Improving Early Identification and Treatment of Adolescent Depression

February 2010

The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation has released an issue brief examining the prevalence of adolescent depression, consequences of unidentified depression, and costs of screening and treatment. The issue brief also reviews recommendations and tools for primary care providers to identify and treat adolescent depression and shares opportunities for health plans to support providers in this identification and treatment.

Making the Connection between Mental Health and Community Well-Being

February 2010

In their recently released report Minds Matter, the Foundation for the Mid South outlines their approach to comprehensive health and wellness, particularly the connection between mental health and community well-being. The report includes the stories and innovative approaches of 34 community partners and how they served the mental health needs and recovery of Mississippi Gulf Coast residents.

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Names 2010 Awards of Excellence Honorees

February 2010

The 2010 Awards of Excellence honorees were chosen from more than 125 nominations based on their demonstrated achievements in providing critical services to those with mental illnesses and addictions disorders. “Each year the National Council honors individuals and organizations that are the ‘best of the best.’ These are the programs and the people who are ahead of the trends, those who are pioneering new service delivery models, those who are advancing original collaborations, and those who demonstrate positive outcomes for individuals and families,” said Linda Rosenberg, president and CEO of the National Council.

Integrated Care: Why and How [ September 22, 2009 2:00 PM ]

GIH Mental Health Audioconference Series

Integrated care systematically coordinates physical and behavioral health services to address individual needs more fully. On this call, Dr. Jürgen Unützer, professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington, will provide an overview of the rationale for integrated care, the evidence base around integration practices, and the main barriers to integration (clinical, financial, policy). We will also hear from Mary Jo Dike of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Mary Rainwater of The California Endowment's Integrated Behavioral Health Project on their range of work surrounding integrated care.

Behavioral Health and Health Care Reform [ June 23, 2009 2:00 PM ]

As the Obama Administration and congressional leaders begin to outline their plan for health care reform, how are behavioral health advocates working to promote a reform package that meets the needs of persons with mental health and substance use disorders? This one-hour audioconference featured representatives from the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) and the Campaign for Mental Health Reform. This discussion focused on efforts to engage policymakers and push for legislation that embraces and integrates behavioral health services in the broader context of health reform.

Schools as Entry Points for Children's Mental Health Services

Health grantmakers are in a strong position to support efforts to increase children’s access to mental health services by funding school-based services, building relationships between schools and service providers, disseminating information, and promoting policy change.

Filling a Gap in Care: The Need for Behavioral Health Integration

Primary care is often provided in isolation of behavioral health care, and vice versa. An integrated approach addresses this challenge by systematically coordinating physical and behavioral health services to more fully meet individual needs.

Behavioral Health and Public Policy

Behavioral health advocates ended a decade-long push for equity within private health insurance plans that cover mental health and addiction services with the passing of a new law that requires group health insurers to offer coverage for mental illness and substance use disorders on the same terms as physical illnesses.

Serving Our Veterans: Filling the Gaps in Military Mental Health

Stories of devastation on the evening news depict families struggling to cope with the health and mental health problems of their loved ones who have served in the military. For too many, help is not coming quickly enough. Nearly one-third of returning service members had signs of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), conflicts in relationships, and other mental health problems six months after leaving Iraq.

Addressing Maternal Depression

Maternal depression affects not only a woman herself, but also her family, friends, and coworkers. Of particular concern is maternal depression's link to problems in children's health, mental health, and development. This Issue Focus highlights ways that health grantmakers can address maternal depression and its consequences, including educating women and health care providers, promoting screening and treatment, integrating mental health services into programs serving pregnant and parenting women, and supporting research.

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