Tai Chi Helps Fight Depression, Gentle Exercise, Movement Meditation - AARP Bulletin

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Older adults who suffer from depression may find lasting relief by practicing a flowing Chinese martial art called tai chi in addition to receiving more traditional treatment, according to a new study.
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Cumulative Lifetime Adversity and Resilience | Aging In Action

by Jordan Stein

A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology lends a fresh perspective to Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous quote, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.”

The authors of this article examined the relationship between cumulative lifetime adversity and human resilience. By analyzing a nationally representative sample of the population, the authors found that individuals who experienced a moderate amount of adversity during their lifetimes had higher levels of mental health and well-being than (a) people with an extensive history of adversity and (b) people without any history of adversity.
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Article Reviewed:
Seery, M. D., Holman, E. A., Cohen-Silver, R. (2010). Whatever does not kill us: Cumulative lifetime adversity, vulnerability, and resilience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 1025-1041.

Mental Health Benefits of Neighborhood for Older Mexican American Men | Aging In Action

by John Davy on March 28, 2011

For all the positive steps we can take for our health—exercise, social engagement, diet—much of our wellbeing is out of our control. A growing body of research demonstrates that factors such as stressors we experience, our parents’ income and education, and the neighborhoods we grow up in can all be risk factors for our health. Research has shown that economically disadvantaged neighborhoods lead to a greater risk of mortality and morbidity. At the same time, neighborhoods can also provide protective benefits. A recent study in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society showed that, for Mexican American men aged 75 and older, living in a neighborhood with a high density of Mexican Americans is associated with a lower risk of depression (Gerst et al 2011).
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Journal Article

Mild Psych Problems Hike Risk of Later Disability from MedPage Today

By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today

People do not have to be severely depressed or anxious to be at increased risk for physical or mental disability, researchers found, as even mild distress led to serious loss of function for some study participants.

Analysis of data on more than 17,000 individuals in Sweden indicated that mild psychological distress approximately doubled the likelihood of a subsequent diagnosis of somatic or psychiatric disability (hazard ratios 1.7 and 2.2, respectively, P<0.05, relative to no distress), reported Dheeraj Rai, MBBS, of the University of Bristol in England, and colleagues.

The development of cost-effective psychosocial or medical interventions for people with mild psychological distress may be a priority worth pursuing as it may reduce the disability burden, improve health outcomes and generate significant societal savings," Rai and colleagues wrote online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
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The Impact of Trauma on Wellness: Implications for Comprehensive Systems Change

The Impact of Trauma on Wellness: Implications for Comprehensive Systems Change March 30, 2011  |  3 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time SAMHSA invites you to a free training teleconference titled, "The Impact of Trauma on Wellness: Implications for Comprehensive Systems Change." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 60 percent of American adults say they endured abuse and other difficult family situations as children, otherwise known as adverse childhood experiences. Those experiences can have long-term health consequences and can create financial burdens on society due to the need for hospitalization, mental health care, child welfare services and/or law enforcement. This teleconference will educate diverse stakeholders about comprehensive systems change, including preventing both harm and inadvertent retraumatization and ensuring that services and supports are welcoming, engaging, and culturally attuned. The goal is to help facilitate the healing process among people who have experienced trauma so that they can become fully engaged in their communities. Presenters: Cathy Cave, Senior Program Associate, Advocates for Human Potential Roger Fallot, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation, Community Connections Ann Jennings, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director, The Anna Institute Register Now Registration will close at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, March 27, 2011.

Legislator Who Suggested Siberia For 'Retarded' Resigns - Disability Scoop

By Shaun Heasley

A New Hampshire lawmaker resigned Monday amid criticism for suggesting to a constituent that the state ship people with disabilities to Siberia.

Rep. Martin Harty, a 91-year-old first-term Republican in the state’s House of Representatives, drew fire after it became public that he told a constituent that “the world is too populated” with “too many defective people.”

“I wish we had a Siberia so we could ship them all off to freeze to death and die and clean up the population,” Harty continued, according to the constituent’s account. He specified that he was referring to “the mentally ill, the retarded, people with physical disabilities and drug addictions.”

