All Americans to be screened for mental illness

[Mizmoon]

Bush launches controversial mental health plan
Jeanne Lenzer
New York

President Bush announced on 26 July that his administration has begun implementing the recommendations of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health to "improve mental health services and support for people of all ages with mental illness" through comprehensive screening.

The plan states that schools are in a "key position" to screen the "52 million students and six million adults who work at the schools" and includes recommendations for screening preschool children (19 June, p 1458).

Mr Bush's announcement comes after new reports showing that increasing numbers of toddlers and children are being prescribed amphetamines, anti-depressants, and antipsychotic drugs. Concern that widespread screening will only increase the number of young people taking drugs has triggered criticism of the plan.

Dr Daniel Fisher, one of the 22 commissioners responsible for writing the final report for the president, said that widespread screening—at a time when medical education was "geared to the biomedical model and teachers want to get kids fixed"—could result in greater numbers of children being given "a label, a diagnosis, and a medication."

"What troubles me a little bit," said Dr Fisher, "is that mental health will continue to be used as a substitute for addressing the social, cultural, and economic needs of children."

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/329/7462/367-a

[Vickers]

1. Ahhh, so *this* is why Jenna Bush gave up that teaching job...

*stroking chin thoughtfully*

It all begins to make sense...

[fdr_hst_fan]

2. Hmmm,,,sounds like SMIRK is deviating

from his Nazi base into a more Stalinist mode, i.e. declare your opponents insane and confine them indefinitely to a Mental Asylum!

:wtf: :mad: :puke:

[Mizmoon]

4. Here's more from another article

Bush plans to screen whole US population for mental illness
Jeanne Lenzer
New York

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."

Dr Darrel Regier, director of research at the American Psychiatric Association (APA), lauded the president's initiative and the Texas project model saying, "What's nice about TMAP is that this is a logical plan based on efficacy data from clinical trials."

He said the association has called for increased funding for implementation of the overall plan.

But the Texas project, which promotes the use of newer, more expensive antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs, sparked off controversy when Allen Jones, an employee of the Pennsylvania Office of the Inspector General, revealed that key officials with influence over the medication plan in his state received money and perks from drug companies with a stake in the medication algorithm (15 May, p1153). He was sacked this week for speaking to the BMJ and the New York Times.

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

[rucky]

17. They're taking the best stuff from all the dictators

and who says they haven't learned from history?

[coloradodem2005]

3. Can he test himself for mental illness?

n/t

[tom_paine]

5. My God, the final Sovietization hs begun!

Just as Kanary correctly predicted, it would first be used on System Captives in the Schools.

Before long, it will be ALL of us!

But they'd better bring a pretty goddamned BIG STICK to get me to submit to the Communist busllshit!

Free-market Stalinist Bushevik FUCKS!

Live Free or Die!

[Mizmoon]

6. Did you know about the time-release medications?

Now they can, against your will via court order, implant time release neuroleptic medication under your skin.

Washington Post_

Implants May Reshape Schizophrenia Treatment

New Techniques Raise Fears of Coercion

By Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post Staff Writer

Saturday, November 16, 2002; Page A01

Powerful new implants and injections could soon revolutionize the treatment of schizophrenia and address the perennial concern of doctors and families that patients who stop taking their medicines may relapse into psychotic behavior.

The new techniques could deliver medicine for weeks or even months at a time. Proponents say such treatments, now in varying stages of development, could eliminate problems with patient compliance if they become widely prescribed.

The new techniques are collectively known as "long-acting" medicines because they involve injections that last for long periods and implants that release drugs slowly. The treatments will not cure schizophrenia, but doctors say they can help patients control their illness, with its delusional or disordered thinking and hallucinations, because they won't have to remember to take their medicine nearly as often.

Some advocates for the mentally ill are worried that new approaches could lead to coercive treatment. Proponents say the new technologies can increase patient choice while lowering the risk of side effects.

