pedestrian and sport-related accidents. The BrainScope device was used to assess the degree of abnormality in brain function as measured by brain electrical activity. The findings of the independent study indicate that despite no significant differences between reported clinical symptoms in the CT+ and CT- groups, the BrainScope technology demonstrated high sensitivity (92.4%) and specificity (90.0%) in identifying the CT+ group, those patients who needed immediate imaging. "The publication of this study is a major milestone in our efforts to develop a useful medical device for quickly assessing clinically important traumatically induced head injuries in an emergency care setting. There is now a growing body of literature supporting the potential of brain electrical activity to be highly sensitive in assessing patients with both severe, structural brain injury and milder forms of brain injury, such as those resulting from sport and military  related injuries," said Michael Singer, CEO of BrainScope. The full study can be found at http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/02699052.2010.506862 . Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:06:45 EST 3513E7BFE0F8422BBDD97E8D2AB8F146 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=C3B1E7AD75F8451C958A5028419221DC Washington, DC — Eleven research institutions in 11 states will receive more than $6 million in federal funding from fiscal year 2010 to support research on substance abuse and associated problems among U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their families. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is collaborating with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to award grants that will examine substance abuse related to deployment and combat related trauma.  The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are also NIH partners in this endeavor. NIH is awarding more than $4 million in grant funding; the VA, around $2 million. The funding opportunity announcement, released last July, solicited applications on the causes, screening, identification, prevention, and treatment of substance use and abuse—including alcohol, tobacco, illicit and prescription drugs and associated problems. Institutions that are receiving awards are Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass.; Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.; the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; the National Development and Research Institutes, New York City; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul; The University of Missouri, Columbia; and VA Medical Centers in West Haven, Philadelphia, Little Rock and Seattle. Most of the research is directed at substance abuse and related conditions experienced by veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a growing awareness that military personnel returning from these prolonged conflicts have a variety of serious problems, including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and substance abuse. Some face these and other diverse symptoms as a result of traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder related to battle experiences.  Many of these conditions are interconnected, and contribute to individual health and family relationship crises.  There has been little research on how to prevent and treat unique characteristics of these wartime-related issues. Several projects will look at treatment seeking patterns—why and when veterans ask for help, and why many don’t. Scientists will explore treatment strategies, including cognitive behavioral therapy and Web-based approaches as well as the most effective therapies for soldiers who have co-occurring disorders, such as depression and substance abuse.  Researchers will also determine if early intervention, within two months of returning from war, can improve outcomes. The research will examine the high rate of smoking among returning military personnel. “Smoking prevalence in the military, especially among men aged 18 to 25 years, is nearly double that of the civilian population,” said Cathy Backinger, PhD, chief of NCI’s Tobacco Control Research Branch. “NCI research funded under this initiative, looking at reducing smoking by military personnel, will go a long way toward helping service members avoid developing lung cancer and the many other diseases caused by smoking.” In addition, some of the newly funded research projects will examine how veterans attempt to reintegrate into their work and family lives after experiencing war conditions. “These research projects will give us important information about the ways that combat stress and substance abuse affect returning military personnel and their families,” said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow.  “This knowledge will be used to improve our prevention and treatment approaches, which we hope will reduce the burden of combat-related trauma.  Working cooperatively with the VA and other partners will help in finding solutions for this shared concern.”    “The Department of Veterans Affairs has a commitment to meet the full range of our Veterans’ physical and mental healthcare needs, and that includes addressing substance abuse,” said Dr. Joel Kupersmith, chief research and development officer for VA. “This coordinated research effort is one more way we are turning that commitment into action.” “NIAAA-supported research has documented a significant association between combat deployment of U.S. military personnel to Iraq and Afghanistan and the onset of alcohol problems upon their return to the U.S.,” notes NIAAA Acting Director Kenneth R. Warren, PhD.  “We hope that by developing new strategies to prevent and treat alcohol abuse among returning servicemen and women, these new research projects will improve the lives of military families.” The July 2009 Funding Announcement press release can be found at http://drugabuse.gov/newsroom/09/NR7-30.html . Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:06:35 EST C3B1E7AD75F8451C958A5028419221DC http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=306BF1AD236F44FA823D1D8634F810F0 New Orleans, LA — The Corporation for National and Community Service convened the largest strategy session to date to discuss a national service response to the mounting needs of Gulf residents affected by the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill. As part of the Administration's response to the oil spill, the Corporation mobilized federal, state and city officials, as well as social sector leaders to develop, coordinate, and execute strategies that leverage citizen service to address the devastating economic and health impacts inflicted by the spill. Patrick A. Corvington, CEO of the Corporation, announced $1 million in federal grants to the four Gulf States affected by the oil spill, including Texas, to support the development of a coordinated strategy across the states to more effectively respond to future disasters at the convening. The Volunteer Generation Fund is a new program designed to grow the nation's volunteer pool and increase the impact of volunteers in addressing social challenges. The agency also recently deployed an additional 42 AmeriCorps VISTAs to meet the immediate and long-term needs of low-income individuals and families in affected communities. "There are a host of underreported social challenges resulting from the oil spill, and national service has a unique and necessary role to play in the federal government's response," said Corvington.  "Only days away from the fifth anniversary of the nation's worst natural disaster, this convening is about learning from our rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina and coordinating a long-term response strategy to the social service needs resulting from the spill." Nonprofits across the Gulf are reporting that the needs of those whose livelihoods depend on the Gulf continue to grow. Participants at the convening added that demand for clothing, food, employment assistance and crisis counseling, and other social services are hitting a fever-pitch. For instance, in Mobile, Alabama 80 percent of seafood packing plants have closed, food stamp applications have increased 50 percent and more than 30 percent of residents claim they are in need. Additionally, food subsidies in the coastal areas of Louisiana have more than doubled between early May and mid-July. The Corporation learned from its response to Hurricane Katrina that disasters have a long-term effect on communities that are often unpredictable and heighten with time—and that coordination across the private, social and government sectors is critical. The convening brought the sectors together to develop strategies to increase pathways to employment and educational opportunities, help individuals and families access mental health services, and provide services to help individuals and families achieve economic success. Participants took a key first step toward developing a coordinated strategy to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to better deliver needed services—from financial assistance and counseling to mental health care.   Organizations that pledged increased efforts and commitments during the Gulf Coast Convening included the following:  • Mercedes Marquez, Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, solidified the Department's commitment to address the financial stability of those affected by the oil spill across the Gulf Coast. • Operation HOPE, Inc. will work to provide economic education and financial literacy to individuals and families across the Gulf Coast as part of its small business recovery efforts. Operation HOPE has helped families, small businesses, and more than 135,000 individuals in the Gulf States recover from disasters in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina. • Catholic Charities USA will continue to contribute funding, volunteers, personnel, equipment and supplies to address a variety of human service needs. • Family Service of Greater New Orleans will continue to provide behavioral health services to Gulf residents and organizing parties to help supply the region with basic needs. • The Salvation Army will provide knowledge-based resources, volunteers, personnel, humanitarian aid, social services, and case management, as well as emotional and spiritual care to victims in the Gulf. • The Shinnyo-en Foundation, pledged to help meet the needs of Native American communities in the region. The Corporation will continue to work with participants and others to coordinate efforts to respond to the oil spill. The agency will report on the progress of the projects developed at the Gulf Coast Convening at its National Conference on Volunteering and Service to be held in New Orleans in June 2011. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:35:25 EST 306BF1AD236F44FA823D1D8634F810F0 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=FED6C4466EF1452C9909B48B5AB3E9C8 Louisville, KY and Franklin Lakes, NJ — SureGene, LLC and the Medco Research Institute, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medco Health Solutions, Inc., announced that they have entered into a novel investigative research collaboration to evaluate whether variation in genetic biomarkers previously identified by SureGene can help predict drug response for widely prescribed antipsychotic drugs in patients with serious mental illness.  The results of this research could help provide evidence supporting the development of genetic tests that would assist doctors to make more precise prescribing decisions, leading to improvements in outcomes, compliance and safety for these mental health patients. Choosing the correct antipsychotic medication for patients suffering from severe psychiatric illness is a major challenge.  