Kentucky governor proposes raising tobacco tax to save mental health, education, and Medicaid

On Dec. 11, 2008, Gov. Steve Beshear proposed a plan to address the state’s budget crisis that would utilize a 70-cent increase in cigarette taxes and double the tax rate on other tobacco products to protect funding for education as well as the state’s most vulnerable populations through Medicaid and mental health services.

Listen to Gov. Beshear announce the plan:

Part One:

Part Two:

Free webcast on ADA amendments

Please join the DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center at ILRU for a FREE webcast on"The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) and Its Implications for the Future of theADA."

Arlene B. Mayerson, Directing Attorney of the Disability Rights andEducation Fund (DREDF) will present the webcast on "The ADA Amendments Act(ADAAA) and Its Implications for the Future of the ADA" on Wednesday,November 19, 2008 at 2:00pm Central.

About the Webcast

On September 25, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law a measure(S. 3406) that significantly amends the definition of "disability" in theAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Effective January 1, 2009, the ADA-AAsignificantly changes the current law.

This amendment was necessary because Supreme Court cases under the originaldefinition excluded large groups of people with disabilities from the law'scoverage. The primary difficulty was the requirement that an individual be"substantially limited in a major life activity". Supreme Court cases foundthat individuals that mitigate the affects of their impairments by takingmedication or using devices or aids were not "substantially limited" andthat individuals that could accomplish daily grooming and self care were not"substantially limited". The result of these decisions was that ADAplaintiffs were either considered "too disabled" to be qualified but "notdisabled enough" to be covered by the ADA.

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To link to this webcast and download accompanying materials visit:http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html

For instructions on how to access a webcast visit:http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/instructions.html
Please visit this site ahead of time to test and ensure your computer isconfigured and updated to participate in the webcast.

For technical assistance, please check out our FAQs (frequently askedquestions) at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/FAQ.html orcontact a webcast team member at swdbtac@ilru.org or 713.520.0232 (v/tty).

Kentucky governor seeks to enroll more kids in health insurance program

Following through on a promise he made in September, Gov. Steve Beshear today launched an initiative to enroll more children in the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP), including a new Web site, easier enrollment, improved efforts to retain children currently enrolled and significant education and outreach efforts. The plan hopes to enroll more than 35,000 children in KCHIP or Medicaid by the end of 2011.

The new initiative meets a goal set by Gov. Beshear to make enrollment easier by eliminating the need to meet face-to-face with a caseworker to apply for KCHIP. Parents now can complete, print and mail an application available at www.kidshealth.ky.gov; request a mail-in application by calling 1-877-KCHIP-18 (toll-free); or return a postcard mailed to them by the KCHIP program.

Read more.

Governor Beshear Announces Creation of Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program

Program will aid needy Kentuckians in locating free or reduced cost prescription drugs

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear has announced a new program to aid eligible Kentuckians in locating free or reduced cost prescription drugs. The Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program (KPAP), an innovative initiative to utilize and coordinate existing assistance programs offered by pharmaceutical companies, will be coordinated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS).

“It is vitally important that we provide all the assistance we can to Kentucky citizens who are unable to afford the prescription drugs they need, especially in these tough times,” said Gov. Beshear. “The new program will be an important step toward empowering and expanding community-based efforts to make it easier for Kentuckians who qualify to obtain free or reduced cost sources of prescription drugs that may prevent or manage illnesses, and even save lives.”

The General Assembly appropriated $400,000 in fiscal year 2008-2009 and $600,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010 to consolidate and coordinate existing efforts around the state aimed at connecting needy individuals — such as those near the federal poverty level or seniors in the so-called “doughnut hole” of Medicare Part D — with prescription medications. After reviewing existing programs across the state, CHFS identified a model program run by HEART USA, a 501(c)3 volunteer organization in Paducah. The KPAP expands this model program statewide, adding enhanced computer-assisted technology to allow for reduced paperwork and a streamlined process to increase public access to sources of free and low-cost medications.

“Not only will we saves lives, but we also will avoid the higher cost of caring for those individuals who are unable to buy their medications and do without them until they become so sick they must seek medical care through our emergency rooms,” said Rep. Jimmie Lee, D-Elizabethtown, who was instrumental in securing funding for KPAP. “This coordinated program will become, in my view, a national model for other states to follow.”
To launch the program, CHFS will collaborate with medical and social service stakeholders while empowering interested community members to identify resources and determine how the community can best assist citizens with their KPAP needs. Each participating county will have a designated community site where individuals can access the program. The cabinet will provide computer software that determines eligibility and connects individuals with prescription drug sources, training on use of the software, training on volunteer and physician recruitment and program troubleshooting.

Patients will be able to access the community program in their area through referrals by physicians or social services, or on their own. Individuals whose income or resource levels make them ineligible for existing drug assistance programs through pharmaceutical manufacturers will receive consultation about other sources of low-cost prescriptions, such as $4 prescription programs at pharmacies.

The program rollout will begin with a technology training and community organization process later this year. Physician recruitment and volunteer recruitment will occur during January and February, with the full launch of the program in March 2009. Initially, the program is expected to include approximately 90 counties, with more sites being added as CHFS works with communities.

“During these tough economic times, we want to help Kentuckians who are having trouble affording necessary prescriptions as much as we possibly can. We are proud to play a role in creating a network of community resources to tap into existing sources of free and low-cost drugs for eligible Kentuckians who need them,” said CHFS Secretary Janie Miller.
For more information about volunteering and training in the KPAP program, call 1-800-633-8100.

New members of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy Board

Gov. Beshear has appointed the following members to the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy Board to serve for terms expiring Sept. 20, 2012.

Jennifer Hollifield, of Louisville, is a program manger for the American Lung Association of Kentucky. She represents the Kentucky Lung Association. The appointment replaces Michael P. Kuntz, whose term has expired.

Dudley J. Conner, of Frankfort, is the executive director of the Ky. Public Health Association. He represents the Kentucky Health Department Association. The appointment replaces Teresa L. Blankenship, whose term has expired.

