Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Holistic Mental Health Treatments Gaining Traction, As More Shy Away From Medication
The New York Times: An Alternative Form Of Mental Health Care Gains A Foothold
Some of the voices inside Caroline White’s head have been a lifelong comfort, as protective as a favorite aunt. It was the others — “you’re nothing, they’re out to get you, to kill you” — that led her down a rabbit hole of failed treatments and over a decade of hospitalizations, therapy and medications, all aimed at silencing those internal threats. At a support group here for so-called voice-hearers, however, she tried something radically different. She allowed other members of the group to address the voice, directly: What is it you want? (Carey, 8/8)
In other news about mental health —
The Texas Tribune: Here's Why Texas Students Wait Weeks For Basic Mental Health Services
By the fall of her sophomore year at the University of Houston, Mariellee Aurelio had already thought of several ways to kill herself. ... Her struggle mirrors those of countless college students across the state who are battling depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses but are often forced to wait weeks for a counseling appointment, according to interviews with several university students and counseling center directors. Understaffed counseling centers at Texas universities say they are frustrated by their inability to reach students, but the state doesn't earmark money for mental health services, and lawmakers want to limit tuition hikes. (Pattani, 8/9)
The Hill: Patrick Kennedy: Calling Trump ‘Crazy’ Demeans People With Mental Illness
Former Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy is calling on Americans to stop referring to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump as “crazy” because it demeans the people who suffer from mental illnesses. “Is Donald Trump experiencing a mental illness? That’s the question making the rounds these days,” the mental health advocate wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Post on Monday. (Yilek, 8/8)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Family Sues Over Death At Mental Health Complex
The family of a man who died at Milwaukee County's Mental Health Complex almost four years ago has sued the county and several medical staff, claiming federal civil rights violations the lawsuit says were endemic for years at the troubled complex. Brandon Johnson, 25, died October 6, 2012, after three days at the complex. He had complained of being unable to move his legs and had unsuccessfully sought a transfer to another hospital. (Vielmetti, 8/8)