When patients are not prescribed an effective antipsychotic drug, they are at an elevated risk of experiencing a serious adverse drug event.  Current studies have suggested that less than one in three patients suffering from schizophrenia and related disorders will have an improvement in symptoms on the first antipsychotic drug prescribed.  Poor response to treatment and the side effects of antipsychotic drugs can also result in low compliance, with 50 percent of patients discontinuing drug use within six months of starting a prescription.  High discontinuation and poor compliance often results in hospitalization.  While there are no currently marketed ways to identify which antipsychotic drug is optimal for a given patient, SureGene's genetic test has demonstrated the ability to stratify drug efficacy of atypical antipsychotics, such as olanzapine and risperidone. Through their collaboration, the companies will conduct the REST study—Relative Effectiveness of Schizophrenia Therapy—a prospectively designed clinical trial to further validate SureGene developed genetic biomarkers as predictors of efficacy and safety for commonly used atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of serious mental illness.  In addition, the collaboration will evaluate the cost effectiveness of using SureGene biomarkers as a standard part of future clinical care for mental illness.  Key to these objectives, Medco expects to collect 2,000 DNA samples obtained from plan members who agree to participate in the REST study. "The REST study provides us an exciting opportunity to validate our technology in a real world setting.  It has the potential to move us closer to making a real difference in the lives of people suffering from serious psychiatric illnesses using genetic information to guide drug selection," said Dr. Mark Brennan, SureGene's Chief Scientific Officer. Personalized medicine is an area of healthcare that is becoming more widely used to focus on how a person's genetic makeup can affect their ability to respond to medications, allowing physicians to make more effective and safe selection or dosing of a drug with the benefit of this additional genetic information. "A study of this nature has the potential to show that understanding a patient's genetic risk with the help of a diagnostic test can improve antipsychotic drug selection, efficacy, safety and compliance," said Medco Vice President of Personalized Medicine Research and Development, Dr. Felix Frueh.  "Medco's research partnership with SureGene could help provide evidence supporting the development of a genetic test that may assist physicians to make a personalized treatment decision for patients with these serious diseases." This study with SureGene is Medco's first personalized medicine research effort in the area of mental illness.  Medco has also conducted extensive personalized medicine research regarding genetic factors affecting patient responses to medications used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, such as warfarin (Coumadin) and clopidogrel (Plavix). As a scientifically-driven healthcare company, Medco recently underlined its commitment to research by announcing plans to acquire United BioSource Corporation (UBC).  UBC is one of the world's most respected sources of post-approval drug and device research focused on accelerating the generation of critical pharmaceutical knowledge to advance patient safety and to further evidence-based medicine. The acquisition is subject to regulatory reviews and approvals, and is expected to close in the third-quarter of 2010. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:35:08 EST FED6C4466EF1452C9909B48B5AB3E9C8 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=8FCF5B92E81647608A6E36A922632A7C Washington, DC — The DoD Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces today submitted  a comprehensive and candid report to the Secretary of Defense as the culmination of a year-long study into the rising incidence of suicide among members of the military. Upon approval, the Secretary will submit the report to Congress for formal review. While reports from similar studies have recently been issued by individual branches of the Service, the DoD Task Force is unique in its charter as an independent body of uniformed and civilian experts across all Services, established by Congressional mandate in the FY09 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  Operating within the Federal Advisory Committee Act guidelines, the Task Force has been an independent subcommittee of the Defense Health Board, responsible to the Secretary of Defense, through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Underscoring the critical work undertaken by the Task Force in  addressing the rising incidence of suicide among military personnel, Task Force Co-Chair Major General (Dr.) Philip Volpe, United States Army, stated, "Having any one of our nation's Warriors die by suicide is not acceptable; not now, not ever.  This report is a call for more effective action.  It will not only help save lives, it will strengthen the force.  The opportunity is here, and the time is now." Volpe said, "Suicide is preventable." Since its formation in August, 2009, the Task Force mandate has been to look at the issue of suicide across all branches of the military at all levels, to "make recommendations regarding a comprehensive policy designed to prevent suicide by members of the Armed Forces."   Specific deliverables as outlined in the Congressional memorandum directed the Task Force to:   --  Assess the Services' suicide prevention and education programs;   --  Assess if any military career fields have higher risk;   --  Assess trends and causal factors of military suicides; and   --  Assess the processes and procedures for military suicide investigations. Membership in the Task Force consisted of a total of 14 members with seven DoD and seven non-DoD experts, including at least one representative each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps; and one family member with a background in working with military families.