Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California Doctors, MEs Banned From Using 'Excited Delirium' Diagnoses
KFF Health News: California Bans Controversial ‘Excited Delirium’ Diagnosis
California is the first state to ban doctors and medical examiners from attributing deaths to the controversial diagnosis known as “excited delirium,” which a human rights activist hailed as a “watershed moment” that could make it harder for police to justify excessive force. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Oct. 8 to prohibit coroners, medical examiners, physicians, or physician assistants from listing excited delirium on a person’s death certificate or in an autopsy report. Law enforcement won’t be allowed to use the term to describe a person’s behavior in any incident report, and testimony that refers to excited delirium won’t be allowed in civil court. The law takes effect in January. (Young, 10/12)
The New York Times: ‘Excited Delirium’: California Bans Term As A Cause Of Death
Michele Heisler, the medical director of Physicians for Human Rights, an advocacy group based in New York, called the signing of the bill a victory for “justice, police accountability, human rights and health.” “This baseless concept can no longer be used in California to absolve law enforcement for deaths in custody, misinform responses to people facing medical and behavioral crises, or block access to legal remedies,” Dr. Heisler said in a statement. (Ives, 10/11)
CBS News: Antioch Man Inspires First In The Nation Law To Ban Term "Excited Delirium" As Cause Of Death
The bill, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gipson, is in honor of Angelo Quinto, 30, who died in December 2020 after Antioch police responded to reports of a mental health emergency. "Angelo Quinto is the reason why I'm in this space. It's because a United States Navy man who had a mental health issue and police were called," Gipson said. "The Antioch police laid on his neck and he died, and they put on the death certificate that he died from excited delirium, which is not correct. It causes us to raise questions." (Sowards, 10/11)
In other mental health news —
Stateline: Insurers Often Shortchange Mental Health Care Coverage, Despite A Federal Law
The federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, enacted in 2008, doesn’t require insurance plans to offer mental health coverage — but if they do, the benefits must be equal with coverage for other health conditions. ... But despite the federal law, many insurers continue to charge higher copayments for mental health care, limit the frequency of mental health treatment, or impose more restrictive prior authorization policies, according to The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that advocates for equal mental health coverage. (Hassanein, 10/11)
Fox News: Here Are The Best And Worst US States For Mental Health, As Revealed In A New Report
Where you live could have a lot to do with how you feel. A recent study from Soliant Health, a health care staffing and research company based in Atlanta, Georgia, has revealed this year’s best and worst U.S. states to live in for mental health. Drawing from national registries and agency data, the report weighed numerous factors that impact people's mental health status across all 50 states. (Stabile, 10/11)
CNN: World Mental Health Day: When Talking About Suicide, Avoid Using These Words
When it comes to reducing stigma around suicide, not treating it as the elephant in the room is helpful, say mental health experts. But it’s not just talking about it that matters, it’s also about what you say and how you say it — which is why some have moved away from saying “committed suicide” and other phrases that can have harmful consequences. (Rogers, 10/10)
If you are in need of help —
Dial 9-8-8 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.
CNN: OCD: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Explained By Experts
When someone likes things just so or always seems to have their home in perfect condition, others may say “he is so OCD.” But OCD — obsessive-compulsive disorder — isn’t a nifty personality trait of people who are organized. The condition is a disorder that can impact a person’s work, relationships and well-being, said Stephanie Woodrow, clinical director of the National Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center in Washington, DC. (Holcombe, 10/11)
Also —
The New York Times: FDA Issues Warning Over Misuse Of Ketamine Therapy
The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert on Tuesday about the dangers of treating psychiatric disorders with compounded versions of ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that has become increasingly popular among those seeking alternative therapies for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other difficult-to-treat mental health problems. Compounded drugs are those that have been modified or tailored in a lab for the specific needs of an individual patient. (Jacobs, 10/11)
