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The NYSPA Report: The Need for an “Essential Health Benefits” Federal Floor
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010, health policy experts and health lawyers have been working around the clock to comprehend and respond to an unprecedented number of proposed and final regulations. Noticeably absent from a myriad of federal rules that have been...
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Suicide: More Common Than You Think, More Preventable Than You Know
Just how common is suicide you may ask? According to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: In 2007, there were 34,598 reported suicide deaths in the U.S. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24-year-olds, and this age group accounts for...
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Suicide Attempts and the Family
As an EAP (Employee Assistance Professional) Counselor, one of the most difficult situations is calls from people whose loved one is suicidal. In this article “family” is construed as people who are involved and concerned. Dealing with a loved one who is suicidal is one of the greatest...
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MHN Summer 2012 Issue
"Understanding and Coping With Suicide” Articles in This...
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MHN Spring 2012 Issue
"Understanding and Treating Depression” Articles in This...
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Social Security Matters – Major Depression and Disability
Many of the people who come to us to obtain Social Security or Private Disability benefits are suffering from depression. In many cases this is their primary impairment; in many more, depression is present along with other disabling conditions. Because of the typically insidious progression of...
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Meeting Families as Far as They Can Go: A Values-Centered Approach to Treating Sexually Abused Children and Their Families
This paper describes a sexual abuse-specific treatment program for children that combines creative art therapy groups for the abused child with concurrent supportive, psychoeducational therapy groups for non-offending parents. This program, led by Northside Center for Child Development’s Project...
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Point of View: Address the Mental Health Needs of People with Dementia and Their Caregivers
Ms. S. began to experience confusion when she was 84. She was a friendly woman and active in local politics. One day when she was on her way to a meeting at her political club, she forgot where she was going and got lost. It happened again and then again. She began to make excuses for not going out...
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The NYSPA Report – Medicaid Redesign and the Public Mental Health System in NYS
In my last piece for Mental Health News I presented an overview of the attack on Medicaid, including mental health services, taking place across the nation. I expressed my belief that given NYS’s expenditures on Medicaid, which are far higher than any other state, reductions were necessary,...
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Symptoms of Depression and the Role of Traumatic Brain Injury
An elementary school student displays uncooperative behavior, emotional outbursts, social difficulties and learning challenges, and is placed in special education. A young veteran, recently home from active duty, attempts to return to pre-deployment functioning, but is hampered by feelings of...
