Mental Health Weekly最新文献

Mental health-related employee leaves continue to skyrocket among U.S. workers, according to new data released by ComPsych Corporation, the world's largest provider of mental health and absence management services, online news agency businesswire reported on Aug. 1. A sample analysis of ComPsych's absence book of business, which covers more than six million people, found that in the first quarter of 2024, more than one in 10 (11%) of all leaves of absence were due to mental health. This represents a 22% increase in mental health leaves versus those taken in the first quarter of 2023. This trend is being driven by female workers, who accounted for 69% of all mental health leaves of absence in 2023, and 71% of all mental health leaves in the first quarter of 2024. “Working women — especially moms and other caregivers — often neglect their self-care until they hit the point of being so burnt out, they need to take a leave of absence,” said Dr. Jennifer Birdsall, clinical director of ComPsych. “The more [that] organizations can support resiliency-building, teach self-care and [ways of] prioritizing work-life balance before things escalate into significant symptoms with functional impacts, the better. This is where the continuum of care, which includes prevention, comes into play.”

Delaware Gov. John Carney signed two new pieces of legislation into law on Aug. 7 aimed at improving mental health services and resources for students, ABC-affiliate WMDT reported. House Bill 200 establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools. The goal is to arrive at a final ratio of 250 students for every school counselor or social worker, or licensed school social worker. On top of that, for every 700 students, there would be one school psychologist. Another bill covers how school-based mental health services are reimbursed under Medicaid. The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is now charged with applying to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a state plan amendment. This move would allow for reimbursement of medically necessary behavioral health services without Individualized Education Program or Individualized Family Service Plan documentation. Local education agencies are required to use the reimbursed funds to further invest in school-based behavioral health supports. The Department of Education is also now allowed to retain up to 5% of federal re-imbursement dollars, to cover administrative costs.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) on July 31 released a statement regarding the July 7 killing of Sonya Massey, a Black mother who was shot to death at her home by former Illinois sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson after he responded to her 911 call to report a possible prowler. The killing, the APA stated, “is a disturbing and horrifying tragedy that should never have happened. Law enforcement, when visiting the home of anyone with reported mental health concerns, should be trained and prepared to respond to these individuals with care and empathy, not violence and harm. A 2024 study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and Vanderbilt University found that 67% of all shootings by police involving someone suffering from a mental or behavioral health episode were fatal. Furthermore, the injustice of Ms. Massey's killing lays bare the ways in which racial inequities can play out in our communities. More specifically, the Black community should not have to fear interactions with organizations that are charged with keeping us all safe, nor should anyone else.”

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing last week announced a call for proposals in preparation for its upcoming NATCON25 from May 5–7 in Philadelphia. Presentation proposals involve sharing insights and experiences during the conference's workshops, TED-style Talks, ‘Ignite Sessions,' poster presentations, the Mental Health First Aid Summit and more. The National Council is also accepting MHFA Impact Award nominations and Awards of Excellence nominations. Submissions are due Sept. 16. For more information, visit https://www.thenationalcouncil.org.

Although there have been improvements in mental health-related issues among teens in the U.S., much work remains, suggests the new report released on Aug. 6 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data also highlights worsening trends in protective sexual behaviors, experiences of violence, persistent sadness or hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Mental Health America is holding its annual meeting, “Disrupt. Reform. Transform,” Sept. 19–21 in Washington, D.C. Visit https://www.mhanational.org/annual-conference for more information.

Most adults see K-12 schools as an important resource for mental health support for students, but fewer believe that school personnel have all the necessary training to be of maximum help, results of a newly released opinion poll suggest.

Moves to turn over a variety of correctional services to for-profit entities have often come under intense criticism, and results of a new study suggest that the use of for-profit mental health treatment providers should be examined more closely.

Massachusetts advocates are reveling in the Commonwealth's number one ranking in overall scoring among states based on 15 mental health measures from Mental Health America's (MHA's) 2024 “State of Mental Health in America” report released last week (see related story beginning on page 1).

Among adults aged 18 or older in 2023, 22.8% (or 58.7 million people) had any mental illness (AMI) in the past year, according to one of the key findings from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This report, released July 31, highlights estimates of substance use, mental health, and treatment in the United States in 2023. These national indicators are measured among people aged 12 or older in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population.