Log in

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE OF CHICAGO

  • 16 Dec 2024 5:07 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    In the past few years, state and local governments across the U.S. have begun spending billions in opioid settlements paid by companies accused of fueling the overdose crisis. But where is that money going, who is getting it, and is it doing any good? [KFF Health News}

    KFF Health News, partnering with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Shatterproof, a national nonprofit focused on addiction, undertook a yearlong investigation to find out.

    Dozens of interviews, thousands of pages of documents, an array of public records requests, and outreach to all 50 states resulted in a first-of-its kind database that catalogs more than 7,000 ways opioid settlement cash was used in 2022 and 2023. It’s the most comprehensive resource to date tracking some of the largest public health settlements in American history.

    Among the findings:

    • States and localities received more than $6 billion in opioid settlement funds in 2022 and 2023. According to public records, they spent or committed about a third of that amount and set aside about another third for future use. The final third was untrackable, as many jurisdictions did not produce public reports on the funds.
    • Reports of spending tracked the minuscule to the monumental, from $11.74 to buy postage in Yavapai County, Arizona, to more than $51 million to increase the addiction treatment workforce in California.

    More>

    ###

  • 13 Dec 2024 11:29 AM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    — The benefits outweigh the risks | Despite water fluoridation being widely regarded as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for HHS secretary, is pushing to remove fluoride from drinking water. [MedPage Today]

    Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, MD (R), is now echoing RFK Jr.'s concerns and advising Florida communities against adding fluoride to public water systems. He is calling it "public health malpractice." Meanwhile, other states and communities have initiated conversations about whether they should still mandate the practice.

    More>

    ###

  • 13 Dec 2024 11:02 AM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    RFK Jr. Adviser Sought To Have FDA Retract Approval Of Polio Vaccine

    Aaron Siri, a lawyer who is helping to vet candidates for top health positions, has a history of challenging vaccine policies in courts. Candidates to fill roles in the incoming administration are specifically asked about their vaccine views, sources say. [KFF Health News and NYTimes]

    The New York Times: RFK Jr.’s Lawyer Has Asked The FDA To Revoke Polio Vaccine Approval The lawyer helping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pick federal health officials for the incoming Trump administration has petitioned the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine, which for decades has protected millions of people from a virus that can cause paralysis or death. That campaign is just one front in the war that the lawyer, Aaron Siri, is waging against vaccines of all kinds. (Jewett and Stolberg, 12/13)

    More> 

    ###

  • 12 Dec 2024 1:40 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Hospitals and health systems invested in new inpatient and outpatient behavioral health projects in 2024, and new substance use treatment and other clinics opened across the U.S. [Health News Illinois]

    Here are 55 notable behavioral health openings this year: 

     

    1. Lighthouse Behavioral Wellness Centers opened a children's urgent recovery center in Durant, Okla., CBS affiliate KXII reported.

    2. Inova Fairfax (Va.) Hospital opened a new behavioral health emergency department. The unit is the first EmPATH, or Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing unit in Northern Virginia.

    3. Nonprofit organization Sweester opened a walk-in mental health clinic in Lewiston, Maine, Fox affiliate WGME reported.

    4. Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center in Columbia, Md., opened an expanded behavioral health unit, CBS affiliate WJZ News reported. The new unit grows the center's behavioral health capacity from six patients to 24.

    5. UofL Health opened a renovated medical behavioral unit at UofL Health - Mary & Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, Ky., Fox affiliate WDRB reported. The $6.6 million unit has 33 beds.

    6. Santa Fe Recovery Center opened a new crisis center in Gallup, N.M, NBC affiliate KOB reported.

    7. Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services opened a newly renovated clinic in Zeeland, Mich., MLive reported. The clinic began accepting patients in late September.

    8. Monmouth Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., opened a remodeled outpatient crisis center.  The hospital is part of Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health. 

    9. Winchester (Va.) Medical Center opened a new psychiatric emergency unit, ABC affiliate WHSV reported.

    10. A new mental health urgent care center opened in  Burlington, Vt., NPR affiliate Vermont Public reported. The walk-in center is a collaboration between University of Vermont Medical Center and several community organizations.