Jamie Ennis Bloyd, of Lexington, is the advocacy manager of Kentucky for the American Heart Association. She represents the Kentucky Heart Association. The appointment replaces Tonya Chang, whose term has expired.

Betty Marshall, of Boston, Ky., is the family resource center coordinator for the Bullitt County School District. She represents the Kentucky Family Resource Youth Services Coalition. The appointment replaces Darlys Warren, whose term has expired.

Martha L. Cowles, of Mt. Vernon, is the program manager for the Christian Appalachian Project – Healing Rain Women’s Substance Abuse Recovery Center. She represents local tobacco addiction and substance abuse advisory and coordination boards. The appointment replaces William M. Mills, whose term has expired.

The governor has reappointed the following members to the board to serve for terms expiring Sept. 20, 2012.

Kenneth B. Bolin, of Manchester, is the pastor of Manchester Baptist Church. He represents local tobacco addiction and substance abuse advisory and coordination boards.

David M. Ptaszek, of Hopkinsville, is a health care administrator for the Pennyroyal Regional Mental Health/Mental Retardation Board, Inc. He represents the Kentucky Association of Regional Programs.

Donna J. Hillman, of Pleasureville, is the director of the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. She represents the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Margaret A. Pennington, of Louisville, is the program evaluator for R.E.A.C.H. of Louisville. She represents private community based organizations.

Pearl Ray Lefevers, of Corbin, is the administrator of Cumberland River Comp. Care. He represents private community-based organizations.

Anger and Depression: Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help?

The possible beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acids on brain development and mental health continues to be an exciting area of research. Certain fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid) are essential in our diets. Like vitamins, we need them but can't make them ourselves. We get them from our food or from dietary supplements. Good sources for these beneficial fatty acids are certain fish and plant oils.

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Gov. Beshear appoints commissioners and board members

Gov. Beshear has appointed the following members to the Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs.

Sherry Mays, of Morehead, is retired and is a part-time website designer and graphic artist. The appointment replaces Sherri L. Mosley, who has resigned. Mays shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending Dec. 20, 2008.

Kimberly S. May-Downey, of Pikeville, is an attorney in private practice. The appointment replaces Larry G. Gayden, who has resigned. May-Downey shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending Dec. 20, 2011.


Gov. Beshear has appointed the following members to the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board.

George H. Raque Jr., of Louisville, is a physician for Neurosurgical Institute of Kentucky. He represents the University of Louisville College of Medicine. The appointment replaces Henry D. Garretson, who is deceased. Raque shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 31, 2010.

Linda H. Gleis, of Louisville, is a physician for Louisville Veterans Administration Medical Center. She represents the Kentucky Medical Association. The appointment replaces Harold C. Cannon, whose term has expired. Gleis shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 31, 2010.

Allison Jones, of Covington, is a medical writer at Medpace, Inc. She represents members at large. The appointment replaces Deneda B. Grider, whose term has expired. Jones shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 31, 2012.

The governor has reappointed the following members to the board to serve for terms expiring Jan. 31, 2011.

David H. Allgood, of Louisville, is a community advocate with the Center for Accessible Living.

William R. Markesbery, of Lexington, is a physician at the University of Kentucky. He represents the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

MORE

Elyn Saks to visit Louisville this month

NAMI Louisville and the Brandeis School of Law present USC Law Professor Elyn Saks

DATE: October 26, 2008

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Strickler Hall, University of Louisville, Belknap Campus

MORE: Professor Elyn Saks will deliver her powerful presentation on being an academic and legal professional dealing with severe schizophrenia.

Saks is the bestselling author of The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness. Copies of Professor Saks' book will be available for autograps at the event.

This event is free and open the public, but reservations are encouraged. To reserve seats, call (502) 245-5287, or send an e-mail with your name and phone number to events@namilouisville.org.

Judge, Two Law Profs Decide Mental Illness Should not Be a Secret

From the ABA Journal:

Two law professors and a judge whose lives have been touched by mental illness are joining to fight the stigma surrounding psychiatric diagnoses.

One of the law professors, Elyn Saks of the University of Southern California, has written a book about her struggle with schizophrenia, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. The other, James Jones of the University of Louisville, suffers from bipolar disorder and has written articles about it in two publications.

The judge, Susan Gibson, contacted Jones after reading his articles. She told the Courier-Journal her husband, a prosecutor, committed suicide because he feared seeking treatment for depression would ruin him professionally. Both law professors also feared that revealing their mental health problems would hurt their careers.

Parity

From the Washington Post:

An estimated 113 million Americans, including hundreds of thousands in the Washington region, will receive better insurance coverage for their mental health and substance abuse problems because of landmark legislation that for the first time requires mental and physical illnesses to be treated equally.

The law is a culmination of a decade of lobbying and negotiating among advocates for the mentally ill, the insurance industry, the business community -- including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- and doctors' groups. The change, which was included in the economic rescue package signed by President Bush last week, will take effect Jan. 1, 2010, for most plans. Businesses with 50 or fewer employees would be exempt.

For decades, insurance companies could offer less coverage for the treatment of depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder than of such diseases as cancer and diabetes -- so people with mental illness or substance abuse problems often had to pay for expensive treatment and medication out-of-pocket.

The new law bars companies from setting higher co-pays or deductibles for mental health and substance abuse treatment. Plans also will be prohibited from lowering benefit levels or restricting the number of outpatient therapy sessions or hospital treatment days. And if a health plan allows out-of-network visits for the treatment of physical illnesses, it will also have to offer identical out-of-network coverage for mental health care.

Advocates and experts said the change represents a fundamental shift in how the mentally ill are treated and could bring medical parity to tens of millions of people.

"This is absolutely milestone legislation for those people who have mental health and substance abuse problems," said Doug Walter, counsel for legislative and regulatory affairs at the American Psychological Association. "It ends the discrimination against people who have long needed the help."

