Learning From The Past and Planning For The Future
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT April 5, 2002 "We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours." - Dag Hammarskjold
Short Subjects
LINKS
Mental Health Moment Online Clinical Management of Bipolar Disorder Paul E. Keck, Jr, MD, reviews the many facets of treatment of bipolar disorder.Men Over 50: An Endangered Species What men over 50 should be concerned about.
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES: A CLINICAL CAVEAT Be aware of biases and quality differences in EBPs you are considering for adoption into clinical practice. Behavioral Health Accreditations & Accountability Alert 7(3) 2002
CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS
The Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services-I (DMHS-I) course will be offered in Cheyenne, WY on Friday-Saturday, May 3-4, 2002.
9TH ANNUAL RAND SUMMER INSTITUTE: July 17-20, 2002, Santa Monica, CA Two conferences addressing critical issues facing our aging population: MiniMedical school for Social Scientists; Workshop on the Demography, Economics, and Epidemiology of Aging. Interested researchers can apply support to pay for registration, travel and accommodations.
May 28-31, 2002 1st Mexican Congress on Human Development Mexico City, MEXICO Contact: Lucila Martinez, Universidad Iberoamericana, Dpto. De Educacion y Desarrollo Humano, Prol. Paseo de la Reforma 880, Colonia Lomas de Santa Fe, 01210 Mexico, D.F., Mexico Tel: 5267-4201; Fax: 5267-4270
E-mail: lucila.martinez@uia.mx
FATIGUE MAY BE RED FLAG FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
A simple questionnaire on fatigue, administered two weeks after childbirth, may serve to identify women who at increased risk of developing moderate to severe postpartum depression according to Penn State researchers. Elizabeth Corwin, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, and Ingrid Bozoky, a recent master's degree recipient, wanted to see if a connection between postpartum fatigue and postpartum depression exists. They visited mothers within 24 hours after they gave birth and then at 7, 14 and 28 days after their babies were born. "Women with high levels of fatigue on days 7 and 14 were significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression on day 28 than women with low levels of fatigue," Bozoky told attendees at last week's Scientific Session of the Eastern Nursing Research Society. The simple 20-question questionnaire pinpointed 93 percent of the women who would suffer moderate to severe depression on day 28. For the full story by A'ndrea Elyse Messer, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/postpartumdepression.html
EARLY COLLEGE YEARS NOT TOO LATE TO EDUCATE
Even as they begin college, it is probably not too late to educate students about drugs, sex and alcohol, according to a Penn State study. "While some say it is too late to change behaviors once students are in college, we should not give up in the freshman year," says Karen Tempest, recent master's recipient and family nurse practitioner. Tempest, working with Deborah Bray Preston, associate professor of nursing, surveyed two large sociology classes at Penn State and reported to attendees at the latest Scientific Session of the Eastern Nursing Research Society that 75 percent of freshmen drank, while about 94 percent of seniors did. The use of drugs increased slightly with class standing. Among freshmen, only 47.5 percent were sexually active, but 80 percent of juniors and 85 percent of seniors were sexually active. "So the answer to the question of when we should intervene in college student health behaviors seems to be early," Tempest says. For the full story by A'ndrea Elyse Messer, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/sexdrugs.html
MALE SELF-MONITORING PERPETUATES GLASS CEILING
Men tend to be higher self-monitors in the workplace than women, which may account in part for the "glass ceiling" effect discouraging women from upward mobility in their organizations, according to a Penn State psychologist. "Not all men are high self-monitors, and not all women are low self-monitors. However, our findings indicate that men generally are better able than women to monitor and manage the impressions they make on others. This enables them to adapt skillfully to changing social climates in the workplace," says David V. Day, associate professor of industrial/organizational psychology. "Because of this chameleon-like quality, they do much better on subjective performance appraisals in which the impression that a boss holds is critical to the ratings that one receives." Day co-authored a paper on the topic in the April issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology. For the full story by Paul Blaum, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/selfmonitors.html
The following is a list of some of the current programs that are usually administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies. These programs are authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Emergency Assistance and Disaster Relief Act or other federal legislation. CORA BROWN FUND These funds are used to assist survivors of Presidentially declared major disasters for disaster-related needs that have not or will not be met by governmental agencies or other organizations which have programs to address such needs. Disaster survivors do not apply directly for these funds. The FEMA Regional Director, with assistance from other governmental agencies and disaster volunteer agencies, identifies potential recipients. This fund many not be used in a way that is inconsistent with other Federally mandated disaster assistance programs. A verification of the facts of each case