New York Times Reports:

Lexapro maker, Forest Labs, accused of fraud by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the The Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice

Dear Fellow Psychologist:

If you treat adolescents for depression and they are also being medicated by a psychiatrist you might want to read this. If you are in a hurry and scan the news sometimes an issue that we psychologists deal with might be in the 'Business' section rather than the 'Science' section of the paper.

A perfect example is in today's New York Times Thursday 2/26/09. This was on the first page of the business section.

"Drug Maker Is Accused of Fraud"

"The Justice Department charged the drug maker Forest Laboratories on Wednesday with defrauding the government of millions of dollars by illegally marketing the popular antidepressants Celexa and Lexapro for unapproved uses in children and teenagers...."

For the full article click on the LINK:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/business/26drug.html?_r=1&ref=business

Read the press release from the Massachussetts United States Attorney's Office:

UNITED STATES FILED COMPLAINT AGAINST FOREST LABORATORIES FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT

Pharmaceutical Company Allegedly Marketed Drugs for Unapproved Pediatric Use and Paid Kickbacks

LINK:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ma/Press%20Office%20-%20Press%20Release%20Files/Feb2009/ForestPR.html


It seems that the following agencies are investigating this:

1) U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts,

2) The Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice,

3) The Federal Bureau of Investigation,

4) The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services,

5) The Office of Criminal Investigations of the Food and Drug Administration

6) The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

This story is also covered in the blog called: Psych Central
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/02/26/lexapro-maker-accused-of-fraud/

Also covered in "Trusted MD" website:
http://trusted.md/feed/items/system/2009/02/25/forest_labs_kickbacks

Lexapro's website:
http://www.lexapro.com/

From Psychology's Media Watchdog:

Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. just opened a brand new psychiatry building. This was planned way before a psychiatry patient died in their psychiatric emergency room.

The E.R. death was seen around the world as the unfortunate woman's neglect was captured on videotape.

The U.S. Department of Justice, in response to a civil rights suite, wrote a 58 page report about other problems that Kings County inpatient psychiatry department is facing. That report is linked below in an earlier posting on this blog. Below is the HHC promotional piece on the new psych building.

There is also a link to the NY-1 TV News story and at the end of the HHC story is a link to the New York Times report on the Justic Department report....."Woof!"

New $153 Million Dollar Psychiatry Building Opened at Brooklyn's Kings County Hospital

Inside the new Kings County Behavioral Health Center

This story is from the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation website.

LINK to Story and HHC website:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/html/newsletter/safety-200902-kings.shtml

LINK to Time Warner Cable's New York-1 Story with video:
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/93472/kings-county-hospital-opens-new-mental-health-facility/Default.aspx

HHC Text:

The opening of a modern $153 million psychiatric center at Kings County Hospital this month marked much more than the long overdue replacement of the antiquated “G” building. The award-winning structure will be a backdrop for comprehensive reforms to improve care and radically change the patient experience for the 12,000 New Yorkers served by the hospital’sbehavioral health program every year.

The reforms, and some of the improvements already in place, were announced February 5th by HHC President Alan Aviles, who was joined by the newly appointed Kings County Hospital Executive Director Antonio Martin and Dr. Joseph Merlino, the newly appointed Director of Behavioral Health Services.

In addition to the new center, the completed first phase of improvements in place at Kings include:

• The addition of more than 200 new doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other staff.
• A reduction of the average length of stay in the ER from 27 hours to 8 hours or less through better coordination with EMS and other components of the mental health system, adequate staffing ratios, more efficient triage, assessment and treatment.
• Priority access to 24 crisis beds at Kingsborough Psychiatric Center (KPC), jointly staffed by Kings County and KPC to further reduce overcrowding.
• Reduced reliance on hospital police to manage patients in crisis with deployment of new, non-uniformed and specially trained personnel who have crisis intervention and security skills.

“The changes represent the most dramatic overhaul of mental health services the program has received in its nearly 70-year history,” said Antonio Martin, who was appointed February 2nd. “We are committed to rebuilding trust and creating a model mental health program that will make this community and this city proud.”

The second phase of the reforms will include changes like the addition of more Peer Counselors to serve as patient navigators and mentors and the creation of a Consumer and Family Advisory Group. A new care coordination model will also be developed to link patients with doctors who can help them manage chronic medical problems that often go untreated among the mentally ill.
Noting that the design and implementation of the sweeping and radical changes have been a year in the making, HHC President Alan Aviles said, “These efforts took on even greater urgency with the tragic and inexcusable neglect and death of Esmin Green. As we relocate psychiatric services into this modern facility, we are turning a page and putting into place a culture of patient-centered care, a culture anchored in compassion, respect and an emphasis on sustainable recovery for patients to help them re-integrate with their community.”