“Visioning Forums” around the state

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) has scheduled “Visioning Forums” to give individuals with disabilities, advocates, and other interested individuals an opportunity to provide feedback on the services OVR provides to Kentuckians with disabilities. Input from the visioning forums will be used to help develop the state plan that the agency is required to submit to the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The visioning forums schedule follows. (All times local)
Louisville: 4 - 6 p.m., Oct. 21; Center for Accessible Living, Board Room, 305 W. Broadway, Suite 200

Lexington: 5 - 7 p.m., Nov. 5; OWL, 650 Kennedy Road

Florence: 4 - 6 p.m., Nov. 17; One-Stop Career Alliance of N. KY, Board Room, 8020 Veterans Memorial Drive

Kentuckians who are unable to attend a forum may send comments in any format (written, taped, phone call, etc.) to David Beach at 209 St Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 or (800) 372-7172 by November 30, 2008. Comments may also be submitted through the Internet at http://www.ovr.ky.gov. If reasonable accommodations are needed for your participation at the forum, please call Veeta Bain at (800) 372-7172 (Voice/TTY) at least one week prior to the forum you wish to attend.

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, an agency of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, assists Kentuckians with disabilities to achieve gainful employment and independence. For more information about services, call the office toll free at (800) 372-7172 or at (888) 420-9874 (TDD) or visit the OVR Web site at www.ovr.ky.gov.

The Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet coordinates learning programs from P-16 and manages and supports training and employment functions in the Department for Workforce Investment. For more information about our programs, visit www.educationcabinet.ky.gov or www.workforce.ky.gov.

Kentucky is first state to launch Virgin HealthMiles program to employees

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear and Personnel Cabinet Sec. Nikki Jackson today announced that Kentucky is the first state in the nation to offer the Virgin HealthMiles program to its employees and other members of the Kentucky Employees Health Plan (KEHP) as part of the administration’s Journey to Wellness program.



“Today we are launching a wellness program that encourages employees to take an active role in their own health by competing to lower Kentucky’s high national adult obesity and chronic disease rates,” said Gov. Beshear. “A healthy workforce is not only a matter of quality of life for our teachers, state employees, and retirees; it is critical to government productivity.”



Christopher Boyce, CEO of Virgin HealthMiles, attended today’s kick-off to show support for the commonwealth’s implementation of the award-winning Virgin HealthMiles program. The announcement was held during the first of 18 benefit fairs conducted during health insurance open enrollment and featured a Virgin HealthMiles walk around the Frankfort Convention Center grounds, aimed to highlight the importance of preventive health care and the launch of new wellness initiatives for state employees.



“We are proud to partner with the commonwealth of Kentucky as they are the first state government in the nation to provide the HealthMiles program to all employees and plan members,” said Boyce.” It is truly an honor for Virgin HealthMiles and the Virgin Group to be working with innovative leaders, such as the good people of Kentucky, who have recognized how wellness programs can benefit their employees and, in turn, the citizens of the commonwealth.”
Beginning in 2009, KEHP members will be able to sign up to participate in the Virgin HealthMiles program. Employee participants will be provided a GoZone, a pedometer that will allow them to track their daily steps and other physical activity upload their data to their own personal LifeZone tracking program. To encourage employee participation, the program provides a variety of challenges and monthly sweepstakes for cash prizes, as well as opportunities to redeem cash they’ve earned and won on their personal LifeZone Web site. A participant's chance of winning the monthly sweepstakes is enhanced the more actively they participate in the program.





(read more)

Murder Victims’ Families Oppose Death Penalty for People with Severe Mental Illnesses

National Project Launch—October 3rd
Murder Victims’ Families Oppose Death Penalty for People with Severe Mental Illnesses

Washington, D.C.— Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights (MVFHR) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will launch a national project opposing the death penalty for persons with severe mental illnesses at a press conference in San Antonio, Texas on October 3.

The initiative builds on recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that raise questions about the capacity of individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses sentenced to death to understand why they are being executed or even that they will die. A national report on the issue will be released in June 2009, based in part on testimony from family members at San Antonio event.

WHAT: National project launch—press conference

WHEN: Friday, October 3, 2008 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

WHERE: University of the Incarnate Word
Bonilla Science Hall 129
Hildebrande—just west of Broadway intersection
San Antonio, Texas 78209

WHO: Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights http://www.mvhr.org/
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) http://www.nami.org/

Renny Cushing, MVFHR Executive Director
Ron Honberg, NAMI Policy & Legal Director
Bill Babbitt, brother of a Vietnam veteran, who was diagnosed with PTSD and schizophrenia, killed a 78-year old woman, and was executed.

Lois Robison, a mother whose mentally ill son was discharged from a hospital when his insurance ran out. A county hospital could not admit him unless he became violent. He killed five people. Instead of treatment, he got the death penalty.

Kim Crespi, mother of victims murdered by husband who suffers from mental illness.
Amanda & Nick Wilcox, parents of victim who was murdered by a person with mental illness.
Other family members of murder victims or executed persons from around the United States.

Susannah Sheffer for MVHR: 617-512-2010 (cell) or sheffer@aceweb.com Christine Armstrong for NAMI: 703-312-7893 or christinea@nami.org

MVFHR http://www.mvfhr.org/ is a national organization of family members of murder victims and families of the executed. NAMI http://www.nami.org/ is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by mental illnesses.

Employees promoted in KY DOC's mental health division

From the DOC:

Kentucky Department of Corrections Deputy Commissioner Al Parke today announced a realignment of the agency’s Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse that will move three employees into key positions of leadership. Dr. Elizabeth McKune, Dr. James Van Nort and Karyn Hascal have been selected to serve as Assistant Directors of the Division.

McKune will oversee all psychological services, Van Nort will direct the Sex Offender Treatment and Sex Offender Risk Assessment areas, and Hascal will provide oversight for all Alcohol and other Drug services. All of the new assistant directors will report to Division Director Kevin Pangburn.

