In previous newsletters I mentioned that the Coalition was partnering with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Mental Hygiene Administration to address the needs of students in special education with Code 06 – Emotional Disturbance.
As a first step, we want to change the term “Emotional Disturbance” to something more sensitive to children with mental health needs. We have repeatedly heard from families that “Emotional Disturbance” is stigmatizing and that families and educators avoid coding children 06 for that reason. The federal law IDEA uses this term, but states may change the terminology provided they do not change the definition. We have done a preliminary survey to determine the language used in other states. For example, Minnesota uses the term “Emotional Behavioral Disorder” while Arizona and Illinois use “Emotional Disability.”
Within a few weeks the Coalition will begin a process to get legislation enacted to change the term “Emotional Disturbance” in the 2009 legislative session. We also will be conducting an e-mail survey so that families can provide direct input into the process. Please look for the survey and let us know what you think.
Enjoy the remaining days of summer!
- Jane A. Walker
Executive Director
P.S. The Coalition is looking for family members to join our staff. Read the second article for more information on the positions and places where we are growing.
Researchers Fail to Reveal Pharmaceutical Payments
Last month, we covered many aspects of the diagnosis of childhood bipolar disorder. Hand in hand with the apparent 40-fold increase in diagnoses is the explosion of the use of powerful antipsychotic medications in children and adolescents.
A distressing report published in June by The New York Times outlines millions of dollars paid to prominent psychiatrists whose work helped fuel the increasing use of medication—previously undisclosed consulting payments from the very pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the medications.
Drs. Joseph Biederman, Timothy E. Wilens and Thomas Spencer of Harvard belatedly reported the earnings for 2000 to 2007—said to be at least $2.6 million—after being pressed by congressional investigators. The failure to disclose the income may have violated federal and university conflict-of-interest rules.
The researchers repeatedly have advocated for the continued use of psychiatric medicines in children and adolescents. According to The Times , Dr. Biederman is one of the most influential researchers in child psychiatry and is widely admired for focusing on the most troubled patients. His work has been credited with helping to spur the increasing diagnoses of childhood bipolar disorder; his research itself was not questioned during the investigation by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) into the financial arrangements.
University and federal officials, including those at the National Institutes for Health, are looking into potential conflicts of interest regarding the drug-company-funded research by the three scientists.
This report, while distressing, shouldn't prompt a change or withdrawal of medication for an individual child. As always, parents in concert with physicians are in the best position to decide what the best course of treatment is for their children.
Position Announcements
Looking to make a difference? If you are the caregiver for a child with mental health needs and want to work with a dynamic group of family members dedicated to helping other families, join us!
The Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health is expanding and will be hiring Family Navigators to provide information, support and guidance to other families caring for a child with intensive needs.
Allegany County—One Family Navigator, 30 hours per week.
Howard County—One Family Navigator, 40 hours per week. Two part-time positions will be considered.
St. Mary's County—One Family Support Partner, 30 hours per week, to work in partnership with the care management entity to provide intensive support to families in the wraparound initiative.
Washington County—Two Family Navigator Positions, 30 hours per week, with some flexibility in scheduling. Experience caring for a child with mental health needs is a requirement for one position.
Central Office (located in Columbia)—Administrative Assistant, 40 hours per week, previous office experience required.
Central Office (located in Columbia)—Family Advocate, 40 hours per week, to respond to families caring for a child with mental health needs in Central Maryland.
Résumés with cover letters should be sent to:
Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health
10632 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 119
Columbia, MD 21044
No e-mail or faxed résumés will be considered. Please specify which position you are applying for. Deadline for applications is Aug. 11, 2008. Visit the Coalition website at www.mdcoalition.org for additional details.
Suicide Prevention Conference Set for October
The Governor's Interagency Workgroup on Youth Suicide Prevention will hold the state's 20th annual Suicide Prevention Conference on Oct. 8 at Martin's West in Baltimore, with the theme of “Building a Culture of Hope.”
