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.