Recovery Michigan

Over half (57%) of the 16-25 year olds who said they were bullied reported that this changed their behaviour and the way they felt, such as feeling angry or withdrawn; and just under half (43%) said they experienced body image anxieties. While a third (34%) avoided school or college as a way of coping with bullying.

Many of the young people polled said the effects of bullying have continued to cast a shadow over their lives after leaving school. Nearly half (46%) said that being bullied has had a long lasting effect on their self-esteem and confidence since leaving school and almost 37% of those bullied said it had had a negative effect on their ability to form personal relationships.

40% of those young people who were bullied said access to a supportive teacher trained in dealing with bullying would have made a difference. Yet, 70% of the 170 teachers surveyed said there was inadequate support for schools working with children with mental health issues and over half would value better training. 57% of teachers said in-school counsellors would help schools better support these vulnerable children.

In a separate survey conducted with the Royal College of General Practitioners, 92% of the 126 family doctors surveyed said they have had no formal training, resources or information to help them support children and young people with symptoms that relate to bullying. They confirmed that bullying has long lasting effects with 92% of GPs having seen adults with symptoms relating to childhood bullying.

According to the brief, many advocates allege that while health plans may appear in compliance with the MHPAEA, plans may use subtle ways to make mental health and substance use treatment less available than treatment for other medical conditions. A National Alliance on Mental Health Illness survey, released this past April, states that 29 percent of patients were denied mental health care based on “medical necessity,” compared to 14 percent of patients denied care for other conditions.

The brief details the ways several states have taken action against insurance plans for violating the states’ mental health parity laws. It also addresses some issues beyond the reach of the MHPAEA, such as why a significant percentage of mental health providers opt not to participate in health plan networks or do not accept insurance at all.

RFF: You’ve been very open about your bipolar disorder. How did that come about?

Andy: It was really helpful to be around people with both obvious and not so obvious disabilities. I had role models who were out. I was in an environment where I felt I had more to gain than to lose by being open. Being open gave me a stronger connection to my client community. Over time, I have been a strong voice for others to come out with mental illness and other non-apparent disabilities.

RFF: What do you say to others who are weighing the consequences about whether to be open?

Andy: I’m definitely an advocate for people coming out at work. I’ve learned that people are generally happier when they don’t have to worry about who knows and who doesn’t know about their diagnosis. When people are out at work they can change attitudes of others and connect with others in a deeper way. This can help both personally and professionally.

The decision is a personal one, and can depend on where you are in your career and the nature of your job and your disability. Some people don’t need an accommodation from day one so don’t feel the need to come out until they have already established themselves as a valuable worker. There are studies that suggest that many employers will weed out people with disabilities, especially mental illness. So some people may be rightfully concerned, particularly early on in their careers when they are just developing a resume.

Another challenge is that many mental health professionals advise against being open.

I realize that my positive experiences may not be easily replicated—not everyone has really strong academic credentials or chooses to work in the disability field—but I still think that in most cases there are more pros than cons to being out with your disability.

At the end of the day, people will be more likely to come out if their work culture encourages it. So there’s much work to be done in creating more inclusive work cultures.

Research was conducted by the Death Penalty Information Center, whose stance is firmly against capital punishment, but whose objective findings have been used by supporters of both viewpoints across the years.

The non-profit organization which disseminates information about the death penalty collected data from American states where around half of the death row inmates are being detained.

As evidenced by the report titled “Battle Scars: Military Veterans and the Death Penalty”, it appears that approximately 300 of the 3,000 people in the United States who are awaiting execution are war veterans.

Also, a large number of them are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after having fought in the Gulf, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Korean wars.

Researchers believe that defense attorneys don’t inform themselves regarding the fact that their clients are military veterans who might actually suffer from PTSD. This lack of preoccupation for such potential extenuating circumstances is also shared by judges, governors, prosecutors and jury panels.

The SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) developed this guide for primary and behavioral healthcare professionals  serving veterans and their families. 

Check our eSolutions article Our Opportunity to Serve Veterans,  which focuses on how integrated care providers can serve veterans and their families, containing a profile of a PBHCI grantee - Centerstone, 5 steps to serving veterans, featured resources, and more!

Also recently announced, the Department of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Departments of Defense and Labor, will be integrating the National Resource Directory (NRD) into eBenefits to improve access to health care, benefits information and more.Veterans will be able to find enhanced self-service capabilities and resources from one site, improving access to information and assistance.

The NRD offers more than 15,000 resources that have met quality assurance criteria to ensure that every program and organization listed is acting in good faith and making a positive difference for wounded warriors, Service members, Veterans, their families members and caregivers. Every resource is checked prior to being listed and re-checked on an annual basis to ensure it is still compliant with the NRD Participation Policy.

For more information, go to https://www.ebenefits.va.gov or call VA’s toll-free number at 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or email the NRD at infonrd.osd@mail.mil.

Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange who develop a condition that is not on the VA’s list of diseases that are presumptively caused by Agent Orange have a difficult time convincing the VA that their condition resulted from Agent Orange exposure. When a Vietnam veteran has a condition that is not recognized as a presumptive condition, the veteran may be able to get the VA to grant a disability compensation claim if the veteran submits (1) a doctor’s statement that the veteran currently suffers from the disease or its residuals, and (2) an opinion from a medical expert stating that it is at least as likely as not that Agent Orange caused the disease or disability.

If a veteran submits the above evidence, the VA is required to weigh and consider the total analysis provided by the medical expert. The expert’s opinion should include discussion on the following topics:

• A discussion on relevant medical studies
• The time between Agent Orange exposure and the onset of the disease
• The veteran’s other risk factors for developing the disease. This would include a discussion of the veteran’s genetic disposition/family history.

However, if the medical expert bases their opinion SOLELY on a finding that there is a statistical correlation between Agent Orange exposure and the disease, the VA can reject their medical opinion.

If a veteran submits medical evidence that shows their disease is related to Agent Orange exposure and that disease is not on the VA’s list of Agent Orange related diseases, then the VA’s duty to assist will probably be triggered. The VA will likely be required to provide the veteran with a medical opinion addressing whether the disease is at least as likely as not related to the veteran’s service. The examiner providing this medical opinion should clearly consider direct service connection and support their conclusion with adequate reasoning. An example of an inadequate opinion would be if the examiner based their opinion solely upon the fact that the disability is not on the list of diseases the VA has presumptively linked to Agent Orange exposure.

Casper is one of an estimated 500 Oakland County residents receiving intensive case management affected by so-called Medicaid spend down — the amount a Medicaid recipient’s monthly income exceeds the program’s allowance for living expenses.

Because of a change in state funding, the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority is no longer able to help patients meet their Medicaid deductible.

Those affected are being transitioned from the public mental health system to community resources through the mental health authority’s partners like Oakland Integrated Healthcare Centers. The federally-funded center addresses the needs of people with or without insurance and the underinsured.

The two departments are currently exploring a partnership that will enable patients to meet their Medicaid deductible.

Those affected by the transition will be losing access to psychiatrists, counseling and therapy, case management and social integration services, among other services.

If you're confused about Murphy's law (H.R. 2646), and wondering why so many advocates with lived experience think it is such a bad idea, here is the basic concept: