Number of U.S. women taking maternity leave unchanged for two decades

Fewer than half of the women who take maternity leave are paid during it, new study finds

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/number-of-u-s-women-taking-maternity-leave-unchanged-for-two-decades/

Brain-Training May Help Ease Ringing in the Ears

Study found computer-based program seemed to allow people to cope with tinnitus

From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20170119/brain-training-may-help-ease-ringing-in-the-ears?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Nearly Half of U.S. Men Infected With HPV

Although a vaccine is available, too few are getting it when young

From: http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/news/20170119/nearly-half-of-us-men-infected-with-hpv-study-finds?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Most Cow's Milk Formulas Don't Up Diabetes Risk

But one type of formula may be linked to greater chances if given in week 1, study suggests

From: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20170119/most-cows-milk-baby-formulas-dont-up-risk-of-type-1-diabetes?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Genital Herpes Vaccine Promising in Animal Trials

Two-pronged approach tested on lab monkeys, guinea pigs

From: http://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/news/20170119/genital-herpes-vaccine-shows-promise-in-animal-trials?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Inflammation, Gut Bacteria Tied to Type 1 Diabetes

However, it's not yet clear if these factors actually cause the disease

From: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20170119/study-ties-inflammation-gut-bacteria-to-type-1-diabetes?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Skin Cancer Cream Linked to 5 Dog Deaths: FDA

Even ingesting small amounts of fluorouracil can kill family pets, agency warns

From: http://pets.webmd.com/news/20170119/skin-cancer-cream-linked-to-5-dog-deaths-fda?src=RSS_PUBLIC

What the 21st Century Cures Act means for behavioral health

The 21^st Century Cures Act represents a significant set of initiatives aimed at improving the care of people with mental and substance use disorders. It builds on important innovations introduced in the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act. It at once addresses vexing problems that demand immediate attention, efforts to fully implement existing policies and programs, makes new investments in longer-term outcomes, and takes on the challenging interactions of people with mental and substance use disorders with the public safety system.

The Act calls for new spending of $1 billion in grants to states to support efforts to prevent and treat the consequences of opioid misuse and abuse. The grants are tied to states and the mechanisms used to distribute substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant funds. The Act is not very prescriptive and relies on direction from the Department of Health and Human Services. President Obama’s 2017 budget requested slightly more than $1 billion to be directed primarily at efforts to close the treatment gap. Other immediate responses to behavioral health challenges in the Act include new spending for suicide prevention ($30 million), expanding crisis response capabilities ($12.5 million), and identification and treatment of maternal depression ($5 million).

The Act reauthorizes the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and puts great emphasis on evidence-based programs and evaluation. It also gives special attention to the implementation of the Mental Health and Addictions Equity Act. It builds on recommendations from a recent Presidential task force and emphasizes requirements for insurers to disclose the processes and evidence they use to manage care, enforcement activities, and to make information and the remedy process more consumer-friendly.

Longer-term investments are reflected in a new $20 million program focused on mental health promotion, prevention of illness, and treatment for infants and the early childhood period. Other farsighted efforts include a new National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory funded at the $14 million level. The laboratory is to focus on evaluating promising early-stage, evidence-based practices and services delivery models for scaling. Finally, the Act begins to address national and localized workforce shortages through support of training programs aimed at underserved areas and populations.

The Act reauthorizes and adjusts the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) at $50 million per year. Through this mechanism, the Act pays to expand successful programs that divert people with mental and substance use disorders toward alternatives to incarceration. There are also new resources to support community re-entry for people with mental and substance use disorder leaving jails and prisons. Finally, new resources will be available for training police officers in effective responses to people with mental illness.

Together this package of initiatives caps a decade that has made some of the largest changes in mental health and substance use disorder policies in American history.

The post What the 21st Century Cures Act means for behavioral health appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Richard Frank, PhD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/21st-century-cures-act-means-behavioral-health-2017011910982

FDA issues shortage notice for nitrous oxide

There is a shortage of nitrous oxide cylinder gas, the Food and Drug Administration said Jan. 19, but the supply is anticipated to return to normal levels in 30 days.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/fda-issues-shortage-notice-for-nitrous-oxide

1 in 4 U.S. men have cancer-linked HPV genital infections

A new report provides the first national estimate of U.S. men who have genital infections caused by the sexually transmitted virus

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/1-in-4-u-s-men-have-cancer-linked-hpv-genital-infections/

Skin cancer cream killed 5 dogs, FDA warns

The agency is warning pet owners to take the following precautions to prevent their pets from accidentally ingesting the topical medication

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/skin-cancer-cream-fluorouracil-killed-5-dogs-fda-warns/

George H.W. Bush health "on the upswing"

The former president is fighting pneumonia, and he also suffers from a rare syndrome called parkinsonism

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-h-w-bush-health-on-the-upswing/

Mayo Clinic Minute: When to take your child to the emergency department

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHadgZwzK8o

What to know about George H.W. Bush's illness

Common questions answered about the former president's health

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-to-know-about-george-h-w-bushs-illness/

Three-Parent Baby Born to Infertile Couple

Three-Parent Baby Born to Infertile Couple

From: http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/news/20170119/three-parent-baby-born?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Grilled, Smoked Meats and Breast Cancer Survival

Study can't prove cause and effect, but raises questions about beef, pork, lamb cooked at high temps

From: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20170118/could-grilled-smoked-meats-lower-survival-after-breast-cancer?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Mayo Clinic Minute: Move more at work

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-NbZtBka0

USDA Invests $13.6 Million in Citrus Greening Research

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2017 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced four grants totaling more than $13.6 million to combat a scourge on the nation's citrus industry, citrus greening disease, aka Huanglongbing. The funding is made possible through NIFA's Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

From: /wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2017/01/0010.xml&contentidonly=true

Mayor seeking to sue maker of OxyContin over opioid epidemic

Everett, Washington's mayor says city could seek tens of millions from Purdue Pharma, claiming it knew OxyContin was spilling onto black market

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/everett-washington-mayor-seeking-to-sue-maker-of-oxycontin-over-opioid-epidemic/