“I am excited with our new organization. It decentralizes mental health into three distinctive units governed by three proven professionals,” said Parke. “This allows expedient decision making and oversight of these critical areas that are an essential component of corrections.” McKune came to the DOC in 1999 as a Psychologist assigned to the Nursing Care Facility and the Correctional Psychiatric Treatment Unit at the Kentucky State Reformatory. She was promoted to Licensed Psychologist Program Administrator for General Psychology Services in 2004. She briefly left the DOC to serve as Director of Psychology, Neuropsychology, and Brain Injury Programs for Frazier Rehab in Louisville. She returned in March 2007 and has been serving as the Licensed Psychologist Program Administrator for Organizational Development. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Louisville, McKune teaches part-time at Spalding University where she is the Acting Director of the Health Psychology Emphasis Area. She lives in Louisville with her husband, Joe, and two girls, Maggie and Katie.

Van Nort is a Licensed Psychologist who began his employment with the Department of Corrections in 1998. In 2002, he was promoted to Chief Psychologist of the Sex Offender Risk Assessment Unit, and in 2006, he took over as Program Administrator of the Sex Offender Treatment Program. Van Nort chairs the Sex Offender Risk Assessment Advisory Board and has served on a Governor's Council and Task Forces. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife Abby and sons Joshua and Warren. Hascal has worked in the field of substance abuse for the past 30 years, most recently as the Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy. She has been a certified substance abuse counselor since 1980 and has held a variety of management positions in community and correctional programs. She currently resides in Louisville with her son, Eric.

“All of these individuals possess the unique combination of leadership, dedication and vision necessary for our current and future plans,” said Pangburn. “They are all true corrections professionals, and we are fortunate to be the beneficiary of their professional expertise.” The Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse encompasses approximately 150 employees across the state who provide psychological, sex offender treatment and substance abuse services to the nearly 21,000 felony offenders incarcerated in Kentucky jails and prisons.

Congress updates/expands the ADA

From Reuters:

The often divided, election-year Congress came together on Wednesday to give final approval to a bill to protect millions of disabled Americans against discrimination in the workplace.
On a voice vote, the House of Representatives approved the measure that was unanimously passed by the Senate last week. The White House said President George W. Bush would sign it into law.

The legislation would reverse U.S. Supreme Court rulings that critics charge narrowed the intent of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and erected new barriers to coverage. The 1990 law was signed by Bush's father, then President George Bush.

"The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is instrumental in allowing individuals with disabilities to fully participate in our economy and society, and the administration supports efforts to enhance its protections," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
The measure clarifies that Congress intends the Americans with Disabilities Act to be broadly interpreted in requiring employers to make accommodations for the disabled.

It reverses Supreme Court decisions that limited the law. The court ruled, for instance, that mitigating circumstances like medication or a prosthesis make a person ineligible for coverage.
The bill again defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that "substantially limits" activities. It also increases the number of activities covered and expands the ability of workers to sue if they believe they are mistreated.

LEO Weekly cover story on mental illness and the death penalty

I don't like the title, but Sarah Kelley's look into the move to prohibit executions of the severely mentally ill is a good read.

Highlights:

• * Only individuals suffering from the most serious mental disorders would be eligible for exclusion from capital punishment. Such mental illnesses include major depressive disorder, dissociative disorders such as multiple personalities, and schizophrenia, by far the most common serious mental illness plaguing capital defendants. Those with psychological disorders due to chronic drug abuse could still face the death penalty.

• Not only must a defendant be diagnosed with a grave mental illness, lawyers would have to prove the person was suffering from the disorder at the time of the crime.

• It is estimated that about 5-10 percent of defendants currently on death row suffer from severe psychological illness.

• Years after Gall’s trial, several jurors called to testify during his appeal admitted they favored imposing the death penalty in large part because he was deranged, despite the fact that mental illness is a mitigating factor in capital cases.

• Rather than present evidence disputing the defense’s argument, the prosecution disparaged the use of an insanity defense in general, equating psychologists to “three blind mice asked to identify an elephant,” before warning the jury not to “turn Gall loose” by finding him insane and shipping him off to a mental hospital.

• Only about 1 percent of accused felons claim innocence due to mental illness. Of those defendants, juries find only a small fraction not guilty by reason of insanity. Experts believe that’s because mental illness is stigmatized, misunderstood and feared.

• In Tennessee, the state’s court of appeals overturned the death sentence of Richard Taylor in March. A paranoid schizophrenic, Taylor was serving time for robbery when, after being denied his anti-psychotic medication for months, he attacked and killed a prison guard. The judge allowed Taylor to serve as his own attorney. During his trial, he wore sunglasses, failed to present any witnesses or evidence, and instead ranted incoherently before the jury, which sentenced him to death. His sentence was thrown out and he now is serving life.

Agency for Substance Abuse Policy to hold annual meeting

FRANKFORT, KY –The Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy will hold its annual public hearing to gather comments on the use, distribution and awarding of funds allocated to the KY-ASAP Program from the Kentucky Health Care Improvement Authority (Tobacco Settlement Funds, Phase I and Phase II).

The hearing will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 21 in the First Floor Conference Room of the Office of Drug Control Policy, 125 Holmes Street, Frankfort.

Written comments will also be accepted through August 19. Comments may be sent by mail to Amy Andrews, KY-ASAP State Program Coordinator, Office of Drug Control Policy, 125 Holmes Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, or via e-mail at amy.andrews@ky.gov.

U. Chicago study shows high drug abuse rates in Appalachia

From the Governor's Office for Local Development

According to an ARC commissioned study announced today by Kentucky Governor Steven Beshear and ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope, Appalachia suffers from disproportionately high rates of substance use and mental health disorders, including the alarmingly increasing abuse of prescription painkillers.

Conducted for ARC by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, the study also reveals that Appalachia is doing better than the rest of the nation in terms of access to treatment for substance use and mental health problems.

The study analyzes the disparities in mental health status and substances abuse prevalence, as well as access to treatment services, across the 410 counties and 13 states of Appalachia by using community hospital discharge data, national household survey data, and treatment episode data.