    11. Cleveland-based MetroHealth opened a psychiatric emergency department. The unit can accommodate 13 patients.

    12. Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, S.C., opened a new emergency psychiatric assessment unit.The unit will use the EmPATH  — Emergency Psychiatric Assessment Treatment and Healing model — according to a news release.

    13. Children's Nebraska opened a new behavioral health urgent care center in Kearney, Neb. The center will serve children and adolescents up to age 22.

    14. Ada S. McKinley Community Services opened a mental health clinic inside Insight Hospital in Chicago. 

    15. Oconomowoc, Wis.-based Rogers Behavioral Health opened a new clinic in Manitowoc, Wis. The center provides partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs.

    16. Huntsville, Ala.-based Wellstone opened a 24-bed emergency pediatric mental health unit, according to a Sept. 23 news release. The facility is the first pediatric crisis unit in Alabama.

    17. Morrisville, N.Y.-based Behavioral Health Services North opened a new residential crisis center in Plattsburgh, N.Y., CBS affiliate WCAX reported Sept. 17.

    18. Trillium Place Young Minds Center opened in West Peoria, Ill. this fall, NPR affiliate WCBU reported. The 44-bed inpatient unit is affiliated with Urbana, Ill.-based Carle Health. The project cost $30 million, according to WCBU.

    19. St. Louis-based SSM Health opened a behavioral health urgent care center in the heart of the city. The new site is the system's second behavioral health urgent care.

    20. Northwell Health opened a mental health wellness center in partnership with First Baptist Church in Queens, N.Y., QNS reported Sept. 10. The center offers free counseling sessions by appointment.

    21. Redding, Calif.-based North American Mental Health Services opened a new clinic in downtown Red Bluff, Calif., NBC affiliate Action News Now reported. 

    22. The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler-based UT Health East Texas and Plano, Texas-based Oceans Healthcare partnered to expand behavioral health services in the eastern part of the state by opening a new facility and expanding an existing clinic.

    23. 7. Newport (N.J.) Mental Health opened an expanded facility in the city, the Newport Daily News reported.

    24. 8. The Milwaukee VA opened a multispecialty clinic offering mental healthcare in Oconomowoc, Wis., CBS affiliate WDJT reported.

    25.  St Joseph's Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center unveiled an outpatient clinic in Malone, N.Y., NBC affiliate WPTZ reported.

    26. Kolmac Integrated Behavioral Health opened three new facilities in Dover, Del., Hagerstown, Md., and Cumberland, Md.

    27. Neenah, Wis.-based ThedaCare opened a new behavioral health clinic in Waupaca, Wis.

    28. Brentwood, Tenn.-based Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare opened a new outpatient treatment facility in Troy, Mich.

    29. Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., opened a walk-in pediatric urgent care center to treat behavioral health concerns.

    30.  Baptist Health La Grange opened an 11-bed inpatient behavioral health unit in La Grange, Ky.

    31. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson intends to reopen the Roseland Mental Health Center and open two new mental health service sites on the city's West Side by the end of 2025.

    32.  Ohio opened a new 208-bed, state-run behavioral health hospital in Columbus.

    33. Gesinger relocated its outpatient mental health services from its main hospital campus to a dedicated outpatient center in its Hughes Center South building in Danville, Pa.

    34. University of Washington Medicine opened a 150-bed, $244 million behavioral health facility in Seattle on its UW Medical Center - Northwest campus.

    35.  UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill., added 15 inpatient beds to its behavioral health unit to better meet a growing need for mental health services

    More>

    ###

  • 11 Dec 2024 11:18 AM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on the potential of psilocybin, also known as “magic mushrooms,” as a mental health treatment. [Health News Illinois]

    Jean Lacy, founding executive director of the Illinois Psychedelic Society, said psilocybin could help address a rise in suicides, especially among veterans and postpartum women. 

    Waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration could prevent thousands from accessing the treatment, she said.

    “We seek to be a responsible leader in the state with psychedelics,” she told members of the House’s Mental Health & Addiction Committee.

