Book Sparks Mental Health Movement

[Guest guest]

http://www.thelundreport.org/resource/book_sparks_mental_health_movement

Book Sparks Mental Health Movement

A group of psychiatrists and

mental health experts kicked off a national effort in

Portland last month to improve the use of mental

health drugs

By:

Rosenfeld

March 15, 2011 – Nikkel said she couldn’t read a book

like Whitaker’s Anatomy

of an Epidemic and not “do something about it,”

she told a crowd at the First Unitarian Church of

Portland last month.

Whitaker – sitting a few feet away onstage – grinned

proudly. His book looks at the outcomes of mental health

patients over the past century, concluding in part that

long-term use of mental health drugs could be making

patients worse.

What Nikkel, the executive director of the Association

of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, along with

Whitaker did about it was help create the Foundation for

Excellence in Mental Health, which plans to raise several

million dollars toward non-biased research into the use of

psychiatric medication.

“The whole thought is to empower our docs and our

psychiatrists to use medication in the manner that it’s

supposed to be used,” Nikkel said. “A lot of the research

we have now is funded by different entities that have a

stake in the outcome of that research. We want to make

sure there is research focused on medications and focused

on recovery and what are the best protocols for recovery.”

The Foundation already has significant funding for a

series of symposium’s beginning with one in Portland last

month that brought together more than 50 psychiatrists and

mental health experts. In October, the Foundation plans a

symposium on child psychiatry in Boston.

Nikkel said the Foundation was inspired by stories of

physicians who say they face pressure from the public for

a “magic pill.” Others have seen that medication isn’t

always the best answer. Meanwhile, doctors are getting

other messages that certain mental health conditions could

require lifelong medication.

In Whitaker’s book, he describes patients that

successfully recovered from mental illnesses by perhaps

using medications periodical while relying on community

support and other therapies.

“In some ways this is not a new way to think about

things,” said Dr. Maggie Bennington-, chief medical

officer of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, who attended

the two-day conference. “In some ways we’re going back to

what community mental health was always meant to be when

first envisioned in the 60s.”

She blames decades of reduced funding that have led

payers to require that doctors invoice for specific

practice codes. Patients end up in certain categories they

may not belong, which can easily lead down the path of

medication, Bennington- said.

“It’s like shopping for a menu. If what you need isn’t

on there, you’re out of luck,” she said.

Cascadia is the largest mental health provider in the

state with most of its services located in and around

Portland. It treats roughly 13,000 people with anything

from therapy to secure residential housing. The

organization itself has weathered perennial reductions in

government funding, pushing the non-profit in recent years

near bankruptcy.

“For Cascadia it’s a reminder that we’re here to help

people to recover by whatever that looks like for each

person,” Bennington- said. “That may or may not

include medication. It certainly doesn’t automatically

require medication.”

The Oregon Psychiatric Association held a two-day

conference in Portland earlier this month around the

strengths and limitations of evidence-based medicine in

terms of various therapies as well as medications, said

McCulley, executive director.

“I don’t think there is ever any question that

psychiatrists want to improve their education and skills

in the area of medications,” McCulley said. “It’s so very

complex and so individually patient determined. There

needs to be continual research in all these areas.”

Dr. Gordon, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Harvard University, told the crowd at the Unitarian Church

last month that the causes of mental illness are still

unknown.

“I have the greatest respect for the profound suffering

that whatever this is that we call mental illness actually

is,” Gordon said. “I do acknowledge that many people have

suffered grievous harm at the hands of psychiatrists, and

my profession has unfortunately greatly compounded the

suffering of many people. We have grossly

under-appreciated the possibility for recovery.”

To Learn More

For more about the first symposium in Portland click

here.

For

related story click here.

[Guest guest]

http://www.thelundreport.org/resource/book_sparks_mental_health_movement

Book Sparks Mental Health Movement

A group of psychiatrists and

mental health experts kicked off a national effort in

Portland last month to improve the use of mental

health drugs

By:

Rosenfeld

March 15, 2011 – Nikkel said she couldn’t read a book

like Whitaker’s Anatomy

of an Epidemic and not “do something about it,”

she told a crowd at the First Unitarian Church of

Portland last month.

Whitaker – sitting a few feet away onstage – grinned

proudly. His book looks at the outcomes of mental health

patients over the past century, concluding in part that

long-term use of mental health drugs could be making

patients worse.

What Nikkel, the executive director of the Association

of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, along with

Whitaker did about it was help create the Foundation for

Excellence in Mental Health, which plans to raise several

million dollars toward non-biased research into the use of

psychiatric medication.

“The whole thought is to empower our docs and our

psychiatrists to use medication in the manner that it’s

supposed to be used,” Nikkel said. “A lot of the research

we have now is funded by different entities that have a

stake in the outcome of that research. We want to make

sure there is research focused on medications and focused

on recovery and what are the best protocols for recovery.”

