Latest News

Puppet love: Aarvy helps children grieve [News and Record, Greensboro, N.C.]

Jennifer Hageman — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:39:00 +0000

Mar. 14--GREENSBORO -- He's just a puppet, an aardvark, pillow-soft, with droopy eyes and a voice that sounds an awful lot like Eeyore, the grumpy donkey from the tales of Winnie the Pooh.

Yet, ask anyone who's gone through any local school, public or private, and they know Aarvy. He turns 20 this year, and his buddy, Ralphy the Rabbit, does, too.

For two decades, Aarvy and Ralphy have made the rounds at elementary schools across our county to help third-graders deal with the big issues that affect their families -- or what's left of them.

They sit cross-legged on the floor in front of a makeshift puppet stage and talk about death, divorce, prison, drug addiction, alcoholism, murder, suicide and war.

These third-graders give their grief names: their Nana; their dog, Tito; their sister, Jayda; and their baseball-loving dad Paul.

You think third-graders might be immune.

But sit with them through a 15-minute puppet...

Drug drop: Operation Medicine Cabinet commences [The Shelby Star, N.C.]

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:14:00 +0000

Mar. 13--Prescription medicines have become the second most frequently abused type of drug -- after such "street" drugs as methamphetamine -- among 12--to 17-year-olds, according to SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The overwhelming majority of teens obtain prescription drugs through people they know. Research tells us that over 45 percent of 12--to 17-year-olds who abuse prescription pain relievers get them for free from a friend or relative. Another 11 percent of these teens buy them from friends or relatives, and an additional 10 percent take them from friends or relatives without asking.

KINGS MOUNTAIN -- The medicine flows freely, drying up inside a container or cat litter.

Deputies pour bottle after bottle of it, the result of a campaign designed to remove expired drugs from the city streets.

Operation Medicine Cabinet commenced Saturday at Patrick Senior Center in Kings Mountain. Residents could drop off their expired, unused medicine...

Babies get a clean start [Lake County Record Bee, Lakeport, Calif.]

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:09:00 +0000

Mar. 13--LAKE COUNTY -- New Beginnings, the sole provider of perinatal alcohol and other drug abuse treatment in Lake County, is struggling financially to meet the needs of the area. A fundraising effort called the "Million Dollar Baby Drive" is being launched in effort to raise awareness and much-needed funds as well as to celebrate the successes of the program.

New Beginnings' mission is to provide an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard with the belief that respect and encouragement can be the catalyst necessary for transformation. Its drug rehabilitation program provides a safe, nurturing and trusting environment for substance-affected individuals to help them begin their journey on the road to recovery.

"New Beginnings, formerly known as DAAC (Drug Abuse Alternative Center), has been in operation since 1994. We are Lake County's sole provider licensed perinatal alcohol and drug facility. Our residential home has been open since 1994, too," Janet Thomson, outreach...

National Safe Place Week Helps Prevent Teen Homelessness

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:25:00 +0000

LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, nearly three million youths run away from home, putting themselves at a high risk for drug addiction, prostitution, disease and mental illness. National Safe Place (NSP) is launching a week-long "Don't Get Boxed In" campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with teen homelessness and the services available to youth in crisis.

To view a short video illustrating the shocking statistics around teen homelessness, click

http://www.youtube.com/user/nationalsafeplace .

The "Don't Get Boxed In: Text-4-Help: 69866" campaign coincides with National Safe Place Week (March 15-20), which the United States Senate has supported for the past twelve years. National Safe Place Week is part of the innovative Safe Place program, which brings businesses and volunteers together to provide help and safety to children and teens facing abuse, neglect or serious family problems.

"In the past 12 months, approximately 1.6 million youths slept on the street...

OWEN: 'I'VE BEEN AN ALCOHOLIC FOR 10 YEARS'

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:06:00 +0000

Mar 12, 2010 (WENN via COMTEX) -- TAKE THAT star MARK OWEN has confessed to a decade-long drinking problem - just one day after owning up to a string of 10 affairs behind his wife's back.

The pop star stunned fans on Thursday (11Mar10) after publicly apologising for his infidelity, admitting to a series of drunken one-night stands while on tour with the band.

The 38-year-old singer, who has two children with his actress wife Emma Ferguson, also revealed he had carried out a relationship with accounts manager Neva Hanley.

Now Owen has opened up about his secret struggle with booze, which began in 1996 after the Back For Good hitmakers split.

Owen approached his bandmates Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Jason Orange earlier this year (10) after spiralling into a deep depression and realising he needed help for the addiction.

He also turned to ex-Take That star Robbie Williams, who has checked into rehab...

Mom: Pat Kennedy reeling from dad's death [Boston Herald]

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:33:00 +0000

Mar. 12--U.S. REP. PATRICK KENNEDY -- who burst into an over-the-top, anti-media rant on the House floor Wednesday night -- is still deeply upset about his father's death and looking forward to some time off, his mother, Joan Bennett Kennedy, told the Herald yesterday.