*  Task Force Co-Chairs were Major General (Dr.) Philip Volpe, U.S. Army, and Ms. Bonnie Carroll, Founder and Executive Director of TAPS, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. The investigative process employed by the Task Force included a combination of focus groups, public hearings, literature reviews, top-level briefings, and personal visits by Task Force delegations to 19 military installation sites over the course of the year. The site visits were typically two days long and included Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps installations around the country. The delegations met and spoke with a variety of groups separately, including junior enlisted members (including recruits and trainees), NCOs, commissioned officers of varying ranks (including installation and unit leaders at all levels); behavioral health clinicians, emergency room clinicians, and primary care clinicians; installation support services personnel, first responders, and chaplains; and family members. The final report of the Task Force includes a total of 49 major findings and 76 associated recommendations across four primary target areas, termed "Focus Areas" which include:  Organization and Leadership; Wellness Enhancement and Training; Access to, and Delivery of, Quality Care; Surveillance, Investigations and Research. In addition, the Task Force outlined what it refers to as 13 "Foundational Recommendations," or truly actionable proposed changes that it believes will have the most significant impact on reversing the rising trend of military suicides, as follows: 13 Foundational Recommendations (summarized):   1. Create a "Suicide Prevention (SP) Policy Division" in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to achieve unity of effort through standardization.   2. Keep SP programs in the leaders' lane (with the Services) and create tools to assist leaders in preventing suicide.   3. Reduce stress on the force; balance the supply and demand mismatch.   4. Focus efforts on Service Member (SM) well-being and total fitness  (mind, body and spirit); develop SM life skills & resiliency.   5. Develop a comprehensive stigma reduction campaign plan to enhance "help seeking" behaviors.   6. Strengthen strategic messaging to emphasize positive messages that influences behaviors.   7. Develop skills-based training for SMs and their buddies, families, supervisors and leaders, clergy, and behavioral health personnel.   8. Incorporate program evaluation into all SP programs to assess effectiveness.   9. Coordinate & leverage "community" health services; both on and off our installations.   10. Ensure continuity & management of quality behavioral health care; and actively manage transitions.   11. Mature & expand the Department of Defense Suicide Event Report  (DoDSER) to serve as the main surveillance tool to inform SP efforts.   12. Standardize suicide and attempted suicide investigations, to include the use of psychological autopsies; and pattern suicide investigations after aviation safety investigation processes and procedures.   13. Support and fund ongoing DoD suicide prevention research to close knowledge gaps, inform suicide prevention efforts, and enhance evidence-based practices and solutions. "The number of our service members who have lost their lives to suicide is a tragedy," said Task Force co-chair Bonnie Carroll.  "They were heroes of our nation, who volunteered to serve and sacrifice when our country called. We must empower our military and our families to support our troops in their troubles as well as in their triumphs," Carroll stated. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:34:55 EST 8FCF5B92E81647608A6E36A922632A7C http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=DA2DFC2180AD48BF8A0075BFE3E08495 San Francisco, CA — Brain Plasticity Inc. (BPI), a new technology incubator dedicated to the discovery and development of novel technologies that harness the basic principles of brain plasticity to improve the lives of people with neurological and psychiatric disorders, was recently awarded $3.65 million dollars in two separate grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These grants will help BPI fund the development of and clinical trials for software-based programs designed to improve cognitive function in people with schizophrenia and visual attention in people with stroke. This work offers the promise of radically new, non-invasive, safe and effective treatments for these currently untreated medical conditions, which affect millions of people and contribute to billions of dollars of medical costs. The NIH's Biomedical Research, Development, and Growth to Spur the Acceleration of New Technologies (BRDG-SPAN) program was created to help innovative technologies that improve human health move from basic research into commercial applications. BPI was awarded a $3 million BRDG-SPAN grant to build a novel cognitive remediation program specifically designed for people with schizophrenia. The goal of this program is to apply proven principles of applied brain plasticity—the science of driving structural, functional, and chemical brain change through scientifically designed brain exercises—to help improve memory, attention and other cognitive functions in people with schizophrenia. Researchers believe that improving cognitive function is the key to helping people with schizophrenia live more independently, find and maintain employment, and broadly re-integrate into society; and independent clinical trials have already shown significant promise of the technology in schizophrenia. The funds will also be used to run a definitive large-scale clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the program, and to help BPI seek FDA clearance for the program as a medical device. BPI was also awarded $650,000 as part of