The Foundation already has significant funding for a

series of symposium’s beginning with one in Portland last

month that brought together more than 50 psychiatrists and

mental health experts. In October, the Foundation plans a

symposium on child psychiatry in Boston.

Nikkel said the Foundation was inspired by stories of

physicians who say they face pressure from the public for

a “magic pill.” Others have seen that medication isn’t

always the best answer. Meanwhile, doctors are getting

other messages that certain mental health conditions could

require lifelong medication.

In Whitaker’s book, he describes patients that

successfully recovered from mental illnesses by perhaps

using medications periodical while relying on community

support and other therapies.

“In some ways this is not a new way to think about

things,” said Dr. Maggie Bennington-, chief medical

officer of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, who attended

the two-day conference. “In some ways we’re going back to

what community mental health was always meant to be when

first envisioned in the 60s.”

She blames decades of reduced funding that have led

payers to require that doctors invoice for specific

practice codes. Patients end up in certain categories they

may not belong, which can easily lead down the path of

medication, Bennington- said.

“It’s like shopping for a menu. If what you need isn’t

on there, you’re out of luck,” she said.

Cascadia is the largest mental health provider in the

state with most of its services located in and around

Portland. It treats roughly 13,000 people with anything

from therapy to secure residential housing. The

organization itself has weathered perennial reductions in

government funding, pushing the non-profit in recent years

near bankruptcy.

“For Cascadia it’s a reminder that we’re here to help

people to recover by whatever that looks like for each

person,” Bennington- said. “That may or may not

include medication. It certainly doesn’t automatically

require medication.”

The Oregon Psychiatric Association held a two-day

conference in Portland earlier this month around the

strengths and limitations of evidence-based medicine in

terms of various therapies as well as medications, said

McCulley, executive director.

“I don’t think there is ever any question that

psychiatrists want to improve their education and skills

in the area of medications,” McCulley said. “It’s so very

complex and so individually patient determined. There

needs to be continual research in all these areas.”

Dr. Gordon, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Harvard University, told the crowd at the Unitarian Church

last month that the causes of mental illness are still

unknown.

“I have the greatest respect for the profound suffering

that whatever this is that we call mental illness actually

is,” Gordon said. “I do acknowledge that many people have

suffered grievous harm at the hands of psychiatrists, and

my profession has unfortunately greatly compounded the

suffering of many people. We have grossly

under-appreciated the possibility for recovery.”

To Learn More

For more about the first symposium in Portland click

here.

For

related story click here.

[Guest guest]

http://www.thelundreport.org/resource/book_sparks_mental_health_movement

Book Sparks Mental Health Movement

A group of psychiatrists and

mental health experts kicked off a national effort in

Portland last month to improve the use of mental

health drugs

By:

Rosenfeld

March 15, 2011 – Nikkel said she couldn’t read a book

like Whitaker’s Anatomy

of an Epidemic and not “do something about it,”

she told a crowd at the First Unitarian Church of

Portland last month.

Whitaker – sitting a few feet away onstage – grinned

proudly. His book looks at the outcomes of mental health

patients over the past century, concluding in part that

long-term use of mental health drugs could be making

patients worse.

What Nikkel, the executive director of the Association

of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, along with

Whitaker did about it was help create the Foundation for

Excellence in Mental Health, which plans to raise several

million dollars toward non-biased research into the use of

psychiatric medication.

“The whole thought is to empower our docs and our

psychiatrists to use medication in the manner that it’s

supposed to be used,” Nikkel said. “A lot of the research

we have now is funded by different entities that have a

stake in the outcome of that research. We want to make

sure there is research focused on medications and focused

on recovery and what are the best protocols for recovery.”

The Foundation already has significant funding for a

series of symposium’s beginning with one in Portland last

month that brought together more than 50 psychiatrists and

mental health experts. In October, the Foundation plans a

symposium on child psychiatry in Boston.

Nikkel said the Foundation was inspired by stories of

physicians who say they face pressure from the public for

a “magic pill.” Others have seen that medication isn’t

always the best answer. Meanwhile, doctors are getting

other messages that certain mental health conditions could

require lifelong medication.

In Whitaker’s book, he describes patients that

successfully recovered from mental illnesses by perhaps

using medications periodical while relying on community

support and other therapies.

“In some ways this is not a new way to think about

things,” said Dr. Maggie Bennington-, chief medical

officer of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, who attended

the two-day conference. “In some ways we’re going back to

what community mental health was always meant to be when

first envisioned in the 60s.”

She blames decades of reduced funding that have led

payers to require that doctors invoice for specific

practice codes. Patients end up in certain categories they

may not belong, which can easily lead down the path of

medication, Bennington- said.

“It’s like shopping for a menu. If what you need isn’t

on there, you’re out of luck,” she said.

Cascadia is the largest mental health provider in the

state with most of its services located in and around

Portland. It treats roughly 13,000 people with anything

from therapy to secure residential housing. The

organization itself has weathered perennial reductions in

government funding, pushing the non-profit in recent years

near bankruptcy.