To supplement quantitative data sources, case studies were conducted in partnership with East Tennessee State University (ETSU) to gather additional information.

The study’s findings demonstrate particular disparities associated with Appalachian sub-regions, county economic distress level, and within coal-mining areas that all confirm the presence of a place-based disparity in the Region.

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Depression link to poor driving

Reported by the BBC:

People on anti-depressants may have impaired driving skills, a small US study suggests.

Researchers put 60 people through a driving simulation to test steering, concentration and reactions.

North Dakota University found those on high dose anti-depressant courses had poorer driving skills.

But it was not clear whether it was the pills or the actual condition that caused the impairment and researchers said a larger study was now needed.

The participants were split between those who were not on medication, those taking a low dose course and others on a high dose.

Free health screenings at the KY State Fair

Visitors to the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville this month can get information to help their families’ health and well-being through free screenings and educational activities at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ (CHFS) exhibit.

The highly interactive display, located in the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center’s South Wing B, features health educators and family services information and encourages guests to make good lifestyle choices. CHFS Secretary Janie Miller said her staff sees the fair as one of the agency’s best outreach opportunities, enabling staff to personally connect with up to 700,000 Kentuckians from all walks of life.

“We are giving visitors the chance to learn that by making good health choices, they can take major steps on the path to wellness,” she said. “And we also show them that many of the assistance programs we offer – like child care subsidies – can make a big difference toward family well-being.”

The fair runs Thursday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug. 24, and visitors can learn something new every day.

Kentucky Health and Family Services 2008 State Fair Schedule

Daily Programs
· Blood Pressure Monitoring
· General Health Information
· Abuse Prevention and Reporting
· Body Fat Analysis by Kentucky State University staff (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Aug. 14, 15 and 18)

Featured Programs
Thursday, Aug. 14
· Environmental Lead and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention

Friday, Aug. 15
· Family Preparedness Information
· Comprehensive Cancer Information

Saturday, Aug. 16
· Free Bone Density Screenings/Osteoporosis
· Women’s Health

Sunday, Aug. 17
· Free Bone Density Screenings/Osteoporosis

Monday, Aug. 18
· Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
· Nutrition
· Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs Information

Tuesday, Aug. 19 (Senior Day)
· Physical Activity
· Nutrition
· Department for Aging and Independent Living
· Long-Term Care Ombudsman Information
· Free Blood Sugar/Cholesterol/Blood Pressure Screenings – Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital staff

Wednesday, Aug. 20
· Environmental Lead and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
· Physical Activity
· Special Needs Adoption Program

Thursday, Aug. 21
· Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
· Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
· Quality Child Care Information -- STARS for KIDS NOW

Friday, Aug. 22
· Diabetes
· Tobacco Cessation
· Quality Child Care Information -- STARS for KIDS NOW

Saturday, Aug. 23
· Substance Abuse Prevention - “Fatal Vision” Goggles
· Quality Child Care Information -- STARS for KIDS NOW

Sunday, Aug.24
· Substance Abuse Prevention - “Fatal Vision” Goggles

Hollywood not kind to persons with mental illness

A good editorial from the Sydney Morning Herald:

IN THE ultimate put-down, a cartoon character called Batman describes people with a real-life condition called schizophrenia as "weak-minded" and "easily led". As a man who identifies as a bat while dressing in a tight, black rubber, one-piece and a scalloped cape during his attempts to seek revenge on his personal demons as an illegal vigilante, I'm not convinced he is in a position to comment.

I understand that for his fans it is important he continues to act out his psychological manifestation of personal rage on other oddly dressed characters, but it has become apparent over the past decades that Batman has no intention of seeking out support groups or cognitive behavioural therapists to find other less violent methods of working through his grief. What a shame. He could be an inspirational role model in a completely new soul-searching way.

However, it is not my intention to focus on Batman's misconceptions of schizophrenia. He is an imaginary character who does not exist. People with schizophrenia do, and on their behalf, I am annoyed.

The fault lies with the Hollywood scriptwriters who love abusing artistic licence with throwaway lines such as "This film is based on true events". There is a laziness in not getting your facts right and it is even more pathetic if this stance reinforces false stereotypes. In Michael Clayton, a lawyer with bipolar disorder strips in front of a room full of people. After one pill and a good night's sleep, he is fine. Where can people access this magic medication? It's too fantastic to be true.

Admittedly we have come a long way, but there is still a lot of misunderstanding about mental health issues such as schizophrenia. It's not like the condition has just been discovered or it's so obscure no one has ever heard of it. Lots of people have schizophrenia and many more people know someone with it. So how come Hollywood gets away with creating false scenarios about so many mental health issues? There would be an uproar if we started talking about people with cancer as being people with "weak bodies" who "easily give in".

If there was enough money for quality mental health care, maybe I would not have had to write, but who knows if that will happen.

So please can everyone respectfully refer to people with mental health issues like people with any other treatable illness?

I did see The Dark Knight over the weekend, and I wasn't terribly impressed. Despite the rave reviews, I found the film only mildly entertaining.

Mental illness is a recurring theme in comic books and superhero flicks, especially in the Batman mythology. The Joker, Two-Face, the Riddler and many other Batman villains are portrayed as mentally ill and evil. "Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane" is the repository for many of Batman's foes.

And, in The Dark Knight (as the editorial points out), the Joker recruits schizophrenics and "the weak-minded" to carry out his evil deeds.

Hollywood, for the most part, is not helping the cause of the mentally ill.

Anyway....

Beshear appoints and reappoints KATS Network Council members

The KATS Network Advisory Council consists of 14 gubernatorial appointees. Along with the coordinating center staff, the council helps coordinate the implementation of statewide capacity building and advocacy initiatives regarding the availability of assistive technology.

These organizations change for the enhancement of access to assistive technology for Kentuckians with disabilities and are designed to work toward permanent systems. They constitute the KATS Network, providing consumer responsive, comprehensive, statewide programs of technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities of all ages.

