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Email us at center@mhaofnyc.org with any relevant information, including newspaper articles, websites and contact information, if appropriate. |
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GMHA Calls for More Support for Older Adults in NYS Medicaid Waiver Amendment
GMHA has submitted comments on the NYS 1115 Medicaid Waiver Amendment in which we call for modifications to better reflect the unique needs of older individuals with behavioral health challenges who are on Medicaid. Among our recommendations is the important need to be able to deliver mental health services to older adults in their homes and other community based settings.
The 1115 MRT Waiver, also known as the SuperWaiver, seeks to reinvest $10 billion of federal Medicaid savings over five years from NYS's Medicaid Redesign efforts back into the healthcare system to continue to implement the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) initiatives. The MRT final report serves as a framework for the waiver application and calls for reinvestment of savings into the following areas - primary care expansion, health homes, new care models, vital access and safety net providers, public hospitals and the uninsured, supportive housing expansion, managed long term care preparation, capital stabilization of safety net hospitals, hospital transition, workforce, public health, and regional health planning.
Take Action: It's not too late to submit comments on the MRT waiver reinvestment strategies. We must ensure that older adult mental health is adequately addressed in Medicaid system redesign. There are two ways to submit feedback:
- Complete an online form.
- Complete the MRT Waiver Reinvestment Survey, which will be used to identify and prioritize MRT waiver proposals. It will be important to highly rank the issues most important to improving access to, and quality of, mental health services and supports for older adults.
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IOM Report: Geriatric Mental Health Workforce Not Ready for Elder Boom
A dramatic report from the Institute of Medicine warns that the United States is woefully unprepared to meet the behavioral health needs of the elder boom. According to the report, the magnitude of the problem is so significant that no single approach or a few isolated modifications in federal agencies or programs can adequately address it.
Overcoming the workforce challenge will require strong, coordinated action by all -- government agencies; mental health, health, long-term care, and aging service providers; academics; researchers; advocates, and funders.
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Supreme Court Decision on ACA is a Victory for Elders With Mental Health Needs
The Affordable Care Act, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, will help millions of older adults with behavioral health needs. The ACA will improve physical and mental health coverage, foster system integration, create incentives for home and community based services and more.
For more information, read GMHA's article on what the ACA will do for elders with mental health needs.
For a broader perspective, read Michael Friedman's and Kimberly Williams' Huffington Post article on how the ACA will help people with mental illness of all ages.
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NYC Council Restores Geriatric Mental Health Initiative
Thousands of older adults in NYC will continue to get the mental health help they need thanks to the NYC Council, which restored the Geriatric Mental Health Initiative in the FY 2013 adopted budget.
The Initiative, which was restored at $2 million, provides funding to 25 organizations in all five boroughs to deliver a range of high quality mental health services and supports to older adults and their caregivers in nontraditional settings.
We are grateful to the City Council for their continued support of this Initiative and deeply appreciate Councilmember G. Oliver Koppell, Chair of the Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services Committee for his leadership in championing the Initiative once again this year.
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GMHA DVDs Available Online
GMHA won't be offering best practice lectures until this fall, but you can watch past lectures at your home or office by ordering DVDs online. Recordings of popular lectures on topics such as hoarding, emergency management and more are available from GMHA's website. Learn more.
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Training on Screening Tool for Geriatric Depression
Weill Cornell Medical College is offering online trainings of its PHQ-9 screening instrument for geriatric depression. The training explains how to administer, score and interpret this valuable tool, as well as how to respond if results suggest an older adult is at risk of suicide. Learn more.
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Participants Wanted for Study on Severe Depression
Weill Cornell Medical College is conducting a study on how long-term use of antipsychotic medications affects patients with severe depression. This study is open to older adults. The study will involve the use of FDA-approved drugs, and participants will be paid $30 for outpatient visits and compensated for travel expenses. Click here to learn more, or contact the research team at (212) 746-3979.
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In The News
Heatwave Dangerous for Older Adults With Mental Health Problems
It's common knowledge that hot weather can be dangerous for older adults, but new research suggests older adults with mental health problems need to be especially careful. The study found that people with dementia, psychosis and substance abuse problems are more likely to die when the weather gets hot. Read more in Psychiatric News and check out New York Presbyterian Hospital's advice for beating the heat.
Nearly Every American Nursing Home Fails to Meet Standards for Antipsychotic Use
A shocking federal report states that virtually every nursing home it studied--99.5%--fails to meet the government's standards for psychiatric use. Read more in McKnight's.
Good News, Bad News on Geriatric Mental Health
The Elder Boom is going to put an incredible strain on America's service delivery system, but it isn't all bad news. New treatment options are doing wonders for older adults with mental health problems, and the current generation of elders is happier, more productive and more functional than earlier generations. Read more in Psychiatric News.
Is Alzheimer's Over-Diagnosed?
Early results from an ongoing federal study suggest that clinicians who diagnose patients with Alzheimer's might be wrong in one out of every three cases. Read more in the News-Press.
Researchers Make Progress on Rare Dementia That Can Turn Spouses Into Strangers
It's rarer than Alzheimer's and much less understood, but a disorder called frontotemporal dementia can be even more devastating because it causes silence, apathy and bizarre personality changes without leading to tell-tale memory lapses. Researchers are just beginning to understand the disorder. Read more in the New York Times.
Longer Lifespans Strain Aging Caregivers
With the increase in life expectancies, many Americans are finding themselves in a strange position-- caring for their aging parents while planning their own retirements. It takes good communication and careful planning to manage this difficult juggling act. Read more in the Boston Globe.
Study Recommends Separate Mental Health Units for Older Adults
Treating older adults with acute mental health problems in specialized units could reduce national healthcare costs by $6 billion without cutting services, according to a new study. Read the article in Healthcare Finance News.
Does Schizophrenia Make People Age Faster?
Researchers have long suspected that young people with schizophrenia often suffer from health problems normally associated with older adults. Now scientists are studying the connection between aging and the devastating disorder, which reduces life expectancies by an average of 20-25 years. Learn more.
Many Older Adults Reluctant to Consider Medical Marijuana
More than a dozen states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but many older adults are reluctant to consider treating physical and mental health problems with pot. Some advocates are trying to change that. Read more in the Wall Street Journal.
The Power of Music
An online video shows an unresponsive 94-year-old man with dementia who's given an iPod loaded with hymns-and immediately becomes talkative and animated. It's amazing evidence for the power of music. Watch the video online.
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