When questioned about the comments last week, Harty was unapologetic and told the Concord Monitor that he was “just kidding.”

But on Monday Harty submitted his letter of resignation to state House Speaker William O’Brien.
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Depression Care in Hospital Helps Cardiac Patients

By Crystal Phend, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today

A collaborative program to manage depression among heart patients before hospital discharge appears to ease both mood and cardiac symptoms, researchers found.

A prospective, randomized trial also found that the program improved self-reported adherence to medication and advice on diet, exercise, and stress reduction six months later, Jeff C. Huffman, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues, reported in the March issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Such programs have proven successful before, but were only conducted among patients after discharge, the group noted.

Their program showed the feasibility of screening for depression and starting treatment during a "teachable moment" while patients were still in the cardiac unit, Huffman and colleagues explained.

Thus "these results may represent a substantial first step in the systematic treatment of depression in hospitalized cardiac patients, a population for whom depression is independently associated with cardiac morbidity and mortality, and effective therapy remains greatly underrealized," they wrote.

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SAMHSA: Source for Behavioral Health Resources

Your Source for Behavioral Health Resources New Publications Ordering Website — store.samhsa.gov SAMHSA has a new Publications Store where you can order free behavioral health resources, including manuals, brochures, videos, and public service announcements. Registering on the website will allow you to: Track previous and current orders. Save your shipping address. Create "favorites" or a "wish list." Receive a notification when a product is back in stock. Start ordering free publications today. Find products like these popular titles: Considerations for the Provision of E-Therapy Examines electronically delivered services (e-therapy) and their potential efficacy for treatment of substance abuse and mental illness. Partnership To Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Public Education Program Manual Provides strategies to plan fetal alcohol spectrum disorders' prevention programs, involve providers, disseminate materials, and conduct follow-up evaluations. Sustaining Grassroots Community-Based Programs: A Toolkit for Community- and Faith-Based Service Providers Contains six books to help grassroots organizations and faith-based organizations develop substance abuse and mental health treatment services. Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery Offers screening tools and principles to help child welfare staff screen parents for potential substance abuse and make decisions about children's safety.

Free Webinars for Consumers: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

SAMHSA's Partners for Recovery Initiative invites you to two free webinars on the new Federal parity law.

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Parity 101  |  February 17, 2011  |  1 to 2 p.m. Eastern Time
The webinar will provide a general overview of MHPAEA and the recently released Interim Final Rule. The webinar, which is directed to consumers, will be presented by health policy experts from the Legal Action Center.
Register for Parity 101 Webinar

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Parity 201  |  March 10, 2011  |  1 to 2 p.m. Eastern Time
The webinar, designed for states and providers, includes a detailed discussion about implementation of MHPAEA. This discussion will provide details on state-level implementation efforts, interplay between the Federal parity law and state parity laws, and anticipated additional pieces of regulatory guidance.
Register for Parity 201 Webinar

Spending on Behavioral Health is a Shrinking Portion of Overall Health Expenditures

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SAMHSA News Release

Spending on psychiatric drugs grew by 5.6 percent from 2004 to 2005, down from the 27.3 percent growth from 1999 to 2000 according to a study published today in the February issue of Health Affairs. The study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration analyzed healthcare costs from 1986 to 2005 to determine patterns in expenditures for behavioral health services. SAMHSA is publishing the full report entitled National Expenditures for Mental Health Services and Substance Abuse Treatment, 1986 - 2005 that can be found at the SAMHSA web site.

In 2005, the latest year comparable data is available, behavioral health spending accounted for 7.3 percent ($135 billion) of the $1.85 trillion spent on all health care services in the U.S. During the 20-year study period, both mental health and substance abuse spending grew more slowly than all other health spending: 4.8 percent annually for substance abuse, 6.9 percent annually for mental health, and 7.9 percent annually for all health care services. The same pattern held in the most recent 2002-2005 period, in which spending for substance abuse grew slowest (5.0 percent), followed by mental health (6.4 percent), and all health (7.3 percent).

SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D., commented, "Behavioral health services are critical to health systems and community strategies that improve health status and they lower costs for individuals, families, businesses, and governments. The value of behavioral health services is well documented. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in evidence-based treatments yields $2.00 to $10.00 in savings in health costs, criminal & juvenile justice costs, educational costs, and lost productivity. Yet, too many people don’t get needed help for substance abuse or mental health problems and health care costs continue to skyrocket."

The study found that private insurance spends about 5 percent on behavioral health treatment. Spending on behavioral health treatment (mental health and substance abuse) comprised 4.8 percent of private health insurance expenditures in 2005 and grew by 7 percent from 2004 to 2005. This estimate provides an important baseline for evaluating the impact of the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act and Affordable Care Act. In contrast, Medicaid behavioral health was responsible for 11.5 percent of total spending by Medicaid. Thus the study indicates that the level of public spending on behavioral health issues may be related to lack of private insurance benefit for many with mental health needs and that these problems may be addressed with parity.

The study’s key findings included:

• Unlike overall health spending, the vast majority of behavioral health services is publicly funded. In 2005, public payers accounted for the 79 percent of spending on substance abuse treatment services and 58 percent of spending on mental health services. In contrast, public payers accounted for less than half (46 percent) of all-health spending.
• Psychiatric drug spending growth is declining. In the past psychiatric drugs were a major driver of overall mental health spending - contributing almost half of the increase in mental health spending between 1998 and 2002. However, because of the wider use of less-expensive generic drugs and reduced numbers of new people using psychiatric medications, the growth rate in spending for these drugs actually slowed from 27.3 percent from 1999 to 2000 to only 5.6 percent from 2004 to 2005.
• Spending on addiction medications is increasing but still remains relatively small. As a result of the introduction of new medications to treat substance dependence, spending on addiction medications has grown rapidly -- from $10 million in 1992 to $141 million in 2005. More recent data from IMS Health shows continued rapid increases up to $780 million in 2009. However, it remains only a small fraction of the entire amount spent on substance abuse treatment (0.6 percent of $22 billion in 2005).
• Private insurance spends about 5 percent on behavioral health treatment. Spending on behavioral health treatment (mental health and substance abuse) comprised 4.8 percent of private health insurance expenditures in 2005 and grew by 7 percent from 2004 to 2005. This estimate provides an important baseline for evaluating the impact of the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act and Affordable Care Act. In contrast, Medicaid behavioral health was responsible for 11.5 percent of total spending by Medicaid in 2005.

For those seeking the Health Affairs summary article, the citation is Mark TL, Levit KR, Vandivort-Warren R, Buck JA, Coffey RM. Changes in U.S .Spending on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment, 1986 2005, And Implications for Policy. Health Affairs 30, No 2. (2011) (abstract available at : http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/30/2/284). The full report is available at the SAMHSA Website under financing in the health care reform section.

Data files from the National Expenditure report are available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA10-4612.

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SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

Spending on behavioral health is a shrinking portion of overall health expenditures

Two Mental Health Publications Available from SAMHSA

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Medicaid, 2003

In 2003, Medicaid provided health care coverage for 55 million people, nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population, and was a major source of funding for mental health and substance abuse services. By 2014, Medicaid is projected to pay for 27 percent of the costs for all mental health services and 20 percent of the costs for all substance abuse treatment. Because of their complex needs and high expenditure levels, Medicaid beneficiaries who use these services continue to be the subject of much discussion among policymakers and program administrators at the state and Federal levels.

This report can help inform these policy discussions because it is designed for representatives of consumer groups, Medicaid directors, state mental health directors, and anyone who is concerned about mental health and substance abuse services for vulnerable citizens.

Related Resources

State Profiles of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Medicaid

Establishing and Maintaining Medicaid Eligibility Upon Release From Public Institutions

State Mandates for Treatment for Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

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Mental Health, United States, 2008 This new, redesigned edition provides information on the mental health status of the U.S. population, the providers and settings for mental health services, the types of mental health services and rates of utilization, and expenditures and sources of funding for mental health services.