Click here to view complete highlights of the comprehensive program of reforms at the Kings County Behavioral Health Center.

Link to Press Release 2/5/09:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/html/pressroom/press-release-20090205.shtml

Past problems with the psychiatry inpatient units:

New York Times

Feb. 5, 2009

Abuse Is Found at Psychiatric Unit Run by the City
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/nyregion/06kings.html?hp

.....................

5 Questions for Psychologist Dr. Mark Aron:

In Recession, More Need For Counseling But Harder To Afford

Clinical psychologist and marriage counselor Dr.Mark Aron

says the economic downturn has spurred more couples and

individuals to seek counseling, but it has also make it difficult

for some of them to afford it.

(BOB MACDONNELL / HARTFORD COURANT / February 4, 2009)

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-5questions0220.artfeb20,0,4968244.story

A-Rod Steroid Scandal: NYSPA Psychologist Dr.Marilyn Puder-York Quoted‏

There is a lot being written about steroid scandal-scarred baseball great Alex Rodriguez's Tuesday press conference. The news stories are now about his possible lies.

Wednesday's New York Daily News (2/18/09) quotes NYSPA member Marilyn Puder-York.

See story and her quote below.

Body Language Experts Say Alex Rodriguez was Orchestrated

by Corky Siemaszko

DAILY NEWS 2/18/09

LINK to story:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/02/17/2009-02-17_body_language_experts_say_alex_rodriguez.html

Below is Dr.Marilyn Puder-York's Quote:

"Psychologist Marilyn Puder-York, who works with another much-maligned group - Wall Streeters - said Rodriguez had the deck stacked against him before he began speaking.

"People are generally resentful of him because of the money he's paid
and his inability to help get the team to the World Series," Puder-York said.

So what he said doesn't really matter. "It's what he does now to merit the public's respect that matters," she said." # # #

7 Web Sites to Help You Cope with Mental Illness

Here is something you can save and pass on to your professional colleagues, patients, and future patients.

LINK to Full Story:
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/best-sites/7-Sites-to-Help-You-Cope-with-Mental-Illness.html

This is from the site called "finding Dulcinea:Librarian of the Internet."

Sources in this Story

The APA Help Center: A psychologist can help when you can't do it on your own

SAMSHA’s National Mental Health Information Center: Traditional Therapies

Find a Psychologist

National Institute of Mental Health: Medications

International Guide to the World of Mental Health

Mental Health America: Factsheet: Mental Illness and the Family: Is Hospitalization Necessary

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Mental Earth Community

Memories recovered using suggestive therapy techniques often lead to fictitious recollections, according to Scottish psychologist Dr. Elke Geraerts

Link to Press Release:
http://media-newswire.com/release_1086421.html

Memories recovered using suggestive therapy techniques often lead to fictitious recollections, according to scientists.

Psychologist Elke Geraerts of the University of St Andrews (Scotland) has carried out a study of the difference between memories recalled by patients through suggestive therapies, compared with more natural recollections. The results lead to an important distinction between two different types of recovered memories and their underlying cognitive mechanisms.

Click on link for full story.
http://media-newswire.com/release_1086421.html

Dr. Geraerts's website:
http://www.personeel.unimaas.nl/e.geraerts/vita_elke_geraerts.htm

February is "Psychology Awareness Month" in.....Canada‏

Did you know that Canada has designated February as a Psychology Awareness Month?

This will blow your mind.

The various provinces have their own programming.

Here is their main poster:
http://www.psych.on.ca/files/psychmonthposter.pdf

Manitoba's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Healthy Living even has a proclamation:
http://www.mps.mb.ca/Psychology%20Month%2009/assets/proclamation%202009.pdf

Read all about it and go to the various links below.