must be conducted by the FEMA Regional Director, who then prepares a memorandum of recommendation and decision to the Deputy Associate Director, Response and Recovery Directorate. CRISIS COUNSELING ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAM This program is designed to provide supplemental funding to states for short-term crisis counseling services to people affected by Presidentially-declared disasters. There are two separate portions of the Crisis Counseling Program which can be funded: immediate services for up to sixty days of assistance following the disaster declaration date and regular services for an additional nine months. The program is available to State Mental Health Authorities through the State Office of Emergency Services and is administered by FEMA with technical assistance and collaboration from the Center for Mental Health Services. DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Disaster Housing Assistance Program makes temporary housing and funds available to individuals whose home is uninhabitable because of a disaster. DISASTER LEGAL SERVICES Through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, free legal advice is available for low income individuals regarding cases that will not produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement which is awarded by the court). Cases that may generate a fee are turned over to the local lawyer referral service. DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (DUA) Unemployment benefits may be available through the State unemployment office and are supported by the U.S. Department of Labor. The benefit period begins with the week (as defined by State law) following the disaster incident or date thereafter that the individual becomes unemployed and can extend for up to 26 weeks. The DUA benefit amount may not exceed the maximum weekly amount authorized under the unemployment compensation law of the State in which the disaster occurred. Individual eligibility is dependent on other available unemployment benefits to the victim/survivor. Individuals should contact a local office of the agency that administers the UI program in their State. It should be listed in the State government section of the telephone directory under such titles as Unemployment Insurance, Unemployment Compensation, Employment Security, or Employment Service. INDIVIDUAL FAMILY GRANT PROGRAM (IFG) The purpose of the IFG is to provide funds for the necessary expenses and serious needs of disaster survivors. IFG funds are for expenses that are not met through other means of federal or private assistance (e.g., Small Business Administration loan or private insurance). The maximum grant amount is adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). IFG eligible categories include: real and personal property, medical, dental, funeral, and transportation. Ineligible costs are: improvements or additions to real or personal property, recreational property, cosmetic repair, business expenses, and debts incurred before the disaster. Home inspections are normally conducted before a check is issued. The IFG program is administered by the state. STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM This program is intended to ameliorate, to the extent practicable, the stresses experienced by its disaster workers as a result of the demands of working directly in a disaster operation. The Center for Mental Health Services works in collaboration with FEMA on the implementation of this program. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) The VA provides death benefits, pensions, insurance settlements, and adjustments to home mortgages for veterans. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) The IRS can allow certain casualty losses to be deducted on Federal Income Tax returns for the year of the loss or through an immediate amendment to the previous year's return. U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DISASTER LOANS (SBA) Most, but not all, federal assistance is in the form of low interest loans to cover expenses not covered by the state or local programs, or private insurance. Loans are available to individuals, businesses, and farmers for repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of damaged and real personal property and some production losses not fully covered by insurance. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) The SSA provides no special benefits during a disaster. However, SSA staff are provided to the Federal Coordinating Officer and Disaster Recovery Centers to process SSA benefit services such as: processing survivor claims, obtaining eligibility evidence for claims processing, resolving problems with lost or destroyed Social Security checks, and redevelopment of lost/destroyed pending claims. ******************************************************************************** To search for books on disasters and disaster mental health topics, children and disasters, schools and disasters, crisis intervention, schools and crises, suicide, PTSD and children, families and disaster and related topics and purchase them online, go to the following url: https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** Contact your local Mental Health Center or check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists, therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in your area for further information. ********************************************************************** George W. Doherty O'Dochartaigh Associates Box 786 Laramie, WY 82073-0786 MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT Online: https://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news
HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS IMPORTANT FOR DISASTER WORK