NIH's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop exercises and run clinical studies on a novel software-based program for the treatment for hemi-spatial neglect. Hemi-spatial neglect is a devastating consequence of certain kinds of strokes that can lead to an inability in patients to notice or interact with half of their visual world, frequently leading to significant long-term disability. BPI is basing both programs on proven technology originally developed at San Francisco-based Posit Science as well as academic institutions and now licensed to BPI for application to clinical conditions. Posit Science continues to apply this core technology to develop new training programs that improve cognitive function in healthy individuals seeking to stay sharp and perform at their best. "We're honored that the NIH shares our enthusiasm for the data collected to date showing the promise of this approach in schizophrenia and stroke, and the further clinical advancements that are possible with this work," said Dr. Henry Mahncke, Chief Operating Officer at BPI. "Posit Science has proven that the right type of cognitive exercises are capable of improving cognitive function in normally aging individuals. At BPI, we are now taking this core technology and applying it to people with medically significant cognitive impairments that are currently not treatable with conventional approaches. These NIH awards lay the foundation for the next decade of progress in this new therapeutic approach." Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:43:01 EST DA2DFC2180AD48BF8A0075BFE3E08495 http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=143718DE1E3F4739A5680D9C222A35B9 Washington, DC — HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today more than $32 million in FY 2010 funds to increase access to healthcare for Americans living in rural areas.  The funds reach across seven programs administered by the Office of Rural Health Policy in HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). “These funds reflect the priorities spelled out by President Obama in providing the best healthcare possible to rural Americans,” said Sebelius. “The ultimate goal is to build healthier rural populations and communities.” “The grants will strengthen partnerships among rural health providers,” said HRSA Administrator Dr. Mary Wakefield PhD, RN.  “Funds will be used to recruit and retain rural healthcare professionals and modernize the health care infrastructure in rural areas.” Funding for the seven programs includes: • More than $22 million for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, which supports improvements in health care quality in communities served by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), efforts to improve the hospitals’ financial and operating performance, and the development of collaborative regional and local delivery systems.  The program has helped more than 1,300 hospitals convert to Critical Access status since its inception in 1998. • More than $3 million for the Rural Health Workforce Development Program, a new one-time pilot program.  The program supports the development of rural health networks that seek to improve the recruitment and retention of emerging health professionals (primary and allied healthcare students and residents) in rural communities.  It will promote a range of approaches to community-based training and can include a singular or collective focus on professions such as medicine, oral health, mental/behavioral health, nursing, pharmacy and other allied health professions. • More than $2 million for the Telehealth Network Grant Program, which helps communities build capacity to develop sustainable telehealth programs and networks.  Telehealth allows patients in underserved and remote areas to receive health care without traveling great distances; it also is used frequently for distance education and health care administration. The services provided via telemedicine range from primary care to highly specialized care found in leading academic medical centers.  • More than $1 million for the Telehealth Resources Center Grant Program, which provides technical assistance to help health care organizations, networks and providers implement cost-effective telehealth programs serving rural and medically underserved areas and populations.  The program is designed for entities with a successful track record in helping to develop sustainable telehealth programs. • Close to $1 million for the Flex Rural Veterans Health Access Program, a new program that will help eligible entities coordinate innovative approaches, collaborative networks and virtual linkages to provide rural veterans and other rural residents access to mental health and other healthcare services.  The grants aim to improve mental health services through the use of health information exchange and telehealth in states where veterans make up a high percentage of the total population. • $770,000 for the Frontier Community Health Integration Demonstration Program, whose purpose is to develop and test new models for the delivery of healthcare services in frontier areas by improving access to care and the integration of care delivery to Medicare beneficiaries. • Almost $500,000 to the Rural Training Track Technical Assistance Demonstration Program, which will analyze the challenges and barriers facing Rural Training Track (RTT) residency program sites and then provide technical assistance to increase the number of family medicine physicians that choose to take part in these rural residencies.  RTT sites have a successful record of placing graduates in rural locations, with 75 percent of their graduates remaining to practice in rural settings. Lists of awards from HRSA’s 2010 appropriation are available at: http://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/2010tables/rural.html . Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:42:51 EST 143718DE1E3F4739A5680D9C222A35B9