For bios and the full press release from the Governor's office, click here.

Michael Weiner calls autistic kids "brats"

From Yahoo News:

Radio talk show host Michael Savage (ne Michael Weiner), who described 99 percent of children with autism as brats, said Monday he was trying to "boldly awaken" parents to his view that many people are being wrongly diagnosed.

Some parents of autistic children have called for Savage's firing after he described autism as a racket last week. "In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out," Savage said on his radio program last Wednesday.

Savage offered no apology in a message posted Monday on his Web site. He said greedy doctors and drug companies were creating a "national panic" by overdiagnosing autism, a mental disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate.

On his radio show last week, he said: "What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, `Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, you idiot.'"

The government estimates about 1 in 150 children have some form of autism.

Records show past mental health crisis for accused killer

From the Courier-Journal:

A Jefferson Circuit Court judge quashed a subpoena of a Courier-Journal reporter yesterday, saying that the First Amendment protects reporters from having to testify about how they gather information for stories.

Judge Mary Shaw issued that decision during a hearing where defense lawyers for Gail Coontz sought to have reporter Jason Riley explain how he got a court file that the lawyers say was sealed.

Coontz is charged with murder in the shooting deaths of her two children, 14-year-old Greg and 10-year-old Nikki.

The children were found in their bedrooms at their Okolona home March 27.

Coontz, who could face the death penalty, was arrested after she showed up at the University of Louisville's counseling center with a gun earlier that day.

On July 9, the Courier-Journal published an article that detailed documents that were filed as part of the discovery in Coontz's criminal trial.

Those documents included information about Coontz's past mental health treatment.

The file also detailed a call Coontz made in January to a crisis hot line in which she threatened to kill herself and her children.

That call led to an investigation by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services that ended with the cabinet finding Coontz was not a risk to her
children.

If there was ever a time when the people of Kentucky need more state money for mental health treatment, it is now. Instead, most mental health service providers are facing huge cutbacks and budget shortfalls. Let Governor Beshear know that Kentucky's mental health system is in crisis, and we cannot afford to lose more programs.

Wyeth and Impax settle Effexor suit

Wyeth Press Release:

Madison, N. J., July 16, 2008 – Wyeth (NYSE:WYE) and Impax Laboratories Inc. today announced that all conditions of a settlement of the U.S. patent infringement litigation pertaining to Impax’s proposed generic capsule formulation of Wyeth’s EFFEXOR XR® antidepressant have been approved by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The Court entered a consent judgment resulting in termination of the litigation effective today.

Under the terms of the settlement, Wyeth has granted Impax a license that would permit Impax to launch its capsule formulation of Effexor XR on or after June 1, 2011, subject to earlier launch in limited circumstances, but in no event earlier than January 1, 2011. Impax will pay Wyeth a royalty on sales of this generic product.

The parties also have agreed that Impax will utilize its neurology-focused sales force to promote a product to be named by Wyeth. Other terms of this agreement are confidential and were not disclosed.

KY Attorney General Conway Announces Bristol-Myers Squibb Settlement

The National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units announced on July 15, 2008 that 43 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government have settled with Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company (BMS) and its former wholly owner subsidiary Apothecon, Inc., to resolve allegations of illegal drug marketing and pricing of prescription medication paid by the participating states’ Medicaid programs totaling $389 million plus interest. The federal portion of the settlement was concluded last fall. The Commonwealth of Kentucky will receive $3,078,211.78 of the settlement amount. The settlement addresses allegations that BMS engaged in a number of improper marketing and pricing practices, including:

Reporting inflated prices for various prescription drugs knowing that Medicaid and various federal health care programs would use these reported prices to pay for BMS and Apothecon products used by their recipients.

Paying illegal remuneration to physicians, health care providers, and pharmacies to introduce them to purchase BMS and Apothecon products;

Promoting the sale and use of Abilify, an antipsychotic drug, for pediatric use and for treatment of dementia-related psychosis, uses which the federal Food and Drug Administration has not approved; and

Misreporting sales prices for Serzone, an antidepressant, resulting in the improper reduction of the amount of rebates paid to the state Medicaid programs.

The settlement reimburses the federal government and the participating states for excessive amounts paid by Medicaid programs as a result of this conduct. As a part of the settlement, BMS has also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under which BMS will be required to report accurately its average sales prices and average manufacturers process in the future.

A team from the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units participated in the investigation and represented the states’ interests in the settlement negotiations. Team members include Unit Directors from Ohio and Vermont as well as Assistant Attorneys General form Massachusetts, New York, and New Mexico.

Attorney General Jack Conway praised the settlement, stating "I am pleased that auditors and attorneys from our Medicaid Fraud Division, working in close cooperation with this team, have recouped these state Medicaid funds. In these tight budget times, it is more important than ever that we be diligent in our efforts to recoup state funds that have been obtained improperly."

Contact Information: Allison Gardner Martin, Communications Director

502-696-5651 (office)

Kentucky settles lawsuit over services to persons with disabilities

From the Courier-Journal:

A federal judge has approved an agreement that could bring services to thousands of Kentuckians with mental disabilities.

U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood today endorsed a settlement of a long-running lawsuit between the state and advocates for people with mental and other disabilities. Hood said he expects to issue an order late this week to make the settlement final.Under the plan, the state will spend millions of dollars to provide therapy, adult day care, housekeeping and home health services, among other things, with the intention of allowing those with disabilities to remain at home and out of institutions.

The agreement calls for the state to help as many as 3,000 people this year and add 1,500 a year until it reaches 10,000 individuals.The state will use Medicaid money to help pay for the services and had committed about $17 million for the first two years.

I have also been told that the settlement includes the provision of legal services for persons with mental illness and other disabilities, which public defenders had been phasing out, after facing many budget cuts. -- Tony

Psychiatric ER Death

Click here for the video that has many Americans outraged.  NAMI has called for an investigation.

