March 1st, 2013
By Phyllis Hanlon
In a switch from previous years, Gov. Deval Patrick announced a 3.3 percent increase in the overall budget for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) for FY2014. The extra dollars will enable the department to continue funding existing programs and also tackle new initiatives. Marcia Fowler, DMH commissioner, reports that the extra $5 million will be used to enhance a range of discretionary services, create some new programs and produce a widespread public awareness campaign about mental illness. The budget increase comes at a time when the state continues to reposition its inpatient services, develop programs to ease transition [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Janine Weisman
The Vermont Department of Mental Health’s current fiscal year $174 million budget represented a 15 percent increase to enhance community services in the only state which until recently had no government-operated psychiatric beds. It wasn’t enough. Developing a strong community mental health system will require another $20 million, Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Reardon informed lawmakers during January mid-year budget adjustment discussions. Expenditures included mobile crisis teams to monitor patients at risk and new beds in transitional housing. Much of that increase is offset by decreases in other departments so the general fund impact is about $4.5 million. “If we [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Janine Weisman
Suicidal thoughts are common among U.S. adolescents, many of whom receive mental health treatment before the onset of suicidal plans or attempts, the first large-scale study on the subject finds. A team led by Harvard University clinical psychologist Matthew K. Nock, Ph.D., found 12.1 percent of teens in a national sample reported thinking about suicide while 4.0 percent made plans and 4.1 percent made attempts. More than 80 percent had received mental health treatment and 55 percent had started treatment before the onset of suicidal behaviors. Data analyzed came from 6,483 adolescents aged 13 to 18 interviewed as part of [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Susan Gonsalves
Media coverage of the Newtown, Conn. murders did little to dispel the stigma and misunderstanding of people with Asperger’s Disorder. Instead, early reports that the shooter, Adam Lanza, had the condition, created an artificial link between Asperger’s and violence and heightened public fears, according to experts. While advocacy group representatives from Autism Speaks and the National Autism Center said that their agencies did not suffer any direct backlash, mental health professionals said patients and families definitely felt a detrimental impact. Rowland P. Barrett, Ph.D., director of the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Rhode Island’s Bradley Hospital says a [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Catherine Robertson Souter
The public and media react quickly and vehemently in the wake of traumatic events like the school shootings in Newtown and Columbine. Who were these kids? What made them commit these acts and, most importantly, how can we keep it from happening again? From stricter gun control laws to heightened security at schools to greater access to mental health services, the public, politicians, special interest groups and the media have proposed a number of ways to approach the problem. But the real solution, according to experts, will take a deeper effort. “Schools have lockdown procedures and they focus on what [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Pamela Berard
A California state law that bans licensed mental health professionals from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts (often called reparative or conversion therapy) on clients under age 18 has been put on hold pending an April federal appeals court hearing over the law’s constitutionality. The law was the first of its kind in the nation. Similar legislation was introduced in New Jersey in October, and was referred to committee, but no further action had been taken as of press time. In California, the Liberty Counsel filed suit arguing that the law violates free speech rights. After a District Court judge [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Pamela Berard
State and national lawmakers are mulling legislation on gun control, mental health care and benefits for first responders in the wake of Connecticut’s Sandy Hook shootings. Connecticut legislators created a Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety. The task force designated three working groups to focus on gun violence prevention, school security and mental health. The groups will review current law and make recommendations to the overall committee, which will provide recommendations to Senate and House leadership. The goal is to produce a bipartisan emergency certified bill that had not been filed at press time. During a [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Catherine Robertson Souter
Running a restaurant, with its long hours, demanding schedules and high rates of failure, would be the epitome of the nightmare job for some people. For others, it’s the dream of a lifetime spent preparing for just that role. What does it take to become a restaurant chef/owner? Who succeeds and why? Scott Haas, Ph.D., chief psychologist at Human Resource Institute in Brookline and a food writer who has contributed to a number of national publications and was the recipient of the James Beard Award for radio work in 2005, spent 18 months trying to answer those questions. After working [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By James K Luiselli EdD ABPP BCBA-D
“Getting the Most Out of Clinical Training and Supervision: A Guide for Practicum Students and Interns” By Carol A. Falender and Edward P. Shafranske American Psychological Association Washington, D.C. 2012 ‘Masterful’ resource fills training literature void Reviewed by James K. Luiselli, Ed.D., ABPP, BCBA-D Much has been written about conducting clinical supervision with psychology trainees. Indeed, as the authors of this book contend, “Supervision is the major means of transmission of the foundations of the psychology profession to students, trainees and supervisees in development.” And yet, there are few resources that address the needs and abilities of the people who [More]
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March 1st, 2013
By Edward Stern J.D.
On Dec. 14, 2012, a 20-year-old male shot and killed his mother in their home and then killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school The perpetrator reportedly broke into a locked school by shooting his way through a glass door, carrying a Bushmaster XM-16 rifle, a 10mm Glock 20SF handgun and a 9mm SIG Sauer handgun. A shotgun, allegedly owned by his mother, was also found in his car. He allegedly killed his mother with a .22 Marlin rifle which was left at her home and there was also a .45 Henry repeating rifle and a [More]
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