"Because it's a mental illness, there is much more fear of coercion," said John M. Kane, chairman of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y. "But I think that may not take into consideration the nature of these diseases and how devastating they can be and how critical it is to prevent relapses and rehospitalization."

http://www.mindfreedom.org/mindfreedom/post_f.shtml

[tom_paine]

9. No, I hadn't. Horrific

Damned near everything is set up for Totalitarianism.

One more LIHOP and they have it...

Get ready, here it comes.

[the Kelly Gang]

7. they should start at the very top then..the White House

[Doctor Smith]

8. "Have you ever had evil thoughts about the president?"

[Generic Other]

10. Test Bush for starters

And publish the results. Americans deserve to have psychological profiles of their leaders. We should know if they are mentally fit for office, or psychotic sociopaths who should be committed.

Save us a lot of time, money and grief in the long run.

Also, what the hell is Bush going to do with the info he collects? Provide treatment? Ha! I may be crazy but not stupid.

[Ilsa]

11. You know, there are plenty of people (kids also) who are poor and

have been diagnosed and they can't get their expensive meds. Why don't we help them first before we go looking for kids to drug?

[OneBlueSky]

12. previous treads discussing this issue . . .

important that we keep these discussions going, since this would represent a major step on the road to fascism . . . how long before they classify the homeless, the learning disabled, gays and lesbians, even liberals as "mentally ill?" . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1813285

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2185460

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2209463#2209833

[Deja Q]

14. I made one too. So did others.

It needs to be kept alive and for once I don't care if 40,000 DUers made the same post.

What is happening is NOT being done in the cause of altruism.

[Deja Q]

13. Isn't government supposed to stay out of our private lives?

How does health screening merge with 'freedom'? And mental health at that? The words used are highly suspicious, when coming from * anyway.

If Clinton wanted this done, the repukes would hang him by his testicles.

I'm already PAYING for mental health care, partly because of Bonzo-the-Clown*'s lunacy.

And Dr Fisher is right. This screening bull plop of a royal sham is a petty substitute for changing the underlying problem - which is the one thing the US will not do because it involves how we do business. With the world and ourselves.

[Chovexani]

15. Are you now or have you ever been a liberal?

:eyes:

[Maddy McCall]

16. The day any politician attempts to worm his way into my son's brain...

is the day I jerk my son out of public school and begin home schooling.

[Swamp Rat]

18. Bush doesn't give a shit if these drugs harm Americans

"We don't know if these drugs are helpful in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder," said Dr Cooper. Although the atypical antipsychotics reportedly cause fewer dyskinaesias than the older antipsychotic drugs, they are associated with serious problems, including weight gain (one study showed that 11% of children taking the drugs gained 10% of their body weight in six months), diabetes, fatal ketoacidosis, and potentially lethal cardiac dysrhythmias. "You're just trading one set of side effects for another," said Dr Cooper. "We don't know if the benefits of these drugs outweigh their risks."

Why doesn't Bush give a shit about Americans? Because he is a NAZI!

[Shallah Kali]

19. I will consider it only if they start with him and rest if the GOP

They want to drug everyone into submission :puke:

[ParanoidPat]

20. Why Sir you would have to be CRAZY to pass up a FREE mental health......

....screening! :crazy:

So, having been judged to be both anti-social in your behavior and clinically insane for refusing this generous social program, the new regulations require that you be taken into custody, held at a "mental health rehabilitation center" and drugged until such time that your attitude improves. :(

Remember our motto, GET WITH THE PROGRAM! IT'S THE LAW! :evilgrin:

[autorank]

23. Theater of the Absurd

First, we lack the qualified personnel to conduct such screenings.
Second, the 'false positive' rate, even with qualified personnel would be unacceptable.
Third, even if we could do this and do it right, we DO NOT have the resources to treat those in need.

These guys are smoking crack!!!

[kayell]

21. "a gramme is better than a damn"

Is there ANY distopian novel he hasn't stolen bits of for his brave new repuke world?

[Mizmoon]

22. kick

[drdigi420]

24. Being a Republican is a sign of mental illness