It is a resource for state officials and policymakers, mental health researchers, advocacy organizations, mental health consumers and family members, and anyone with an interest in learning about the mental health services in the United States and the populations served by the U.S. mental health system.

Related Resources

Projections of National Expenditures for Mental Health Services and Substance Abuse Treatment, 2004–2014

Mental Health Findings: Results From the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

Mental Health, United States, 2004

Survey of Evidence-Based Practices for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in State Medicaid Plans

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is conducting a survey  to gather information about current and planned State Medicaid activities and policies related to eight mental health/substance abuse evidence-based practices (EBPs). This survey is part of a five-year project to increase attention to and understanding of Medicaid mental health and substance abuse service issues among State Medicaid and Mental Health/Substance Abuse Directors, as well as improve the effectiveness of State Medicaid mental health services.

The purpose of the survey is to determine the overall management and delivery of mental health and  substance abuse services within Medicaid and the use of eight specific evidence-based practices. The information provided through the survey will be vital to increasing awareness and understanding of Medicaid mental health/substance abuse evidence-based practice activities. This information will also be used to develop numerous products to help State Medicaid and Mental Health/Substance Abuse Directors adopt,  deliver, and refine existing policies about mental health and substance abuse EBPs.

A survey will be sent to the director of each State Medicaid office in the 50 States and the District of Columbia, with responses expected over a four-week period. The survey contains a total of 114 questions on the overall management and delivery of mental health and substance abuse services within Medicaid and on the implementation of eight EBPs within the state Medicaid program. However, respondents will complete part or all of the survey, depending on how many of the eight EBPs are being implemented in their state. The survey will be sent electronically to State Medicaid Directors, and they may respond by email or facsimile. To reduce burden, prior to administering the survey several survey questions will be pre-completed based on existing information, as available.
Full Request for Comment Federal Register Notice

Light Therapy May Brighten Up Depressed Seniors

By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today

Literally shining a light on a darkened mind may help older patients with major depression -- with three weeks of home-based light therapy producing a significant improvement in mood and sleep, according to the results of a Dutch randomized trial.

The trial, conducted among almost 90 outpatients ages 60 and older treated for major depressive disorder (MDD), also showed that the positive effects associated with light therapy persisted during three weeks of follow-up after the treatment ended (P=0.01 to P<0.001), Ritsaert Lieverse, MD, of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, and colleagues reported.

"We showed that bright-light therapy had beneficial effects in elderly patients with nonseasonal major depressive disorder and found indirect support for the contention that therapeutic effects may in part be mediated by enhancements of circadian system functioning," Lieverse and co-authors commented.

"These results support inclusion of chronotherapeutic strategies in the treatment options for nonseasonal major depressive disorder in elderly patients. Bright light treatment may provide a viable alternative for patients who refuse, resist, or do not tolerate antidepressant treatment," the team concluded.
Complete Article

Health Discovery: Lift Weights for Stronger Muscles, Stronger Brains - AARP Bulletin

by: Candy Sagon | from: AARP Bulletin

For older women, the type of exercise you do may be more important than how often you do it.

That's the message of a surprising new study by Canadian researchers that found that women who started a once-a-week strength-training program were more likely to stick with it — and reap the physical and mental benefits — than those who started a twice-a-week program.

More importantly, older women who built muscle strength through biceps curls, leg lifts, squats and the like showed much greater improvement in mental focus and ability to make decisions and resolve conflicts than women who did only balance and toning exercises.
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Healthy brain gene linked to depression - Telegraph

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent

Researchers hope that the discovery could lead to new treatments and early diagnosis of the condition that affects one in five people in Britain during their lifetime.

The team at Yale University have found that a gene called MKP-1 is twice as active in those that are depressed than those with good mental health.

When activated the gene appears to blocks pathways crucial to the survival and function of neurons in the brain.

Neurons are used to transfer and process information across the brain by a process of electrical and chemical signaling.

Professor Ronald Duman, the study leader, said it was "particularly exciting" because of the genes link with maintaining healthy brain function.

