Text Messages from Therapist help Low-income Latinos with Depression Feel Connected

A social welfare professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has found an upside to texting, especially for people who feel stressed out, isolated and alone. Adrian Aguilera, a clinical psychologist who treats many low-income Latinos for depression and other mental disorders, said his patients report feeling more connected and cared for when they receive text messages asking them to track their moods, reflect on positive interactions, and take their prescribed medications.

"When I was in a difficult situation and I received a message, I felt much better. I felt cared for and supported. My mood even improved," reported one Spanish-speaking patient in Aguilera's cognitive behavior therapy group at San Francisco General Hospital.

The project began in 2010 when Aguilera developed a customized "Short Message Service (SMS)" intervention program, with the help of UCSF psychologist Ricardo Munoz, in which Aguilera's patients were sent automated text messages prompting them to think and reply about their moods and responses to positive and negative daily interactions. The psychologists published the results of the project last year in the journal, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. The study is titled Text messaging as an adjunct to CBT in low-income populations: A usability and feasibility pilot study.

"We are harnessing a technology that people use in their everyday lives to improve mental health in low-income, under-served communities," said Aguilera, whose passion for addressing mental health issues among the poor was sparked while growing up in a Mexican immigrant community in Chicago.

Recent statistics bear out Aguilera's outreach strategy. The 2011 Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project survey found that African American and Latino mobile phone owners send and receive more text messages than do Caucasians. Of the 2,277 adult cell phone users surveyed by the Pew Foundation, the most active senders and receivers of text messages (at least 50 messages a day) were non-whites, earned incomes below $30,000 and did not graduate from high school.

Read more on the Science Daily website. Read the complete study. Read the abstract.

Wind River Tribal Youth Program Blends Prevention, Treatment and Tribal Tradition

The Wind River Tribal Youth Program offers support for youth and adults struggling with issues ranging from truancy and bullying to family problems, drug addiction or suicide. According to Wilma Pinnock, public health advisor for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, what makes the program stand out is the diversity in treatment it offers and the support and involvement of tribal elders. The Wind River program offers treatment for addictions and behavioral issues, as well as a place for youth to hang out and reconnect with American Indian culture through activities like sweat lodges and talking circles. "It's a healing village for all community members," said Pinnock, who hopes that other reservation programs will use the Wind River program as a model for their own prevention plans. According to George Leonard, a suicide prevention coordinator with the program, youth on the reservation face challenges the elders didn't when they were growing up, including easier access to drugs and fewer jobs or opportunities for recreation. To counteract these forces, youth "need to find a piece of their identity as Native Americans," said Leonard.  

Read more on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center website. Read more on the Wyoming Tribune website. Connect with the Wind River Tribal Youth Program on Facebook.

Antidepressant Prescribing Less Likely for Medicaid, Medicare and Minority Patients

According to an article titled Physician Prescribing Patterns of Innovative Antidepressants in the United States: The Case of MDD Patients 1993-2007, African-Americans and Hispanics with major depressive disorder are less likely to get antidepressants than Caucasian patients, whilst Medicare and Medicaid patients have a lesser chance of receiving the newest generation of antidepressants. To gain more insight into Physician's antidepressant prescribing patterns, researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health decided to conduct an analysis in which they evaluated who and what antidepressants were prescribed from data obtained from 1993 to 2007. The article was published online last month in the International Journal of Psychiatry.

They discovered that whoever received a prescription for antidepressants in the first place depended on the patient's race, payment source and geographical region and on the physician's ownership status, whilst the patient's age and payment source influenced which type of antidepressant they received. 

Even though Caucasians had a 1.52 times higher chance of receiving a prescription for antidepressants for major depressive disorders compared to Hispanic and African-American patients, the patient's race proved irrelevant in the physician's choice of a specific type of antidepressant medication. 

Read more on the Medical News Today website. Read the abstract of the study.

The Voice Awards: Nominate a Consumer/Peer Leader in Behavioral Health Today!

Join the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in recognizing consumer/peer leaders in recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders, for their efforts to educate the public about the real experiences of people with behavioral health problems. Through their work, leaders demonstrate that people can and do recover from these conditions and lead full and meaningful lives in their communities.

If you know a consumer/peer leader who has led efforts to promote the social inclusion of people with behavioral health problems; personally demonstrated that recovery is real and possible; and made a positive impact on his/her community, workplace, or school, please nominate him/her for a 2012 Voice Award. Nominations are due Friday, April 13, 2012.

The Voice Awards honor consumer/peer leaders who have played a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of behavioral health problems. The awards also recognize TV and film writers and producers who have given a voice to people with behavioral health problems by incorporating dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of these individuals into their scripts, programs, and productions.

Read more about the Voice Awards. Nominate a consumer/ peer leader.

Open for Comment: Asian & Pacific Islander Report by California Reducing Disparities Project

The California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP), on behalf of the Asian Pacific Islander Strategic Planning Workgroup (API-SPW), have release their draft Asian and Pacific Islanders Population Report for public review and comment. Please email your comments to crdp@pacificclinics.org. The deadline for submitting comments is 26 April, 2012.

Funded by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) through the Office of Multicultural Services at the California Department of Mental Health, the API-SPW was formed to address mental health service disparities in the Asian Pacific Islander community by identifying unmet needs and collecting community-defined strategies in response to these needs. The API-SPW consisted of 55 members representing various Asian Pacific Islander communities in California, including community representatives, community organizers, community service providers, consumer advocates, and mental health service providers who have years of experience and expertise serving the API community in urban, suburban, and rural areas. In addition, the API-SPW sought inputs directly from community members through conducting 23 focus groups and interviews across the state.

Read more about CRDP. Download the draft report (pdf). Submit comment.

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