The CPA (Canadian Psychological Association) website:

About Psychology Month http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyincanada/psychologymonth/aboutpsychologymonth/

Psychology Access Day http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyincanada/psychologymonth/psychologyaccessday/ Your Health:

Psychology Works Fact Sheets
http://www.cpa.ca/publications/yourhealthpsychologyworksfactsheets

Events and Partners http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyincanada/psychologymonth/partnersandevents/

Planning an Event
http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyincanada/psychologymonth/activities/

Canadian Psychological Association - Webpage devoted to Psychology Month:
http://www.cpa.ca/psychologyincanada/psychologymonth/

Press Reports:

Edson Leader, Canada
A month to think: February is Psychology Awareness Month http://www.edsonleader.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1427134

British Columbia Psychological Association
February is Psychology Month
http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/article.html?id=561

Ontario Psychological Association
February 2009 is Psychology Month
http://www.psych.on.ca/index.asp?id1=130

Psychologists’ Association of Alberta
February Declared Psychology Awareness Month
http://www.psychologistsassociation.ab.ca/files/Psychology_Month_Press_release_2009.doc

Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia
Psychology Month ~ February 2009
http://www.apns.ca/PsychologyMonth.html

Kings County Hospital: Department of Justice Report

Below is the link to the January 30, 2009, 58-page Department of Justice (Civil Rights Division) report to Mayor Bloomberg on Kings County Hospital inpatient psych units.

The report deals with problems found at Kings County Hospital psychiatry department.

If you work in a hospital some of their suggestions are helpful and will alert you to various problems.

Some topics are:

• Protection from harm,


• controlling patient assault and aggression


• suicide and self harm


• 1:1 observation


• incident record keeping


• inadequate psychiatric assessments and diagnoses


• inadequate nursing assessments


• inadequate treatment plans


• need to update and diagnoses


• failure to modify treatment plans


• ineffective treatment team process


• inadequate medication management


• inadequate behavioral management services


• restraints


• inappropriate transfers in lieu of treatment


• failure to provide adequate medical and nursing care


• falsification of medical records


• inadequate PI and QA


• unsafe physical environment


• fire safety


• inadequate clinical leadership


• inadequate discharge planning and placement

LINK:
Department of Justice Report on Kings County Hospital (pdf) [58 pages]http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/2009/2009130KCHC.pdf

New York Times article about this report:

New York Times February 6, 2009

Violence and Sexual Abuse Found at City-Run Psychiatric Unit
By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

LINK:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/nyregion/06kings.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

Dr. Kathryn Faughey: A Tribute / Photo Blog‏

A new blog with poetry, dedication by her husband and photos was created to remember Dr. Kathryn Faughey.

The author of the blog is not explicit, but it appears to be by her husband.

Please click below to see the photos and blog: A Tribute to Kathryn
http://faughey.com/

Council Overrides Residency Veto For Union Members

The story and video is from Time Warner cable's NY1 News is about the "residency requirement" for city workers.

Until now most DC-37 city workers had to live in the 5 boroughs and could not live in the suburbs (e.g. any county in Long Island or Westchester), or even another state (e.g. N.J. or CT). Now they can with certain stipulations.

Council Overrides Residency Veto For Union Members

LINK to NY-1 News video and story:
http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=93763

Cutters & Self Injurious Behavior (SIB): Power Point presentation‏

Cutters & Self Injurious Behavior (SIB):

Power Point presentation.

I currently have a group of teen girls on my unit who are cutters.

This PowerPoint presentation was done by psychologist Dr. David Pelcowitz at the The Ninth Annual "Nefesh Israel" Conference. Nefesh is the "International Network of Orthodox Mental health Professionals."

LINK to the Power Point presentation:
http://nefeshisrael.com/downloads/David_Pelcovitz_preconfrnc/cutting_self_injurious_behavior.ppt

(N.Y. Times) Gov't Stimulus Bill to fund research comparing treatments‏

According to the N.Y. Times the Obama stimulus bill will provide over a billion dollars in research funds to compare medical treatments including psychotherapy.

"The stimulus bill will, for the first time, provide substantial financing for the government to compare different treatments for the same illness.....

...Under the legislation, researchers will receive $1.1 billion to compare drugs, medical devices, surgery and other ways of treating specific conditions. The bill creates a council of up to 15 federal employees to coordinate the research and to advise President Obama and Congress on how to spend the money....

...Dr. Elliott S. Fisher of Dartmouth Medical School said the federal effort would help researchers try to answer questions like these:

...What is the best combination of “talk therapy” and prescription drugs to treat mild depression?

Read the story below.

New York Times
U.S. to Compare Medical Treatments
By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — The $787 billion economic stimulus bill approved by Congress will, for the first time, provide substantial amounts of money for the federal government to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for the same illness.....

LINK:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/health/policy/16health.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Welcome to this Blog

This new blog will deal with issues that are interesting and important to psychologists in New York City and New York State.