“For Cascadia it’s a reminder that we’re here to help

people to recover by whatever that looks like for each

person,” Bennington- said. “That may or may not

include medication. It certainly doesn’t automatically

require medication.”

The Oregon Psychiatric Association held a two-day

conference in Portland earlier this month around the

strengths and limitations of evidence-based medicine in

terms of various therapies as well as medications, said

McCulley, executive director.

“I don’t think there is ever any question that

psychiatrists want to improve their education and skills

in the area of medications,” McCulley said. “It’s so very

complex and so individually patient determined. There

needs to be continual research in all these areas.”

Dr. Gordon, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Harvard University, told the crowd at the Unitarian Church

last month that the causes of mental illness are still

unknown.

“I have the greatest respect for the profound suffering

that whatever this is that we call mental illness actually

is,” Gordon said. “I do acknowledge that many people have

suffered grievous harm at the hands of psychiatrists, and

my profession has unfortunately greatly compounded the

suffering of many people. We have grossly

under-appreciated the possibility for recovery.”

To Learn More

For more about the first symposium in Portland click

here.

For

related story click here.

[Guest guest]

http://www.thelundreport.org/resource/book_sparks_mental_health_movement

Book Sparks Mental Health Movement

A group of psychiatrists and

mental health experts kicked off a national effort in

Portland last month to improve the use of mental

health drugs

By:

Rosenfeld

March 15, 2011 – Nikkel said she couldn’t read a book

like Whitaker’s Anatomy

of an Epidemic and not “do something about it,”

she told a crowd at the First Unitarian Church of

Portland last month.

Whitaker – sitting a few feet away onstage – grinned

proudly. His book looks at the outcomes of mental health

patients over the past century, concluding in part that

long-term use of mental health drugs could be making

patients worse.

What Nikkel, the executive director of the Association

of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs, along with

Whitaker did about it was help create the Foundation for

Excellence in Mental Health, which plans to raise several

million dollars toward non-biased research into the use of

psychiatric medication.

“The whole thought is to empower our docs and our

psychiatrists to use medication in the manner that it’s

supposed to be used,” Nikkel said. “A lot of the research

we have now is funded by different entities that have a

stake in the outcome of that research. We want to make

sure there is research focused on medications and focused

on recovery and what are the best protocols for recovery.”

The Foundation already has significant funding for a

series of symposium’s beginning with one in Portland last

month that brought together more than 50 psychiatrists and

mental health experts. In October, the Foundation plans a

symposium on child psychiatry in Boston.

Nikkel said the Foundation was inspired by stories of

physicians who say they face pressure from the public for

a “magic pill.” Others have seen that medication isn’t

always the best answer. Meanwhile, doctors are getting

other messages that certain mental health conditions could

require lifelong medication.

In Whitaker’s book, he describes patients that

successfully recovered from mental illnesses by perhaps

using medications periodical while relying on community

support and other therapies.

“In some ways this is not a new way to think about

things,” said Dr. Maggie Bennington-, chief medical

officer of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, who attended

the two-day conference. “In some ways we’re going back to

what community mental health was always meant to be when

first envisioned in the 60s.”

She blames decades of reduced funding that have led

payers to require that doctors invoice for specific

practice codes. Patients end up in certain categories they

may not belong, which can easily lead down the path of

medication, Bennington- said.

“It’s like shopping for a menu. If what you need isn’t

on there, you’re out of luck,” she said.

Cascadia is the largest mental health provider in the

state with most of its services located in and around

Portland. It treats roughly 13,000 people with anything

from therapy to secure residential housing. The

organization itself has weathered perennial reductions in

government funding, pushing the non-profit in recent years

near bankruptcy.

“For Cascadia it’s a reminder that we’re here to help

people to recover by whatever that looks like for each

person,” Bennington- said. “That may or may not

include medication. It certainly doesn’t automatically

require medication.”

The Oregon Psychiatric Association held a two-day

conference in Portland earlier this month around the

strengths and limitations of evidence-based medicine in

terms of various therapies as well as medications, said

McCulley, executive director.

“I don’t think there is ever any question that

psychiatrists want to improve their education and skills

in the area of medications,” McCulley said. “It’s so very

complex and so individually patient determined. There

needs to be continual research in all these areas.”

Dr. Gordon, assistant professor of psychiatry at

Harvard University, told the crowd at the Unitarian Church

last month that the causes of mental illness are still

unknown.

“I have the greatest respect for the profound suffering

that whatever this is that we call mental illness actually

is,” Gordon said. “I do acknowledge that many people have

suffered grievous harm at the hands of psychiatrists, and

my profession has unfortunately greatly compounded the

suffering of many people. We have grossly

under-appreciated the possibility for recovery.”

To Learn More

For more about the first symposium in Portland click

here.

For

related story click here.