Anyway…

First, let’s take a look back at some of the things that have gone on here at Mental Health Notes this week. We kicked off the stress-busting Goin’ to the Chapel series with Molly McDonald (which wraps up later today), learned how Harry Potter saved J.K. Rowling’s sanity, took a really brief peek into possible new French legislation regarding eating disorders, and pondered the University of Virginia’s new policy on students with mental illness. Oh, and of course, I’m still accepting applications for This Is Why I ROCK!

Next, let’s get up to speed with what’s going on with advocacy groups. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) April newsletter is online with information about postpartum depression legislation and about about peer services and training, as well as discounts on the DBSA 2008 National Conference. The UIC National Research and Training Center and the NAMI STAR Center are conducting the cultural competence survey regarding consumer-run mental health programs. And, in honor of Mental Health Month (it’s in May – just around the corner!), Mental Health America has developed the Get Connected theme.

Now, let’s acknowledge some scientific-, research-, and government-related mental health news. Last week, the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation (H.R. 5613) to block proposed federal Medicaid regulations, including limits on rehabilitation services for people with mental health problems. Small businesses and the insurance industry haven’t succeeded in beating back mental health parity in Arizona this time around. New research suggests anxious or depressed children are more likely to grow up and work occupations that cause anxiety and depression.

And, finally, what’s going on in the rest of b5media’s Science & Health Channel? Angelique weighs in on the French bill to stop media promotion of “extreme thinness” over at Breaking the Mirror. Ruth at Eating Fabulous tells us about the cognitive and motor development benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for babies. Mary Emma Allen honors Charlton Heston’s Alzheimer’s battle and nods to her co-blogger Liz Lewis’s tribute, as well as Jean Murray’s thoughts on the matter.

That’s all for this week! If you have any Saturday Sanity-worthy news, send it my way and I’ll get it in next week’s edition!

Image credits and sources here, here, here, and here.

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Upgrade Your Brain

When I was in college, I was married. My university mailed every bit of information that pertained to my grades, my financial aid and bills, and my courses directly to me. Nothing passed “Go,” i.e. my parents, and no one collected $200.

Well, the school did. A lot more than $200, too. But that’s neither here nor there.

Once my younger sister – who didn’t run off and elope at 18 – started college she, too, received everything pertaining to her grades and courses; my parents, however, received the bills.

When traditional-aged college students apply for college, the schools and financial aid programs often use the parents’ financial information to determine how much financial aid the student receives.

My marriage didn’t last, but one of the few good things that did come of it was that, because I was married, my university and FAFSA looked at my and my husband’s income – not my parents’ income. The result? I got more financial help.

My sister’s financial aid, on the other hand, was based on my parents’ income. Ah, the joys of not giving in to youthful ignorance, or mania – whichever caused my decision to get married.

*cough*

Anyway, my father has often wondered aloud why colleges are so quick to use the parents’ income to determine how much money a student gets (”They’re your children!” they say), yet they refuse to share the student’s grades and other information with the parents (”They’re adults!” they say).

Such were the thoughts that surfaced in my mind when I heard about the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors recent and unanimously approved policy to “notify student’s parents if their child has mental illness and is deemed a danger to himself or others” (UVa to warn of mental illness signs). I don’t see how this comes as such newsworthy information, given that the article also reminds us “[a]ll public colleges and universities in Virginia are required to approve such a parental notification policy, as per legislation unanimously passed by the General Assembly earlier this year and signed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine in March.”

I have several opinions and thoughts about this policy. I commend the University’s effort to protect all students, especially in light of college- and mental health-related tragedies such as the Seung Hui Cho shooting. At the same time, I wonder how the students – who are 18 years old and older, i.e. adults – are going to feel about having their personal health information revealed – even if it is to their parents.

Sure, the policy states that the University won’t contact parents in the event that such contact could cause the student to harm himself or others, but that in itself poses a whole host of other problems.

When it comes to potential suicide and/or murder, I’m all for an intervention. To me, potential suicide and/or murder are the confidentiality deal breakers. Period. Still, I can’t help but to pause and wonder how the students are going to feel about such personal health information being revealed.

*sigh*

I do hope this works out for the best.

What are your thoughts on it?

The above image is owned by JoshBerglund19 and is being used according to these Creative Commons attributions.

Are you living with a mental illness and still kicking tail? Be sure to check out This Is Why I ROCK! and find out how you can tell the world about it!

Post from: Blisstree

University of Virginia: Higher Education Meets Lower Health Privacy