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Grant funds under this program may be used to plan, create, or expand programs that promote public safety and public health by providing appropriate services for system-involved individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. These grants also focus on training programs for criminal justice and mental health and substance abuse treatment personnel; law enforcement strategies to provide response options that are tailored to the needs of people with mental illnesses; and providing mental health co-occurring treatment and transitional services for those incarcerated or transitional reentry programs for those released from a correctional institution. Application deadline is April 8, 2010. This link opens a PDF document.
As part of the development process for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses are available for public review and comment until April 20, 2010. The draft disorders and disorder criteria that have been proposed by the DSM-5 Work Groups include recommendations that Asperger Syndrome become a subset of Autism Spectrum Disorders and that the category Mental Retardation be changed to Intellectual Disability.
The Middle Class Task Force, chaired by Vice President Joe Biden, has unveiled a series of initiatives in the President's FY 11 budget to help families with soaring child care costs, balancing work with caring for elderly relatives or people with disabilities, paying for college, and saving for retirement. The nearly $103 million investment proposed by the Task Force will support more respite care, counseling, training, referrals and adult day care.
The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders. The new rules prohibit group health insurance plans, typically offered by employers, from restricting access to care by limiting benefits and requiring higher patient costs than those that apply to general medical or surgical benefits. The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA).
American Sign Language (ASL) videos and captions about the H1N1 (swine) flu, including public service announcements and information on symptoms and prevention. Includes videos provided by Health Information Translations and DeafMD.org.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced its decision to cover Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection screening for Medicare beneficiaries who are at increased risk for the infection, including women who are pregnant and Medicare beneficiaries of any age who voluntarily request the service. For more information about this decision read the Decision Memo for Screening for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has withdrawn a proposed rule entitled Medicaid Program; Coverage for Rehabilitative Services (72 FR 45201) that was published in the Federal Register on August 13, 2007. This rule proposed to amend the definition of Medicaid rehabilitative services to include a requirement for a person-centered written rehabilitation plan and maintenance of case records. The notice of withdrawal of this proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2009. Questions about the withdrawal notice should be directed to the CMS Office of Legislation.
Having a disability alone may not make someone at higher risk for complications from the H1N1 virus, but other factors may put people with certain disabilities at higher risk. People who have difficultly breathing (ventilator users and individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions); individuals who have difficulty fighting infections or who are immunocompromised; and people of any age who have chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or sickle cell anemia, are at higher risk of acquiring the H1N1 infection. Visit the Flu Shot Locator to find places near you to get a flu shot.
The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released a report calling for immediate health care reform for people with disabilities. The report provides a road map for eliminating the pervasive barriers to health care for people with disabilities, which will improve the quality of life, productivity, and well-being of greater numbers of Americans as the population ages. The complete report can be downloaded in PDF or Word formats.
Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $40 million in grants to 69 grantees in 41 states and the District of Columbia to help them find and enroll children who are uninsured but eligible for either Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Find your state's CHIP contact.
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