Kennedy, who declined to comment directly on her son's tirade, said Patrick was in good spirits when she last saw him on Valentine's Day but still adapting to losing his iconic dad, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

"It was very tough," Joan Kennedy said. "I think that had something to do with him not wanting to stay in the House of Representatives. I think he would like to have the personal time."

Patrick Kennedy, who has battled depression along with drug and alcohol abuse, doted on his mom when he last visited her Beacon Hill condo, giving her chocolates and roses for Valentine's Day.

"He's definitely a wonderful son,"...

Flu during pregnancy may raise baby's schizophrenia risk

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Washington, Mar 12 (ANI): Influenza A infection during pregnancy can affect brains of babies, says a study on rhesus monkeys.

Published online by the journal Biological Psychiatry, the study found that rhesus monkey babies born to mothers who had the flu while pregnant had smaller brains and showed other brain changes similar to those observed in human patients with schizophrenia.

The study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the first study done with monkeys that examines the effects of flu during pregnancy.

Lead author Sarah J. Short, Ph.D. worked on the study while earning her doctorate at Wisconsin and now is a post-doctoral fellow at UNC working with John H. Gilmore, M.D., professor of psychiatry in the UNC School of Medicine.

"This was a relatively mild flu infection, but it had a significant effect on the brains of the babies," Short said....

Report: Haim suffered pulmonary congestion

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:27:00 +0000

Corey Haim's mother says the Los Angeles coroner's office told her the former child star had an enlarged heart and suffered pulmonary congestion.

People.com said the results of Thursday's autopsy on the 38-year-old actor's remains have not been made public yet. An official determination is not expected to be made until after toxicology test results are complete.

However, Judy Haim relayed to TV's "Access Hollywood" that the coroner's office told her her son had an enlarged heart and fluid in his lungs when he died.

Corey Haim, who battled an addiction to drugs for years, reportedly had been suffering from flu-like symptoms in the last days of his life.

The late actor's manager told UsMagazine.com Haim is to be buried in his native Toronto, but a date has not been set yet.

A memorial is also being planned for him in Los Angeles, the magazine's Web site said.

Inhalants popular among 12-year-olds

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:24:00 +0000

More 12-year-olds use inhalants than they do marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined, U.S. data released Thursday indicated.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report indicated young people sniffed products such as refrigerant from air-conditioning units, aerosol computer cleaners, shoe polish, glue, air fresheners, hair sprays, nail polish, paint solvents, degreasers, gasoline or lighter fluids, the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition said in a release.

Data from the 2006-2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health indicated a rate of lifetime inhalant use among 12-year-olds of 6.9 percent, compared with a rate of 5.1 percent for non-medical use of prescription drugs; 1.4 percent for marijuana; 0.7 percent for hallucinogens; and 0.1 percent for cocaine.

"We continue to face the challenge of increasing experimentation and intentional misuse of common household products among the youngest and most vulnerable segments of our population -- 12-year-olds," NIPC Executive Director Harvey Weiss said. "The data are ominous...

Key to healthy aging: a sense of purpose in life [The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.]

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:20:00 +0000

Mar. 11--Having a sense of purpose in life seems to provide a shield against illness -- particularly in old age.

In an ongoing study of healthy aging by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, researchers used questionnaires to rate the sense of purpose in life among thousands of retirement-age women and men. Those with the highest sense of purpose were half as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those with the lowest sense of purpose during seven years of follow-up, the researchers reported this month in Archives of General Psychiatry.

In an earlier study, the same group found that the risk of dying from any cause was nearly cut in half among women and men with a greater sense of purpose. Japanese researchers in a similar study found evidence of protection from heart attacks and strokes in middle-aged men.

The protective effect seems to work regardless of depression or disability. Patricia...

Legacy(SM) Case for Tobacco Funds to be Heard by Ohio Supreme Court

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:44:00 +0000

Two-Year Long Battle For Tobacco Prevention And Cessation Programs To Be Determined by Highest Court

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Ohio Supreme Court has made the decision to hear the appeal in Legacy's case seeking to preserve tobacco funds and the life-saving tobacco control programs they support in Ohio. Legacy – a national public health foundation devoted to tobacco cessation and prevention – applauds this ruling, made yesterday, which recognizes the great importance of this case to the people of Ohio.

The Court will review the December decision of the Ohio Court of Appeals of Franklin County, Tenth Appellate District reversing a lower court's order permanently enjoining the State from dissolving the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Endowment Fund. The December 2009 Court of Appeals' decision represented a major step backward in the effort spearheaded by Legacy and others to safeguard the state's tobacco prevention money for its intended...

Higher hopes, frank discussion at Jacksonville autism conference: Experts present new research ...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Mar. 11--Parents, therapists and health care providers crowded into Jacksonville's second annual Autism Symposium on Wednesday in search of answers where few exist.

