Iowa Reorganizes Mental Health Regions

Jul 09, 2014

Iowa has reorganized its mental health services into 15 regional authorities. Prior to July 1st, Iowa’s 99 counties were previously responsible for their own mental health system. The state’s leaders no longer want an individual’s address to determine the type of mental health care available to them. This change is also focused on keeping people’s mental health from worsening to the point where they wind up in jail or hospitalized because of behaviors related to their illness. This month, Des Moines is opening a new Crisis Observation Center, which will serve as an alternative for people who need help with mental health crises and are in immediate danger of harming themselves or others. Without the additional $6 million in annual funding that Polk County is receiving from the state after the redesign, the center would not have been possible.

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Homicide and the Adolescent Brain

Jul 02, 2014

What would you say if I told you that by conducting an MRI, a doctor would be able to know whether or not someone was at a higher risk of committing murder?
Researchers at The Mind Research Network in Albuquerque, New Mexico conducted a study using high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry, to scan the brains of 20 male youth who have committed homicide and 135 youth delinquents who had not committed homicide. All subjects were between the ages of 12-18, and were incarnated in a maximum-security facility. Researchers also analyzed the brains of two control groups that did not have any criminal backgrounds.

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Community Resources

Jun 25, 2014

Here at The Kim Foundation we strive to pursue our mission to be a supportive resource and compassionate voice for lives touched by mental illness. We continue to find new avenues to better fulfill this mission and to better serve the mental health community, while staying true to our long-time goal of connecting people with needed resources. Fighting the stigma that is too often associated with mental illness and building awareness in the community about this extremely important topic remain top priorities for the foundation.

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Program Highlight: Youth Emergency Services (YES)

Jun 19, 2014

I had the humbling experience to participate in Youth Emergency Service’s “Day in the Life Tour,” last week. It all began in 1974 when a group of older adults were inviting homeless children on the streets of downtown Omaha to sleep in their homes. After waking up to their kitchen cabinets painted green, they decided it was time to open up a separate facility where these youth could come for food, shelter, and rest. YES now has grown to serving over 1,000 Omaha kids each year. Their services include a Drop In Center, Youth Street Outreach, an Emergency Shelter, a Transitional Living Program, and a Maternity Group home.

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Children and the Boston Marathon Bombings

Jun 11, 2014

A study was conducted by Jonathan Comer, an associate professor of psychology and psychiatry at Florida International University in Miami, which looked into the psychological effects of the Boston Marathon bombings on kids. This study included 460 children between the ages of 4 to19 years old, living within a 25 mile radius of where the bombings took place. Comer was looking to find out how many of these children either exposed directly or through the media, were seeing symptoms of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Eleven-percent of parents who were also surveyed said that their child has shown signs of PTSD. This number was very similar to the findings among New York City children after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

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Hunger Hormone Could Be Key in Fighting Depression

Jun 04, 2014

A natural hormone produced in the stomach and intestine could be the newest advancement in depression treatment.Ghrelin, often referred to as the “hunger hormone,” serves numerous functions in the body including the ability to stimulate hunger when levels rise. Researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, discovered a natural antidepressant effect when these levels increased.

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Omaha Refugee Collaborative

May 30, 2014

The Omaha Refugee Mental Health Collaborative met last week to discuss the progress of the recently introduced mental health screening process. Until late, refugees in Omaha were only receiving a basic health screening upon arrival to their new home. Concerns began to arise when professionals working with the individuals and families were seeing symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety in their clients. But because there was no mental health screening process established, most of these individuals would not seek or receive treatment.

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National Council Conference and Success, Hopes and Dreams

May 28, 2014

Several of our Nebraska colleagues joined together in Washington D.C. in May to attend the National Council for Behavioral Health Conference, and to participate in Hill Day. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to network, share ideas, and learn about national trends in the behavioral health field. The conference included presentations by Linda Rosenberg, Tom Insel, Mariel Hemingway, Bruce Perry, Hillary Clinton, Don Berwick, Patrick Kennedy, and many more! I for one left the conference feeling enlightened, and inspired to bring the energy of the week back to our office to make a difference in our work as we move forward.

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Program Highlight: “Project Harmony”

May 22, 2014

Part of my responsibilities as Project Coordinator, is to learn about our local agencies and their mental health services. I have begun scheduling tours of these various programs and recently had the opportunity to tour Project Harmony. Walking into Project Harmony you are greeted by color, art and warm smiles. Between the Lego wall, brightly colored carpet and custom made ceiling sculptures, the entrance is enough to make you briefly forget why they are there.

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