April 30, 2008
What's in an FDA approval
FDA approval, watchdogs and court cases: what this means for you
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| Topics: depression, FDA, legal, medication
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April 28, 2008
New York City steps up
New York City opens help for 9/11 victims still struggling with mental health or substance use disorders.
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| Topics: anxiety disorders, disaster, PTSD
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April 7, 2008
Shame on McCain
Would John McCain's policy of excluding pre-existing conditions effect people needing mental health care?
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| Topics: insurance, politics
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February 26, 2008
More on pharma influence
More on pharma: tracking prescribing habits of doctors, and the FDA.
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| Topics: courts, FDA, pharmaceutical, policy
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February 22, 2008
Pharma influence grows
Pharms spends more on lobbying while we spend more on drugs.
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| Topics: Congress, pharmaceutical, politics
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February 18, 2008
Northern Illinois University
Events at Northern Illinois University remind us that complex problems need complex answers.
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| Topics: advocacy, policy, stigma
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February 6, 2008
Bush budget bad news
Phyllis Vine
With 84 million people suffering from mental illness and substance abuse disorders, Bush budget proposals are entirely insufficient. Now it's up to Congress, and the rest of us to respond.
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| Topics: Congress, politics
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January 24, 2008
Mental illness and public safety: let’s tell the truth
by Phyllis Vine
As measures to protect public safety with gun laws move through state houses, too often the word “dangerous” is being used to modify “mental illness.” Do laudable efforts to halt violence belong on the shoulders of people with a mental illness? Isn't it time we started to wrestle with the truth?
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| Topics: advocacy, stigma, testimony
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January 11, 2008
FDA's "no comment"
by Phyllis Vine

Despite complaints over several months about side effects when substituting Budeprion XL 300, a generic antidepressant for the branded Wellbutrin 300 XL, the FDA has taken no steps to alert consumers or physicians.
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| Topics: FDA, medication
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December 31, 2007
The other 398,150
by Phyllis Vine
How does strengthening commitment laws help people who need service in the community? Budget shortfall or not, Virginia needs to do more than pay lip service to needed reforms.
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| Topics: community care, hospitals, human rights, legal, politics
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December 14, 2007
This campaign misfired
by Phyllis Vine
The Child Study Center withdraws "Ransom Notes."
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| Topics: ADHD, advocacy, children, depression, eating disorders, OCD, stigma
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December 2, 2007
Florida calls for end of trans-institutionalization
by Phyllis Vine

A bold report to Florida's governor recommends sweeping changes to address failures in the criminal justice and mental health system. “Transforming Florida’s Mental Health System" can guide significant reform.
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| Topics: advocacy, community care, courts, diversion programs, housing, human rights
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November 5, 2007
. . .from the APHA, Nov. 5-7
by Phyllis Vine
The American Public Health Association annual meeting in Washington, DC, has a number of events discussing a range of issues from Monday's session on empowering consumers in mental health treatments to disaster preparedness, school based reforms. Read summaries of selected sessions, including Dr. Ron Manderscheid's presentation about PTSD and returning vets.
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| Topics: advocacy, consumers, disaster, military, PTSD, research, stigma, suicide, workplace
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October 26, 2007
Meeting the crisis in veteran health
Rates of combat-related PTSD, anxiety disorders and depression are climbing off the charts for veterans and their families. But will competing blue-panel commissions slow progress in closing the gaps in the veteran health crisis?
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| Topics: Congress, military, politics, PTSD, Veterans Affairs
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October 12, 2007
"Canvas:" A family portrait
by Phyllis Vine

"Canvas" is an honest and textured portrayal of an ordinary family managing the uncertainties schizophrenia brings to their lives. Marcia Gay Harden (Mary), Joe Pantolino (John) and Devon Gearhart (Chris) give stunning performances of living on the margin of Mary's illness and hospitalizations while they face an uncertain future. Writer and director Joseph Greco writes without sensationalizing a painful story.
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| Topics: family, insurance, schizophrenia
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October 2, 2007
Wall Street eyes psychiatric care
by Phyllis Vine
Wall Street believes there's money to be made in conglomerates owning psychiatric services. Some of these companies have been acquiring hospitals and treatment programs in anticipation of changing federal law. What does this mean for who shapes treatments leading to recovery, and who benefits?
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| Topics: hospitals, insurance
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August 27, 2007
The SCHIP debate heats up
by Phyllis Vine
An MIWatch Commentary addresses the intense reaction to the Bush administration's edict revising the States Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
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| Topics: children, Congress, insurance, politics
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August 8, 2007
Why SCHIP matters to the mental health community
by Phyllis Vine
The States Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has huge implications for access to mental health providers and sustained treatments for an additional 3.3 million kids. Who could object?
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| Topics: children, insurance, politics, therapies
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March 27, 2007
Representative Patrick Kennedy on Parity
Testimony of Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) before the House Ways and Means Committee on Health, March 27, 2007, on behalf of mental health parity insurance.
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| Topics: insurance, testimony
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