    Lacy said patients are already seeking these treatments on the black market, and a state-regulated structure could protect them.

    Dr. Abid Nazeer, chief medical officer and medical director for Hopemark Health, is among the psychiatrists advocating for psilocybin. While still labeled as a Schedule I drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration, there’s no reason to think it's more dangerous than prescribed medications like opioids or Xanax, he said. 

    Dr. Christopher Holden, representing the Illinois Psychiatric Society, urged lawmakers to allow the FDA and the “broader medical community to have hard evidence on efficacy and develop standards of care,” which include dosing, prescribing and treatment protocols.

    While research continues on psilocybin and its potential effects, there are proven medications and treatment plans that are underutilized to treat patients, he said. 

    "I'm hopeful about potential for new treatments that can help with mental health, (but) worry of clinics or companies that offer psychedelics that are not FDA-approved, especially without a psychiatrist involved, without more research," he said.

    Holden agreed with advocates that psilocybin has shown little addictive potential.

    Lawmakers held a subject matter hearing on two pieces of legislation that could pave the way for the use of psilocybin for patients with mental health challenges.

    Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, said her plan would create an advisory board to recommend best practices for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to regulate licenses. Psilocybin would not be for commercial sale, and patients would only be able to use it in a facility with a licensed individual who provides the treatment and supports them during the experience.

    Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and sponsor of a similar House bill, said they will look to pass one unified piece of legislation. They plan to either move the bill during next month’s lame-duck session or in the upcoming spring session.

    Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, noted that psilocybin is still labeled as an illegal substance and that individuals may not have the necessary training to administer it to patients. 

    “I want this to work, but in medicine, we cannot have a motion to rule over evidence,” he said. “I just urge the committee to see the potential, and then go through the process.” 

    The FDA has granted psilocybin “breakthrough therapy” status for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder.

    Oregon and Colorado have legalized psilocybin for supervised use.

    Tuesday’s hearing was the second held this year by lawmakers on psilocybin as a potential treatment for mental health.

    ###


  • 10 Dec 2024 3:25 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Chicago’s pilot program to send emergency responders to people experiencing a mental health crisis has shown “promising” results, though some interagency challenges must be addressed to improve outcomes, according to a report published last week by the University of Chicago. [Health News Illinois]

    Specifically, participants reported that their distress level dropped by an average of 19 percent after interacting with clinicians. 

    About 40 percent of the people served by response teams presented symptoms of schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and substance use disorder. Over 30 percent presented symptoms of self-harm or the use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs.

    Teams responded to more than 1,300 events during the two-year pilot period, serving 673 individuals. The number of calls that teams successfully responded to increased by 37 percent over the pilot period.

    Teams operate Monday through Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

    However, challenges remain as far as coordination among the various city agencies, specifically as it relates to data collection. The report noted the importance of agency collaboration to create new policies and procedures to ensure the program runs efficiently.

    “We hope that our findings provide practical insights for Chicago, and for other communities across America that seek to improve mental health crisis response,” Harold Pollack, the co-director of the University of Chicago Health Lab, said in a statement.

    The pilot was a partnership between the Chicago Mayor’s Office, the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication, the Chicago Fire Department and the Chicago Police Department. The agencies worked together to test three healthcare-based alternate response team models.

    Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood said the report is a “critical validator as we work to expand (the program) and permanently solidify it as part of our first responder ecosystem.” 

    “(The program) is critical to fulfilling Mayor (Brandon) Johnson’s vision for a robust continuum of care and ensuring that all Chicagoans experiencing behavioral health crises receive a behavioral health response,” Gatewood said.

    The city announced this fall that the staffing model for the program will transition entirely to public health employees.

    Look for more information on IOMC's Behavioral Health webinar on Jan. 28th, 2025 at Noon CT. 

    ###


  • 9 Dec 2024 3:20 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Though US flu activity is still low, markers such as test positivity and emergency department (ED) visits show more rises, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest weekly update. [KFF Health News and Univ. of Minnesota] 

    In its monitoring of outpatient visits for flulike illness, Louisiana and the District of Columbia are at the high and very high level, respectively, with Georgia and Arizona at the lower tier of the high level. Most detections are influenza A, and subtyping last week at public health labs shows nearly 62% of influenza A viruses were H3N2 and 36% were 2009 H1N1. Nationally, outpatient visits are highest in the youngest children, followed by patients ages 5 to 24 years old.

