News and Events
Eating Disorders in Adolescents: Strategies for the
Primary Care Provider
January 12, 2012, 1 pm – 2 pm, ET
Complex and multi-factorial, eating disorders can be challenging to detect and manage. But, primary care providers are in a unique position to identify them in their earliest stages, when treatment can be most effective.
B. Timothy Walsh, M.D, the Ruane Professor of Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and Director of the Division of Clinical Therapeutics at the NY State Psychiatric Institute is one of the leading experts on eating disorders.
Join him for a discussion on the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, the latest treatment strategies, and co-managing these disorders with the clinical team to avoid relapse and achieve a successful outcome.
Visit http://www.teenscreen.org/resources/events-webinars/jan-2012-eating-disorders/ to register.
HFS has added 3 long/intermediate-acting stimulants (all of them are methylphenidate products) to its Preferred Drug List (PDL) as of Oct 1, 2011. The new medications are boldfaced and in red at the bottom of page 14 in the attached PDF :
amphetamine salts +
dexmethylphenidate
methylphenidate +
methylphenidate SR
Metadate ER
Methylin ER
Ritalin SR
Since April of 2011, methylphenidate SR had been the only long/intermediate-acting stimulant on the PDL. The bad news is that Ritalin SR, methylphenidate SR, Methylin ER, and Metadate ER are the same formulation and have the same drug delivery system, which has some evidence showing that it is a suboptimal delivery system. There is no component that is immediate-release and many children may need an immediate-release dose in the morning to cover symptoms. The morning dose can be taken with the long-acting dose or 60-90 minutes before the Ritalin SR, methylphenidate SR, Methylin ER, and Metadate ER is given. Another potential and frequently reported problem with these medications is that coverage of symptoms has a highly variable duration. Duration is supposed to be 6-8 hours. Many clinicians also report that a number of patients taking these medications seem to require more medication on average compared with other long/intermediate-acting methylphenidate products. The good news is that, whereas Ritalin SR only comes in a 20 mg sized tablet, Methylin ER and Metadate ER come in 10 mg and 20 mg sized tablets.
For more information and consultation please call DocAssist, 1-866-986-ASST (2778) or visit us at www.psych.uic.edu/docassist.
Please visit the Psychiatric News website at http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/, find the Past Issues, December 17, 2010, Volume 45 Number 24 Page 18 and find the article “Screening Mandate Will Be Boon to Early Mental Illness Detection” by Rich Daly for details about how mental health advocates are encouraged that mental illness will be better detected and treated since the new healthcare laws require coverage of preventive measures such as routine mental health screenings.
9/4/09 New Policy Helps Pediatricians Sharpen Psychiatric Skills
A Side of Behavioral Counseling with your Visit
A new model of care integrates counseling into the main-course medical visit, with simple techniques that can be very effective. The Philadelphia Inquirer, By: Don Sapatkin
The effort is part of a national movement to embed a form of mental health in primary care. The idea is to give simple interventions in 15- to 30-minute visits that will address behavioral issues ranging from stress to traumatic reactions that often go untreated. Read More in Philly.com.
U.S. Family Doctors
Prescribe Most Mental Health Drugs
By: David Morgan
Fifty-nine percent of U.S. mental health drug prescriptions are written by
family doctors, not psychiatrists, raising concerns about the quality of
some treatments, according to a study released on Wednesday. Read More in
Reuters.com.
Prior Approval for Atypical Antipsychotics and ADHD Medications for Young Children
Effective August 24,2009, the HFS will require prior approval for all Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medications for children under the age of 6, and for all Atypical Antipsychotics for children under the age of 8. Please see the HFS Provider Notice regarding this matter. Please also refer to the prior approval forms:
ADHD Medication (under 6 years) Prior Approval Form.pdf
Atypical Antipsychotic Medication (under 8 years) Prior Approval Form.pdf
Clarification on the "grandfather clause": All children meeting criteria for consent will, at some point, receive a prior approval edit and subsequent rejection from the pharmacy. HFS is allowing some existing patients to be "grandfathered" for the short term. The grandfathering is temporary and only being allowed to stagger the implementation of the process. The prior approval edit I will likely occur in the next few months and providers are encouraged to complete the consent the consent as soon as possible and not wait for the rejection.
June 4, 2009: HFS Provider Informational Notice to Physicians and Community Mental Health Providers with progress updates about Illinois DocAssist.
January 29, 2009: Provider Notice: Increases to Reimbursement for Physician Services Effective February 1, 2009
Provider Reimbursement for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Abuse Screening: The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (IDHFS) will only reimburse for child and adolescent mental health and substance abuse screening using approved tools. To access additional information about IDHFS approved screening tools please click here.
Is routine screening that important? Curious to see what the evidence shows as to whether screening for depression in primary care really helps? Click on the link to view the 2009 U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommendation for primary care providers to perform routine depression screening for all adolescents. For assistance with choosing a screening tool and training clinic staff on its use and implementation, contact DocAssist.
Improving Mental Health Services in Primary Care: Reducing Administrative and Financial Barriers to Access and Collaboration is a joint position paper written by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) to ensure the mental health and wellness of our children and adolescents. The full article is available in PEDIATRICS, the official journal of AAP.