Covering Mental Health:
A Resource Guide for Reporters and Editors
MENTAL HEALTH POLICY EXPERTS
General
Center for the Study of Issues in Public Mental Health,The
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140
Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, N.Y. 10962 * Dixianne Penney,
Dr. P.H., assistant director, (914) 365-2000, ext.:1873, fax
(914) 365-1432.
A collaboration of research entities in the New York State
Office of Mental Health and the State University of New York,
this center has more than 70 academicians, researchers, practitioners
and policy makers. Research focuses on adults with serious
mental illnesses.
Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, Florida Mental
Health Institute, University of South Florida. Tampa,
Fla.33612 * (813) 974-4510, fax (813) 974-9327, Web site:
http://www.fmhi.usf.edu/mhlp/home2.html; E-mail: petrila@fmhi.usf.edu.
John Petrila, chair and professor.
Has nine permanent faculty members specializing in various
aspects of mental health law and policy, including such things
as insanity, competency, risk assessment and managed care.
National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental
Health Planning, National Association of State Mental Health
Program Directors, 66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 302, Alexandria,
Va. 22314 * (703) 739-9333, fax (703) 548-9517; Web site:
http://www.nasmhpd.org/ntac; Andrea Sheerin, communications,
(703) 739-9333 ext. 22, e-mail: ntac@nasmhpd.org.
Jointly funded by the association and the Center for Mental
Health Services, this center offers consulting for state,
regional and national programs, has a consultant database,
publishes reports and has standards for review and analysis
of service systems.
Managed Behavioral Care:
Michael A. Freeman, M.D. and Tom Trabin, Ph.D., The
Institute for Behavioral Healthcare, a non-profit organization,
and the company CentraLink identify innovations in the mental
health field and educate professionals. 1110 Mar West Street,
Tiburon, Calif. 94920 * (415) 435-9821, fax (415) 543-9821;
E-mail: maf@centralink.com, ttrabin@centralink.com.
These policy experts did a study for the U.S. Center for
Mental Health Services on the history, model, key issues and
future course of managed behavioral health care in 1995.
Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., director, Center for Health
Policy Research, George Washington University Medical Center,
Washington, D.C. * (202) 530-2343, fax (202) 296-0025, E-mail:
ihosxr@gwumc.edu. Prepared report for Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration analyzing contracts
between state Medicaid agencies and managed care organizations.
Mental Health Parity:
Jeffrey A. Buck, Ph.D., director, Office of Managed
Care, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Md. * (301)
443-0588, fax (301) 443-1563. Conducted a study to analyze
the cost of providing mental health and substance abuse insurance
coverage that compares to general health coverage.
Bruce Pyenson, consulting actuary, Milliman
& Robertson, Inc. 2 Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10121 *
(212) 279-7166, fax (212) 629-5657. Co-author of reports on
costs of providing health insurance for mental illnesses and
for substance abuse; reports were done for private advocacy
groups.
Mental Illness and Quality of Life:
Dr. Robert Spritzer, New York State Psychiatric Institute,
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
10032. To contact, call Carolyn Conway at (212) 305-3900.
Specializes in mental disorders and quality of physical health.
Dr. Gerard Clancy, assistant professor, University
of Iowa, director of IMPACT Ñ the Integrated Multi-Agency
Program in Assertive Community Treatment * (319) 353-6959,
fax (319) 356-2587, E-mail: gerard-clancy@uiowa.edu. This
program takes treatment to the homes of people who have serious
mental illnesses.
State Mental Health Systems:
Colette Croze, consultant for state and county mental
health plans, 31 North New Road, Bayview, Middletown Del.
19709 * (302) 378-7555, fax (302) 378-6156.