    No pediatric flu deaths were reported this week, keeping the season’s total at two.

    More>

    ###

  • 6 Dec 2024 5:07 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Potential Medicaid cuts and further restrictions on abortion care under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration could challenge efforts to address the national maternal health crisis, Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, said Wednesday. [Health News Illinois]

    Kelly said during an Axios event focused on maternal health that lawmakers are waiting to see specific policy recommendations, but noted the Project 2025 document written by former Trump staffers called for rolling back Medicaid funding.

    She said that could hamper efforts to expand maternal care services, not only for Black and Brown women in urban areas, but those in rural communities where there may be one obstetrician to serve tens of thousands of residents.

    “If you're talking about rolling back and not having the support that is necessary, that's a problem,” Kelly said. “That's why we have the legislation to try to give more resources, more access to women that live in those areas.”

    The other concern is states that have banned or severely restricted abortion care, Kelly said. She noted that some women in those states who have had troubled pregnancies can face barriers to care.

    However, Kelly said there is hope lawmakers can reach across the aisle on some issues. As co-chair of the bipartisan Maternal Health Caucus, she said her Republican colleagues have “concerns about women being able to have babies in a safe manner.”

    She also highlighted her work to bolster the doula workforce through federal funding for their services. Such workers can play an important role in helping pregnant women access necessary care, she said.

    ###


  • 3 Dec 2024 6:19 PM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    Whooping cough cases in Illinois have reached levels not seen in two decades, the state’s Department of Public Health said Monday. [Health News Illinois]

    There were 408 cases of whooping cough, otherwise known as pertussis, reported in October, more than double the number in October 2023 and the highest monthly total since 2004.

    Illinois has seen more than 1,900 confirmed and probable cases of pertussis this year, according to preliminary data. It’s the highest number of cases reported in a year since 2012.

    Department Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said the rise is a “cause for concern and IDPH is monitoring this increase closely throughout the state.”

    The state has sent three health alerts in recent months to local health departments and providers to flag the rise in cases and urge vigilance about identifying cases and reporting them within 24 hours of diagnosis.

    The uptick is part of a national trend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a six-fold increase in cases this fall compared to last year, after the number of cases dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    IDPH also said Monday that the overall respiratory illness level in the state remains low. Vohra cautioned that a rise is expected in the coming weeks due to the holiday season and more indoor gatherings.

    ###

  • 2 Dec 2024 9:30 AM | Deborah Hodges (Administrator)

    For the third year in a row, high preterm birth rates earned the U.S. only a D+ in a March of Dimes report on the state of maternal and infant health. [Axios]

    The big picture: Black, Latina, Native American and Pacific Islander women experience disproportionate rates of preterm births, infant mortality and maternal deaths.

    • People in the South and Midwest experience the worst outcomes.

    Context: March of Dimes says "an alarmingly high preterm birth rate" is one of the contributing factors "to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity."

    By the numbers: The rate of preterm births, defined as those happening before week 37 of gestation, was 10.4% in the U.S. during 2023, according to the report.

    • That means 1 in 10 babies born, or about 370,000 births, happened preterm.
    • Although the national rate has been steady for the last three years, preterm birth rates increased in 24 states compared to 2022. They include ArkansasIndiana and Iowa.
    • The rate of preterm births for Hispanics was 10.1%. It was 12.4% for American Indian/Alaska Native and Pacific Islander people and 14.7% for Black people.

    The infant mortality rate rose in 2022 for the first time in two decades, the report says, in line with other studies carried out after Roe v. Wade was struck down.

    • March of Dimes says the national rate reached 5.6 deaths per 1,000 births nationally, with most cases in the South and Midwest.
    • Rates were especially high in heavily Hispanic states like Arizona (6.2 per 1,000 births), Florida (6 per 1,000) and New Mexico (5.9 per 1,000).

    More>

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software