NAMI Kentucky's Major Depression Awareness Campaign

MAJOR DEPRESSION WILL AFFECT APPROXIMATELY 6% of KENTUCKIANS THIS YEAR

 LOUISVILLE, Ky. – NAMI Kentucky (The Kentucky chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness) calls on Kentuckians to take time to learn about the symptoms of major depression and to offer support to friends and loved ones who may be suffering from mental illness.

 Major depression affects more than 6 percent of the Kentucky’s adult population every year, meaning that approximately 150,000 Kentuckians will have an episode of major depression this year.  

 All age groups and all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups suffer from major depression; however, depression occurs twice as frequently in women. It ranks as the largest cause of disability in the developed world, and the fourth largest cause of disability in the developing world.

 Major depression goes well beyond temporarily feeling sad or blue, it involves some combination of several symptoms, including depressed mood, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, fatigue, appetite disturbances, excessive guilt and even suicidal thoughts.  

 Although major depression can be a devastating illness, it’s highly treatable. Some individuals may require long-term treatment, and more than half of those who experience a single episode of depression will continue to have episodes that occur as frequently as once or twice or a year. Without treatment the frequency as well as the severity of symptoms of depressive illness tend to increase over time.

 Many treatment options are available, and the type chosen depends on the individual and the severity and patterns of the illness. There are three well-established types of treatments: psychotherapy, antidepressant medications and electroconvulsive therapy. These treatments may be used in many combinations, and there may be some trial and error to work out a treatment plan for each individual.

 If you or someone in your family is being affected by major depression, NAMI Kentucky can help. NAMI Kentucky represents those diagnosed with mental illnesses, as well as their families and friends. 

 NAMI Kentucky is part of a nationwide network devoted to improving the lives of persons with serious mentally illness and to decreasing the prevailing stigma associated with mental illness. NAMI’s primary focus is to provide support, education and advocacy. NAMI Kentucky represents more than 1,100 members/households and has 21 affiliates plus newly forming affiliates throughout the state. Please call (800) 257-5081 or visit KY.NAMI.org if you would like more information about mental illness in Kentucky. This public awareness campaign is made possible, in part, with the support of Eli Lilly and Company.

Oakwood editorial

From Kentucky.com:

Oakwood just part of nightmare


Some have long said that Oakwood is an unjustified drain on public resources. The money could be better spent, they argue, serving greater numbers of Kentuckians who have mental retardation in smaller, less costly settings closer to their families. 


There's no disputing that Oakwood has become a financial drain on the state now that the federal government has ended funding of the Somerset institution because of a record of brutality and neglect.

At a time of financial struggle, the state must come up with an additional $3.5 million a month to replace the lost federal share. 


Legislators recently expressed frustration that officials are not moving faster to seek Oakwood's recertification, which would restart the flow of federal dollars.

But the reason for the delay is obvious. Oakwood couldn't yet make the grade. 


Opened 36 years ago at the end of the era of institutionalization, Oakwood must pass the same test as a new facility seeking certification.

Among the requirements: Each of Oakwood's 200-plus residents must have a therapy plan that the caregivers know and understand. That's not too much to ask of an institution that spends more than $300,000 a year per resident. That it remains a hurdle says a lot about the low quality of life available to those who live at Oakwood.


Two years ago, Oakwood had become a place where no one was safe. Under the management of the Lexington-based Bluegrass Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board, Oakwood residents are much safer. And that's a huge relief.

But Oakwood is still not — and never will be — a place where residents can live full lives or realize their potential as human beings. And, as John Cheves recently reported in the Herald-Leader, Oakwood is still not entirely safe or accountable.


An examination of records revealed that residents still are hurt by staff, poor medical care and one another. Internal investigations are flawed and incomplete, and state inspectors say they've been harassed and threatened with personal lawsuits by Bluegrass president Joseph Toy and his staff, a charge denied by Toy, who last week announced his retirement.

For several years now, we've said that Oakwood has outlived its usefulness and should be closed. 


Officials in the last administration made strong efforts to find new homes for those at Oakwood, and the population has declined from 400 to 221.

But Oakwood can't close until there are places for all its residents. And recent days have brought disturbing news about community-based alternatives to Oakwood:


In Carter County, a grand jury indicted nine employees of an adult-care facility where a 25-year-old mentally retarded resident died last year. Two other employees had already been indicted for manslaughter in the death of Michael Price.

In Mercer County, a residential facility for adults and children, New Hope Agency, is being investigated for allegations of abuse, including the rape of a resident. The director has been charged with sexual abuse and rape of former employees.


If it's true that a society should be judged by how it treats its weakest members, Kentucky is failing tragically.

Seven Counties enacts deep cuts

From the Courier-Journal:

Facing a $3 million cut in state funding, Seven Counties Services is cutting jobs and services for people with mental illness and mental disabilities in the Louisville area.

Beginning today, the regional mental health agency will cut as many as 10 staff positions and eliminate programs, including a popular "clubhouse" for teens recovering from drug or alcohol abuse.

"For the last three decades we have seen incredible progress in this business we call behavioral health," said Dean Johnson, the agency's vice president for community relations. "We're reversing that progress."

Seven Counties President Howard Bracco said in an e-mail to employees that the budget was the "most problematic" he has seen in 30 years at the agency, which serves about 32,000 people a year in Jefferson and the six surrounding counties.

"Individuals and families will feel the pain," he said.

Kentucky's 14 community mental health agencies are all seeking ways to manage about $20 million in cuts over the next two years, said Steve Shannon, who represents the agencies. Seven Counties, through its board's action Thursday, is the first to announce specific cuts, he said.

The agencies, which have not had a funding increase for the past 12 years, have nothing left to cut that won't hurt their clients, Shannon said.

"The resources are shrinking while the demand continues to grow," he said.

This is terrible news for Louisville's mental illness community. Seven Counties has been understaffed and cash-strapped for years. These continued cuts to Kentucky's mental health system will cost far more in the long term than these cuts will save in the short term.

