Leading Stories, Articles
Record keeping, licensing issues among legal concerns
By Catherine Robertson Souter
In general, people hire a lawyer only as a last resort. For a psychologist, that may mean a subpoena for a patient’s records has arrived, a contentious situation has arisen with an employee who needs to be let go, or the state licensing board has sent a notification of a disciplinary hearing. Legal issues can be overwhelming for anyone without a law degree but they can’t always be avoided. Questions that need to be answered correctly may include: When do confidentiality laws apply? How should a contract be terminated? What happens when one partner in a practice retires or dies? [More]
Tags: psychologist, lawyer, written agreement, business partnerships, record keeping, book keeping, filing for insurance claims, subpoena, patient records
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Proposal to tax video games dropped by legislator
By Eileen Weber
With every school shooting, the conversation linking violence and video games resurfaces. The latest incident in Parkland, Florida was no exception. In some circles, video games were once again the suspected culprit. But, are they inextricably intertwined with violent crime? Shortly after the Florida shooting, Rhode Island Representative Robert Nardolillo (R-Coventry) proposed legislation taxing violent video games that are rated “mature” or higher using the subsequent revenue to fund school mental health counseling. He cited evidence that exposure to violence in young children indicates a likelier tendency toward aggressive behavior. Congressman Tom MacArthur (R) of New Jersey agreed with Nardolillo’s [More]
Tags: Rhode Island, tax video games, video game violence, aggression, violent crime, mental health counseling, school shooters, link, connection, Robert Nardolillo
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Violence and Video Games: Are They Linked?
By Eileen Weber
Contentious debate continues over whether video games and other forms of media promote violent behavior, particularly in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting. Games like “Resident Evil,” “Manhunt,” and “Mortal Kombat” top the list. But, is there a one-size-fits-all answer to the question? “I don’t think you are going to find any media effects researchers willing to suggest that violent video games lead to school shootings,” said Kirstie Farrar, Ph.D, associate professor of communications at the University of Connecticut. “However, most media effects researchers agree there is a small but significant relationship between violent media exposure and outcome [More]
Tags: school shooting, aggression, link, connection, video games, violence, young males, Resident Evil, Manhunt, Mortal Kombat”
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Vermont prison complex meant to accommodate multiple populations
By Janine Weisman
Fixing the mental health system is a key part of a plan Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s administration introduced to the State Legislature in January to build a 925-bed prison complex in northwest part of the state over 10 years. Fifty forensic beds — 20 reserved for hospital level care and 30 for outpatient or residential level care — are part of the $150 million corrections campus outlined in the Agency of Human Services (AHS) Report on Major Facilities. AHS oversees both the Department of Corrections and the Department of Mental Health. The plan to create the large complex in Franklin [More]
Tags: mental health system, Vermont, State Hospital, VPCH, Legislature, Gov. Phil Scott, Department of Corrections, Department of Mental Health, treatment facilities, Middlesex Therapeutic Community Residence
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Report: Massachusetts is healthiest state
By Susan Gonsalves
Massachusetts jumped up a spot and is now designated as the healthiest state, according to a report from America’s Health Rankings. The 171-page report from the United Health Foundation and American Public Health Association takes into consideration 35 measures for policy, clinical care, behaviors, community and environment. The overall rankings for the other New England states are as follows: Vermont, third; Connecticut, fifth; New Hampshire, eighth; Rhode Island, eleventh; and Maine, twenty-third. Massachusetts achieved the slot based on high marks for having the highest concentration of mental health providers (547.3 per 100,000 population), more than 200 primary care physicians and [More]
Tags: Massachusetts, heathiest state, America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association, mental health providers, mortality rates, improving health, well-being
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In-service training to focus on police officers’ mental health
By Catherine Robertson Souter
There were 19 deaths of police officers by suicide in Massachusetts in 2016 and 2017, the fourth highest number of suicides in the country. That is not fourth highest rate per 1,000 but fourth highest total number overall. The state is the 15th largest by population. According to Blue H.E.L.P., a non-profit law enforcement mental health awareness group based in Auburn, Mass., there were 286 deaths nationwide. A bill currently before the state’s legislature looks to address the issue by mandating in-service training on mental health as well as annual mental wellness and suicide prevention courses for all current officers. [More]
Tags: Mental health, PTSD, suicide prevention, police officers, suicide, Massachusetts State Police, human frailties, vulnerable, Blue H.E.L.P., Rep. Timothy Whelan, alcohol, drugs, failing marriages
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DMH initiative aims to expedite psychiatric inpatient admissions
By Phyllis Hanlon
People with mental health conditions routinely experience long wait times in hospital emergency departments. Acknowledging this problem, Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders convened a task force last spring to develop appropriate interventions. EOHHS, together with the Department of Mental Health (DMH), MassHealth and the Department of Public Health (DPH) created the Expedited Psychiatric Inpatient Admission Policy, a multi-pronged approach that launched on February 1. Daniela Trammel, DMH director of communication and community engagement, explained that the EOHHS chaired and partnered with the Division of Insurance (DOI) in convening a task force comprised of insurance carriers, psychiatric [More]
Tags: mental illness, Mental health, Department of Mental Health, hospital, emergency room, DMH, MassHealth, DPH, Department of Public Health, substance misuse, inpatient hospitalization
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Lawmakers seek to strengthen parity in Rhode Island
By Pamela Berard
Rhode Island lawmakers are considering several proposals to strengthen mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment. Among budget items Gov. Gina M. Raimondo included in her proposal to the state General Assembly in mid-January, are: The creation of an acute mental health crisis center to help people navigate urgent mental health and substance use disorder crises and facilitate better connections to ongoing mental healthcare resources; The development of a benchmarking study under the leadership of the state Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC), to benchmark under-investment in mental healthcare and provide recommendations about investments/policies for improving mental health provided [More]
Tags: mental healthcare, Rhode Island, substance use disorder, treatment, Gov. Gina Raimondo, acute mental health crisis center, employment program, job training, substance use disorder counseling, legislation, parity laws
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New Hampshire to develop 10-year mental health plan
By Catherine Robertson Souter
Looking to design a better system, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently awarded a contract to Keene University’s Center for Behavioral Health Innovation to develop a 10-year mental health plan for the state. To be released in June, the report will offer a roadmap for the state’s mental health services moving forward. “The last plan was issued in 2008. A lot has changed since that time,” said Katja Fox, director of the DHHS Division for Behavioral Health. “The state wants to be able to look at how services can be delivered to address the needs [More]
Tags: NAMI, mental illness, New Hampshire, NH, mental health system, Seacoast Mental Health Center, NH Community Behavioral Health Association, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, 10-year mental health plan
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Mental health, harassment among Vermont’s priorities
By Eileen Weber
Vermont’s House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-Grand Isle-Chittenden) and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/Prg-Chittenden) want to collaborate with Governor Phil Scott this year on legislation for education, clean waterways, a $15 minimum wage, better mental healthcare and stronger sexual harassment policies and procedures. In the wake of rampant opioid addiction and the #MeToo movement, the two relevant issues are mental health and sexual harassment. Ashe and Johnson are in favor of legislation that not only addresses the high cost of prescription drugs but also limits prescription pain killers. Johnson said the opioid epidemic may account for the rise in [More]
Tags: sexual harassment, opioid addiction, Mental health, Vermont, prescription drugs, prescription pain killers, Jody Herring, Steven Bourgoin, Marijuana, fentanyl, benzodiazepine, PTSD, Sexual misconduct
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