"This could be a primary cause, or at least a major contributing factor, to the signalling abnormalities that lead to depression," he said
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The Crying Game: Does shedding tears help shed stress? | Medicare Solutions Blog

By Lucy Dylan in Medicare Solutions Blog

If you’re like me, you love a good cry every once in a while. Every so often, when you’re overwhelmed with emotions and stress, crying can bring you a sense of relief and calmness.

Did you know that crying actually has some health benefits?

There are three different varieties of tears that your body secretes on a regular basis.

First is the reflex tear, which protects your eyes from bad particles and dust, especially when they’ve been irritated by smoke, chemicals, and other types of gas. These tears are comprised of 98 percent water, and act as a sort of shield for the eye.

The next type of tear is continual, which keeps the eyes and nose lubricated and healthy. Continual tears contain lysozyme, an antibacterial chemical that protects the eye from infections.

The third type is emotional tears, which release stress hormones in the body. Whenever you have an emotional cry, your body releases prolactin, a major stress hormone, and other stress hormones. Thus, after your crying session, your heart rate and breathing will slow down and you will grow calmer. Prolactin actually helps create tears as well: women tend to have higher levels of prolactin than men, which could explain why women are more likely to cry than men. However, prolactin is also released through sweat, and men tend to sweat more than women, so this does not mean that women are naturally more stressed out than men.

According to Dr. Judith Orloff, emotional tears encourage productions of endorphins in your body, leaving you feeling much more happy and relieved than before your cry. In fact, Dr. Orloff actually recommends crying to her patients to improve their emotional well being.
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Current Depression Among Adults --- United States, 2006 and 2008

Image via WikipediaMajor depression is a common and treatable mental disorder; a study conducted during 2001--2002 estimated that 6.6% of the U.S. adult population had experienced a major depressive disorder during the preceding 12 months.

Depressive disorders are more common among persons with chronic conditions (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and cancer) and among those with unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, physical inactivity, and binge drinking.

To estimate the prevalence of current depression, CDC analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data from 2006 and 2008. Current depression was defined as meeting BRFSS criteria for either major depression or "other depression" during the 2 weeks preceding the survey.

This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, among 235,067 adults (in 45 states, the District of Columbia [DC], Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), 9.0% met the criteria for current depression, including 3.4% who met the criteria for major depression.

By state, age-standardized estimates for current depression ranged from 4.8% in North Dakota to 14.8% in Mississippi. State health departments that include depression measures in their BRFSS surveys can track prevalence, set health goals for prevention and control, and monitor the effectiveness of relevant programs and policies.
Full Article

SAMHSA Hosting Fall Webinar Series

The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has ensured that the role of behavioral health in the overall health care system will change. Now, it is more important than ever to know how health care reform will affect you and your role and the role of states, behavioral health care providers, and consumers. Due to the breadth of the new law, ACA sets forth concepts that are new to many individuals and families that currently or will receive mental health and addiction services. Recognizing the importance of understanding these new concepts, SAMHSA is hosting a fall webinar series. The first three webinars in the series are listed below.

		Health Care Reform: Implications for Behavioral Health Providers September 21, 2010 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time Register Now		Sign up to learn about how health care reform will affect the role of states, behavioral health providers and consumers; what is considered a health home; what services are provided in a health home setting; and which states are currently using health homes. You will also learn about evidence-based approaches for people with co-occurring disorders and the role accountable care organizations will play.

		Health Reform 101: Health Insurance Exchanges September 23, 2010 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time Register Now		Participate in a SAMHSA-sponsored National Conference of State Legislators webinar on state health insurance exchanges. Sign up to understand the roles of state exchanges under ACA, what type of products will be offered in exchanges, and what steps states need to take to launch an exchange by 2014.

		Health Reform 101: High-Risk Pools September 30, 2010 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time Register Now		Participate in a SAMHSA-sponsored National Conference of State Legislators webinar on high-risk pools to understand what the new high-risk pools are and what ACA means to existing high-risk pools in 20 states. Sign up to learn more about the functions and purpose of high-risk pools, funding opportunities and mechanisms, and current Federal and state roles.