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Antidepressants study raises questions
A dozen years ago, rumblings began that antidepressants perhaps really weren't as effective as people thought. A 1998 analysis of 38 manufacturer-sponsored studies found that although antidepressants did help people who were depressed, they offered little more boost than did a placebo. Four years later, another analysis, this time also including unpublished studies sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, suggested antidepressants offered even less of an advantage than the minuscule benefit shown in the previous report. [More]

Integrated services: a multi-disciplinary approach to healthcare
Since 2001, cooperation and collaboration among Rhode Island's insurers, physicians and behavioral health specialists has spawned practices that marry medical and psychological services. The coming year holds significant promise for more co-located and fully integrated practices. [More]

APA president outlines priorities for 2010
Like most assuming a leadership post, Carol D. Goodheart, Ed.D., the relatively new president of the American Psychological Association, has a big agenda. In 2010, she hopes to help devise a useful framework for evaluating psychological service outcomes and to bring awareness to and develop resources for family caregivers. She is testing out a Wiki platform that will help psychologists more easily locate useful resources and even plans to add a few friendly touches to this year's APA convention, including a "bring-the-family" event and collaborative workshops. [More]

Homeless assistance programs are funded again
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) renewed millions in grant funding for homeless assistance programs throughout New England. [More]

Increased data connects food and cognitive behavior
"Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are." [More]

Parent training, medication help curb dangerous behavior
Early parent training on how to best teach and communicate with their child - when combined with medication - may be the key to reducing the destructive behavior that often afflicts children with autism spectrum disorders, according to a multi-site study coordinated by a Yale University professor. Even more promising is the treatment combination's potential as more cost- and time-effective alternative to applied behavior analysis (ABA) or similar psychological treatments. [More]

CPA backs mental health-related legislation
Every year, states across the country focus legislative efforts on health care, safety, children's issues, economic matters and dozens of other concerns. This year in Conn., the state's psychological association is backing a number of legislative proposals relevant to mental health issues. [More]

HealthNet contracts with Beacon Health
Reimbursement could suffer

Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan has contracted with Beacon Health Strategies to administer behavioral health programs for its MassHealth and Commonwealth Care members effective March 1. Beacon is inviting providers to join its network, but some providers are dismayed by the lower reimbursement rates being offered. [More]

Geriatric program meets community need
An inpatient geriatric psychiatry program at Saint Anne's Hospital in Fall River, Mass., launched last Sept. is filling a void in care for older adults in southeastern Mass. facing acute emotional or cognitive problems and highlighting the value of providing specialized, integrated care for these adults. [More]

Q&A: Psychologist/author spotlights hope
Hope - it's one of those words that brings to mind different ideas for different people. There are many definitions of hope - from blind faith to a wish for something better, to a certainty that everything will work out for the best. A strictly human emotion, hope is the ability to see a better future, to see a path out of darkness, and, as such, is key to an individual's survival. [More]