Push it to the kids
Mandatory testing and medication for childhood mental illnesses if the federal government gets their way
In its rush to pass an omnibus federal budget, the U.S. Congress recently approved measures to possibly promote the involuntary screening and consequent medication of students for suspected mental illnesses. The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate, conjoins with two Bush administration pet projects: the president’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and No Child Left Behind. In a telephone interview, lobbyist Michael Ostrolenk, M.A., explained that the Mental Health Commission’s recommendations for universal and mandatory mental illness screening remain just that: recommendations. Individual states remain free to decide how or if they would implement them. Ostrolenk cites the example of the state of Illinois, which attempted to force screening protocols on all pregnant women and public school children. Public outcry forced that state to retreat. Nevertheless, President Bush and the Senate requested $44 million toward block grants to states to support universal and mandatory measures, although the House cut the allocation down to $20 million. Several observers believe that the Republicans have caved into economic pressures, and accuse pharmaceutical companies of using their influence to receive favors from all levels of government responsible for mental health care. In July 7 of this year the Philadelphia Daily News reported that a government psychiatrist had filed a public interest lawsuit “charging major pharmaceutical companies, state officials and state contractors with public corruption, and fraud violations of civil and criminal law,” alleging that the drug firms had essentially dictated the diagnostic criteria that state officials used for mental illnesses, skewing them in such a manner as to favor conditions that require psychotropic medication rather than counseling or psychotherapy.
The article went on to cite similar lawsuits in several other states, as well as the firing of the original Pennslyvania whistleblower.
http://www.boiseweekly.com/more.php?id=5085_0_1_0_M
From:
Aftermath News
Top Stories - December 23rd, 2004
In its rush to pass an omnibus federal budget, the U.S. Congress recently approved measures to possibly promote the involuntary screening and consequent medication of students for suspected mental illnesses. The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate, conjoins with two Bush administration pet projects: the president’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and No Child Left Behind. In a telephone interview, lobbyist Michael Ostrolenk, M.A., explained that the Mental Health Commission’s recommendations for universal and mandatory mental illness screening remain just that: recommendations. Individual states remain free to decide how or if they would implement them. Ostrolenk cites the example of the state of Illinois, which attempted to force screening protocols on all pregnant women and public school children. Public outcry forced that state to retreat. Nevertheless, President Bush and the Senate requested $44 million toward block grants to states to support universal and mandatory measures, although the House cut the allocation down to $20 million. Several observers believe that the Republicans have caved into economic pressures, and accuse pharmaceutical companies of using their influence to receive favors from all levels of government responsible for mental health care. In July 7 of this year the Philadelphia Daily News reported that a government psychiatrist had filed a public interest lawsuit “charging major pharmaceutical companies, state officials and state contractors with public corruption, and fraud violations of civil and criminal law,” alleging that the drug firms had essentially dictated the diagnostic criteria that state officials used for mental illnesses, skewing them in such a manner as to favor conditions that require psychotropic medication rather than counseling or psychotherapy.
The article went on to cite similar lawsuits in several other states, as well as the firing of the original Pennslyvania whistleblower.
http://www.boiseweekly.com/more.php?id=5085_0_1_0_M
From:
Aftermath News
Top Stories - December 23rd, 2004
Starmail - 24. Dez, 13:27
