MUST READ: plans to screen whole US population for mental illness . . .

[OneBlueSky]

I think I just fell down the rabbit hole . . . screen the whole population, and decide who should be drugged with Eli Lily's (BIG Bush contributor) latest concoctions . . . arrrggghhh! . . .

Bush plans to screen whole US population for mental illness
by Jeanne Lenzer
www.bmj.com (British Medical Journal)

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7454/1458

A sweeping mental health initiative will be unveiled by President George W Bush in July. The plan promises to integrate mentally ill patients fully into the community by providing "services in the community, rather than institutions," according to a March 2004 progress report entitled New Freedom Initiative (www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom/toc-2004.html). While some praise the plan's goals, others say it protects the profits of drug companies at the expense of the public.

Bush established the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in April 2002 to conduct a "comprehensive study of the United States mental health service delivery system." The commission issued its recommendations in July 2003. Bush instructed more than 25 federal agencies to develop an implementation plan based on those recommendations.

The president's commission found that "despite their prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed" and recommended comprehensive mental health screening for "consumers of all ages," including preschool children. According to the commission, "Each year, young children are expelled from preschools and childcare facilities for severely disruptive behaviours and emotional disorders." Schools, wrote the commission, are in a "key position" to screen the 52 million students and 6 million adults who work at the schools.

The commission also recommended "Linkage with treatment and supports" including "state-of-the-art treatments" using "specific medications for specific conditions." The commission commended the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP) as a "model" medication treatment plan that "illustrates an evidence-based practice that results in better consumer outcomes."

- more . . .

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7454/1458

[kerry-is-my-prez]

1. Next step: label all dissenters "insane" and herd them into institutions

ala the U.S.S.R. They'll all receive shock therapy and be "re-educated." John Ashcroft will lead the effort...

(Said only HALF-kiddingly)

[MallRat]

2. Hmmm... now where have I heard this before?

I don't like where this is heading. Nationwide screening effectively leads to registration of the mentally ill.

Once you create that information, it makes it more likely to abuse it. For example...


Mentally and Physically Handicapped: Victims of the Nazi Era

Soon after Hitler took power, the Nazis formulated policy based on their vision of a biologically "pure" population, to create an "Aryan master race." The "Law for the prevention of Progeny with Hereditary Diseases," proclaimed July 14, 1933, forced the sterilization of all persons who suffered from diseases considered hereditary, such as mental illness (schizophrenia and manic depression), retardation ("congenital feeble-mindedness"), physical deformity, epilepsy, blindness, deafness, and severe alcoholism.

http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/index.php?content=/education/resource/handic/handicapped.php%3fmenu=/export/home/www/doc_root/education/foreducators/include/menu.txt%26bgcolor=CD9544

[sffreeways]

3. That's a lot of prozac $$$$$$$

George Bush, after stepping aside as Director of Central Intelligence in 1977, was made director of the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company by the father and family of US Vice-president Dan Quayle, who owned the controlling interest in the company. The Bush family have also been major shareholders in other pharmaceutical companies, including Abbott, Bristol and Pfizer (whom they are thought to still hold shares in).

[MAlibdem]

4. Sounds ok to me...

Mental health care providers need the same recognition as physical health care providers, imo