These cuts are likely to lead to more people in prison, more people in the hospital instead of getting treated at home, and more families ripped apart by mental health crises.

If you live in Louisville or Kentucky, and you care about the 140,000 mentally ill people in Louisville and the more than 1 million mentally ill people in the Commonwealth, you better start putting the pressure on your elected representatives to find the funding for mental health care. It affects us all.

Kentucky among states with highest levels of "psychological distress"

New study reveals regional patterns of substance abuse and mental illness:

On the mental health side of things, serious psychological distress also
appears regional. If you live west of the Rockies, you are probably in good shape. Except for small pockets in Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming, the West seems to be a pretty happy bunch, while the middle portion of the eastern U.S. seems to be struggling, with the largest populations in distress being in Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Click the link above to read the entire article.

Click here to read the Report on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Survey.

NAMIWalks Louisville Kickoff Luncheon is July 23rd!

When: July 23, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.

Where: The Metro United Way Community Room

334 East Broadway, Louisville

Why: To raise awareness, excitement and enthusiam for

the NAMIWalks Louisville event on Sept. 13, 2008

Who: You! Your family, your friends, your co-workers

What: Free food!

The Kickoff Luncheon is limited to the first 100 registrants, so please RSVP as soon as possible, and no later than July 15. Call Tony Baize or Tammy Haysley at (502) 245-5287.

For more info about NAMIWalks Louisville, click here:

http://www.nami.org/namiwalks/KY/Louisville

We hope to see you at the Kickoff Luncheon and the Walk!

Toy to retire from Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board

From the Herald-Leader:

Joseph Toy, president and CEO of the Bluegrass Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board, is retiring.

In an e-mail Toy sent Friday to staff at the Communities at Oakwood and Eastern State Hospital, he said he would continue working for two to four months to allow the board time to appoint a successor.

In addition to running Eastern State in Lexington and Oakwood in Somerset, Bluegrass provides community mental-health services and other social services.

Toy's retirement comes as Bluegrass is under pressure to fix problems at Oakwood, a historically troubled institution, so the facility can regain funding from Medicaid.

All but $18 million of Oakwood's $78 million annual budget normally comes from Medicaid. Until the facility is found in compliance by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the state is paying for the full cost of running the institution.

(Image courtesy Somerset Commonwealth Journal)

From the NAMI Convention again

So, I'm sitting in the Internet suite, because once again, the session I wanted to attend was placed in one of the smaller salons, and it is overflowing into the hallway.

If there's a criticism of what has been otherwise an excellent convention, it's this: the logistics people failed to realize which topics were going to be really big draws.

On Saturday, I really wanted to attend the workshop on fundraising, but it, too, overflowed. Fortunately, NAMI Louisville's Board President Bob McFadden shoehorned a seat. Today, it's the session on the "VA at War" that has drawn an overflow crowd.

Meanwhile, larger salons are not filled while focusing on more specialized topics.

I suppose I'll find a comment card or send an e-mail.

I guess it should be said that this is my personal opinion only. It may not (and probably does not) represent the thoughts or feelings of NAMI Louisville, its board, or the attendees at the convention under the NAMI Louisville banner.

Blogging from the NAMI National Convention

Overwhelming schedules and overwhelming crowds. This is by far the biggest special interest convention I have ever attended.

During NAMI's town hall meeting this morning, the Obama campaign sent a senior staffer. The McCain campaign sent no one.

I think the crowd took that as a hint.

WaPo: Soldiers with PTSD kept near firing ranges

According to the Washington Post, soldiers at Fort Benning and other bases diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and placed in the "Warriors in Transition" unit were kept too close to firing ranges, aggravating their disorders.

Lifespring loses mental health grant

From the News and Tribune:

About 360 people that receive substance-abuse and mental-health treatment as a diversion to a jail sentence annually through the Jeffersonville-based Turning Point Center may have to look elsewhere for help this year.

The organization — which provides inpatient treatment to residents in six counties, including Clark and Floyd — lost a $500,000 grant funded through the Indiana Department of Mental Health and Addiction earlier this year.

Podcast: Obama's Homes for Heroes Act

Last year, Senator Obama introduced a bill that would strive to reduce homelessness among U.S. Military veterans. Persons with mental illness tend to be overrepresented in that population.


Listen to Obama talk about it here:


powered by ODEO

Two interesting new articles about mental health

Newsweek: Growing Up Bipolar


Related Newsweek video here  




Conde Nast Portfolio: The Ultimate Cure
(about brain/neurological disorders)

Military suicides may exceed combat deaths

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. government's top psychiatric researcher said.

Community mental health centers, hobbled by financial limits, haven't provided enough scientifically sound care, especially in rural areas, said Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He briefed reporters today at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in Washington.

Insel echoed a Rand Corporation study published last month that found about 20 percent of returning U.S. soldiers have post- traumatic stress disorder or depression, and only half of them receive treatment. About 1.6 million U.S. troops have fought in the two wars since October 2001, the report said. About 4,560 soldiers had died in the conflicts as of today, the Defense Department reported on its Web site.

Based on those figures and established suicide rates for similar patients who commonly develop substance abuse and other complications of post-traumatic stress disorder, ``it's quite possible that the suicides and psychiatric mortality of this war could trump the combat deaths,'' Insel said.

NAMI Louisville hires Tony Baize

Allow me to toot my own horn and introduce myself.  I am Tony Baize, and I am the new executive director of the Louisville affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

I have more than a decade of experience as a nonprofit professional, including more than five years in nonprofit management.  I am also a family member of a person who suffered from mental illness.

I look forward to working with persons with mental illness, their families and their advocates in Louisville and the rest of Kentucky.  

Please feel free to e-mail information to me about mental health issues or events that you want publicized, and please make comments on the site.  Also, please visit the NAMI Louisville web site at www.namilouisville.org, and please keep your eyes open for information about NAMI Louisville's Fall Walk for the Mind of America.  

Kindest regards,

Tony