On everyone's mind: new figures showing that autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 110 children, showing the mysterious condition could be even more prevalent than previously thought.

On the agenda: new research and interventions for children and teenagers with autism -- and frank questions and answers about the complementary and alternative treatments sought by as many as half of families affected by the disorder.

With approximately 500 attendees, the symposium was overflowing the conference room at the University Center at the University of North Florida. Attendance is up since the first event last year, said Jerry Bridgham, chief medical officer at Wolfson Children's Hospital and one of the event chairs. Wolfson, Nemours Children's Clinic and the University of Florida coordinated the symposium.

"I think there's a lot of...

Give an Hour(TM) Volunteer Mental Health Professionals Provide More than $2. ...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:30:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Give an Hour™, a national nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their loved ones, announces results of its March 2010 survey and reports a 22 percent increase (an additional 4,000 hours) in services rendered since the last survey in November 2009.

Give an Hour™ periodically surveys its volunteer providers to assess its impact and effectiveness and to determine how programs and services can be adapted to best meet the needs of this population.

The March 2010 survey found:

24,106.25 total hours have been donated in mental health services, not including volunteer hours spent on operations
8,643.5 hours were given in direct, face-to-face counseling
1,477.5 hours were given in phone counseling
10,015.25 hours were given in education and outreach
3,970 hours were given in additional ways, such as community events and support to veterans service organizations.

Using a nationwide average of $100 per hour...

Corey Haim, actor who was teen idol in '80s, dies at 38 [BC-HAIM-OBIT:LA]

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:49:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES _ Corey Haim was in full teen-idol mode in 1988, swamped with letters from adoring young female fans and his face on the covers of teen magazines.

But it was acting that was foremost on the mind of the Canadian-born 16-year-old, whose growing list of credits included "Lucas" and the teenage vampire movie "The Lost Boys."

Haim, observed a visiting Los Angeles Times writer, "actually believes he is the next James Dean."

"I know I can do it," Haim said. "Dean made only three movies and he's such a legend. People think he's so brilliant. He was so raw.

"I just want to be known like (Dean) was known. I just want people to think that I'm really, really good."

Haim, who struggled with drug addiction during a career that fell far short of legendary status despite early reviews that praised his acting ability, died Wednesday morning, according to a Los Angeles...

Hydrocodone and prescription drug abuse [The Willits News, Calif.]

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:07:00 +0000

Mar. 10--The 2006 Monitoring the Future Survey reported 3 percent of eighth-graders, 7 percent of ninth-graders and 9.7 percent of all high school seniors in the country admitted to abusing Vicodin (a specific name brand combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen) during the previous year.

The Drug Enforcement Agency is currently reviewing a petition to increase the regulatory controls on hydrocodone combination products such as Vicodin from schedule III to schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act.

Today, hydrocodone products are the most frequently dispensed opioid pharmaceuticals in the country. From 2000 through 2006, there was nearly a 48 percent increase in the number of prescriptions dispensed for hydrocodone (from about 88 million to 130 million). Abuse of the drug has paralleled the rise in the numbers of prescriptions as measured by the number of pills seized by law enforcement agencies.

In the 2006 survey, 19 percent of teens admitted to abusing prescription...

King Cobra venom may lead to a new drug

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:31:00 +0000

Singaporean scientists say a protein discovered in the venom of the King Cobra, the world's largest venomous snake, may lead to development of a unique drug.

The protein, haditoxin, was discovered in Professor Manjunatha Kini's laboratory at the National University of Singapore. The study's co-author, S. Niru Nirthanan, now at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, said since haditoxin is structurally unique, it's expected to have unique pharmacological properties.

"This toxin is like a conjoined twin," said Nirthanan. "It is a relatively large complex made up of two identical protein molecules known as three-finger toxins linked together. We know that the family of three-finger toxins display diverse biological actions on the human nervous system, cardiovascular system and blood clotting. Some have directly led to the development of compounds with potent analgesic and blood pressure reducing properties -- so it is likely that haditoxin in its 'conjoined twin' state or as individual components...

APA To Spotlight Symposium On 'Hot Topics In Afro-American Mental Health'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

The American Psychiatric Association will spotlight several sensitive issues on African Americans and Mental Health, on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at the APA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The overall session title is: Hot Topics in Afro-American Mental Health. Heading the team for this symposium is David Wayne Smith, Addiction Psychiatrist with the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services in Sacramento, California.

(PRWEB) March 10, 2010 -- Dr. Smith will present challenges in treating blacks in mental health, HIV and other taboo topics including, HIV and African American men ‘on the down low.’ The Center for Disease Control defines the phrase, ‘on the down low’ or ‘on the DL,’ as the ‘behavior of men who have sex with other men as well as women and who do not identify as gay or bisexual.’ The risks associated with this activity present widespread challenges for HIV prevention professionals. The...