Posted on 06/21/2004 10:19:15 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
President Bush plans to unveil next month a sweeping mental health initiative that recommends screening for every citizen and promotes the use of expensive antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs favored by supporters of the administration.
The New Freedom Initiative, according to a progress report, seeks to integrate mentally ill patients fully into the community by providing "services in the community, rather than institutions," the British Medical Journal reported.
Critics say the plan protects the profits of drug companies at the expense of the public.
The initiative began with Bush's launch in April 2002 of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, which conducted a "comprehensive study of the United States mental health service delivery system."
The panel found that "despite their prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed" and recommended comprehensive mental health screening for "consumers of all ages," including preschool children.
The commission said, "Each year, young children are expelled from preschools and childcare facilities for severely disruptive behaviors and emotional disorders."
Schools, the panel concluded, are in a "key position" to screen the 52 million students and 6 million adults who work at the schools.
The commission recommended that the screening be linked with "treatment and supports," including "state-of-the-art treatments" using "specific medications for specific conditions."
The Texas Medication Algorithm Project, or TMAP, was held up by the panel as a "model" medication treatment plan that "illustrates an evidence-based practice that results in better consumer outcomes."
The TMAP -- started in 1995 as an alliance of individuals from the pharmaceutical industry, the University of Texas and the mental health and corrections systems of Texas -- also was praised by the American Psychiatric Association, which called for increased funding to implement the overall plan.
But the Texas project sparked controversy when a Pennsylvania government employee revealed state officials with influence over the plan had received money and perks from drug companies who stand to gain from it.
Allen Jones, an employee of the Pennsylvania Office of the Inspector General says in his whistleblower report the "political/pharmaceutical alliance" that developed the Texas project, which promotes the use of newer, more expensive antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs, was behind the recommendations of the New Freedom Commission, which were "poised to consolidate the TMAP effort into a comprehensive national policy to treat mental illness with expensive, patented medications of questionable benefit and deadly side effects, and to force private insurers to pick up more of the tab."
Jones points out, according to the British Medical Journal, companies that helped start the Texas project are major contributors to Bush's election funds. Also, some members of the New Freedom Commission have served on advisory boards for these same companies, while others have direct ties to TMAP.
Eli Lilly, manufacturer of olanzapine, one of the drugs recommended in the plan, has multiple ties to the Bush administration, BMJ says. The elder President Bush was a member of Lilly's board of directors and President Bush appointed Lilly's chief executive officer, Sidney Taurel, to the Homeland Security Council.
Of Lilly's $1.6 million in political contributions in 2000, 82 percent went to Bush and the Republican Party.
Another critic, Robert Whitaker, journalist and author of "Mad in America," told the British Medical Journal that while increased screening "may seem defensible," it could also be seen as "fishing for customers."
Exorbitant spending on new drugs "robs from other forms of care such as job training and shelter program," he said.
However, a developer of the Texas project, Dr. Graham Emslie, defends screening.
"There are good data showing that if you identify kids at an earlier age who are aggressive, you can intervene ... and change their trajectory."
Yes, thanks for asking the obvious questions.
I won't disagree with you that this is yet another objectionable program inititative. What I cannot take is world net daily (they don't deserve caps) taking some information and then sensationalizing it to make up with that ludicrous headline because maybe ONE day this MIGHT happen. wnd does this quite often. Every chance I get to call wnd ridiculous, I take.
You want government schools to tell you when they are about to indoctrinate your child? Fat chance. Saber, parents are and should be responsible for their own child's education. I raised a son in the public schools and got tired of watching over what classes I would allow and what not. To remedy this,for the past 10 years, I have home educated my children. No matter where my children have been educated I have accepted total responsiblitly for what they have been exposed to. You were right to do the same for your child and neither one of us should break our arms patting ourselves on the back for doing this. It is our job as parents. We are accountable for them.
The other objection I have is this chicken with his head cut off poster acting like the world is coming to an end because wnd hyped him/her up. Sorry if I don't cut my wrists and end it all now.
Yes, but you hate me. I remember. (*sniff*)
;-D
Uh huh. Sure.
All we can do is hope and pray that there is no cheating on that test. LOL
People just hate obvious questions. I love to ask them.
Really now.
I wonder what He'd do if one of them thar prayin' folk were presently taken up with stuff like calling those they disagree with "insane".
Seems to me to be a pretty reasonable contemporary language counterpart to the phrase "thou fool".
Seems to me like there's a certain Biblical injunction that applies in such matters.
Now, I'm certainly not telling you that you're going to hell. But I will suggest that since you're obviously waving the Bible around to support your speech, you've entered the "by your own words shall you be judged" arena.
But, moving right along...
It's been well over 20 years since I first heard Derek Prince lay that Deuteronomy passage on the country (that is the original source for its current popularity, BTW), and frankly, I must say that things were a LOT better then than they are now.
My conclusion is that God's people have been doing a lot of praying, but damned little humbling of themselves.
Your recent personal attack, accusing me of insanity, because you don't like my message, is offered up in support of this theory of mine.
So keep on prayin' yer l'il hearts out, and keep on watchin' yer nation go down the crapper. Because until something else changes, the outcome is certain, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to plot the trajectory.
Where? Exactly where did I do that?
Sorry...color me skeptical....I don't believe this story.
LOL!! Sorry, but this thread is practically living proof! LOL
That was a joke to you junkies out there.
Just throw a net over the Democrat's convention, the worst kooks in America will be there, especially the one making the acceptance speech.
I know.
I hope a country opens up that's got freedom like I remember America used to. I'll go there.
Ain't no such place.
I've given up on writing software, and software books and magazine articles, and decided to write Science Fiction. Maybe I'll slip a few ideas about liberty into my work, and, ideally, make it sufficiently readable so that it'll reach enough eyes to keep the spark alive.
Who knows? In a couple of generations, maybe things can turn around. You never know.
lol! yes, all too obvious.
Welcome to the future.
Whatever is not prohibited is mandatory.
Laz, you quit picking on Judith Anne now.
Amazing...
Staggering, isn't it.
Now you see what we're up against.
Ever see the remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"?
Remember those little pig-sized beasts that would let out a ghastly squeal whenever then encountered an "unpodded" human?
Filed away under "things that keep you up at night" :)
LOL!
Bingo.
So, who are you voting for, Goofy?
It also seems to prove that a lot of insane people don't want the government to take care of them either.
Which just shows to go that insanity isn't the same thing as stupidity. ; )
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