Terrie M. Williams, the founder of The Stay Strong Foundation, will offer the keynote speech. Also slated to speak is Frank J. Kros, president of the Upside Down Organization, who is to present “Suicide and the Teenage Brain.”
According to the most recent data available, in 2005 nearly 17 percent of U.S. high school students reported they had seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous 12 months. Both nationally and in Maryland , suicide is the third leading cause of death for those ages 10 to 24, accounting for 12 percent to 13 percent of all deaths annually.
In 2006, 82 youth ages 10–24 killed themselves in Maryland.
Registration is available online by visiting www.regonline.com/mdsuicideconf. For additional information, contact Henry Westray Jr., the conference chair, at westrayh@dhmh.state.md.us.
Expanding Access to Health Care
Following several well-publicized cases of severe repercussions for youth and families—including death—because of lack of access to basic health care services, lawmakers in Annapolis passed several pieces of legislation in the 2008 session to address the problems. Those measures took effect recently, improving affordability and access to health care for nearly 100,000 residents.
Some of the highlights include:
- Expanded eligibility for Medicaid;
- Higher income cap for a family of three (from $7,100 to $20,500);
- Infusion of funding for Medicaid dental services;
- Aid for small businesses seeking to insure their employees;
- Greater access to medication for Maryland 's seniors; and
- Extending health coverage through the Kids First Act to allow young adults to remain on their parents' coverage through age 25.
There are a variety of options and services for which families and children without health insurance coverage may be eligible. For information on Maryland Medical Assistance, please visit http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/mma/mmahome.html.
Specific information regarding expanded access to care for families as of July 1, 2008 , may be found by visiting http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/ma4families/index.html.
Or, click here for an overview of the state's Medicaid/Medical Assistance program.
Legislators Propose Accounts to Aid Children with Disabilities
U.S. Sens. Robert P. Casey (D-Pa.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), along with U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), have introduced legislation that would allow individuals with disabilities and their families to create tax-exempt savings accounts similar to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and 529 College Savings accounts to save for the added expenses those individuals will incur over their lifetimes.
The Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2008 (S. 2743/H.R. 2370), would allow individuals with disabilities and their families to save money and cover such expenses as education, medical and dental care, community support services, employment training and support, moving and assistive technology, housing and transportation costs with tax advantages. These accounts would be available for those eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.
Under current law, many individuals with disabilities must become relatively impoverished in order to qualify for certain benefits, leaving them unable to build and use savings to meet expenses.
The measure would allow anyone to make contributions to Financial Security Accounts (FSAs) and rollovers would be allowed without penalty. Funds would grow tax free and would not be taxed when withdrawn to pay for qualified expenses.
The measure, introduced in early March, has been referred in the Senate to the Committee on Finance and in the House to the House Committee on Ways and Means
New Study on Bipolar Medication Set
The Treatment of Early Age Mania (TEAM) study, sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health and conducted by Johns Hopkins, is seeking children and adolescents ages 6 to 15 who are currently experiencing the symptoms of bipolar disorder to evaluate the effectiveness of several medication treatments.
Symptoms may include:
- Very bossy or overconfident;
- Extreme silliness/giddiness;
- Problems with sleep;
- Mood swings;
- Temper tantrums/angry outbursts;
- Inappropriate sexual behavior;
- Racing thoughts; or
- Daredevil/risky behavior.
Children who meet eligibility criteria will receive eight or 16 weeks of treatment with either lithium, valproate or Risperidone, at no cost. After the study, care will be transferred back to the child's treating psychiatrist.
For more information, contact study coordinator Meghan Crosby Budinger at 410.955.1542 or mcrosby5@jhmi.edu .
Webster's Gets It Right (Finally)
Each year the good folks at Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary add 100 or so words to the tome that are deemed to have become familiar enough to Americans so as to gain such status.
The updated 11th edition, to be released in print in September, includes netroots, dirty bomb and Texas Hold 'em—along with “mental health day,” defined as a noun meaning “a day that an employee takes off from work in order to relieve stress or renew vitality.”
It only took 37 years to convince the editors to include the definition. Guess they don't take any days off there.
