President Bush Proposes Screening

[Guest guest]

This is a repost of an article posted awhile back to the group. There

are quite a few articles on this subject, and the corruption by Big

Pharma on this issue, in our archives which are searchable on any subject.

 

 

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 10:33:17 -0800

Mandatory mental health screening... read this and next two

posts one from Bush

 

 

President Bush Proposes Screening

the U.S. Population for Mental Illness

 

September 13, 2004

 

On June 19, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported that President

Bush is planning to propose screening the whole U.S. population for

mental illness. While the primary goal of the President's New Freedom

Commission on Mental Health is to integrate mentally ill patients

fully into the community, it goes much further by recommending

comprehensive mental-health screening for " consumers of all ages, "

including preschool children.

Commission Establishes National Goals and Recommendations

 

In its final report, " Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental

Health Care in America, " the Commission sets out several nationwide

initiatives, including utilizing electronic medical records for mental

health screening. The report includes the following national goals and

recommendations:

 

Goal #4 - Early mental health screening, assessment, and referral to

services are [to become] common practice.

 

The report states, " In a transformed mental health system, the early

detection of mental health problems in children and adults—through

routine and comprehensive testing and screening—will be an expected

and typical occurrence....Quality screening and early intervention

will occur in...readily accessible, low-stigma settings, such as

primary health care facilities and schools....Both children and adults

will be screened for mental illnesses during their routine physical

exams. For consumers of all ages, early detection, assessment, and

links with treatment and supports will help prevent mental health

problems from worsening....To aid in transforming the mental health

system, the Commission makes four recommendations:

 

* Promote the mental health of young children.

* Improve and expand school mental health programs.

* Screen for co-occurring mental and substance use disorders and

link with integrated treatment strategies.

* Screen for mental disorders in primary health care, across the

lifespan, and connect to treatment and supports. "

 

Push for Electronic Mental-Health Records

 

Another goal and recommendation is to establish electronic medical

records for mental-health purposes, as indicated by the Commission's

sixth goal:

 

Goal #6 - Technology [will be] used to access mental health care and

information.

 

The Committee's recommendations for this goal include:

 

* " Use health technology and telehealth to improve access and

coordination of mental health care, especially for Americans in remote

areas or in underserved populations.

* Develop and implement integrated electronic health record and

personal health information systems. "

 

President Bush has already instructed more than 25 federal agencies to

develop an implementation plan based on the Commission's

recommendations, the BMJ reports.

No Child Left Unmedicated?

 

In an article responding to the national mental-health initiative, the

July 12 issue of the " pro-capitalist " New American notes, " In

totalitarian societies such as Soviet Russia and Communist Cuba, the

state pathologizes dissent as a mental disorder. Mr. Bush's proposal,

in principle, would permit the same horrific abuses by putting

Washington in charge of screening all school children—and, eventually,

all other Americans. "

 

The " anti-capitalist " New Standard reported on June 27 that " The

American Psychiatric Association, which itself receives some funding

from drug companies, has hailed the Commission's conclusions as a

sound preventative approach to dealing with mental illness. " The

article continues, " Critics of the plan, however, point to strong

connections between the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and

the pharmaceutical industry, and they contend that the plan will be a

financial boon to drug companies while compromising the mental health

of the nation's children. "

Illinois Has Already Passed a Mental-Health Screening Law

 

According to a July 19 Illinois Leader article, Illinois has already

passed a $10 million mental-health screening plan, the " Children's

Mental Health Act of 2003. " The article notes, " The mental health

program will develop a mental health system for 'all children ages

0-18 years' [and] provide for screening to 'ensure appropriate and

culturally relevant assessment of young children's social and

emotional development with the use of standardized tools.' Also, all

pregnant women will be screened for depression and thereafter

following her baby's birth, up to one year. Follow-up treatment

services will also be provided. " The article points out that the bill

had support from both major political parties. But when some parents

found out about it, they raised alarm and are now asking other parents

and concerned citizens to voice their opinions at public forums

throughout the state.

Who's Screening the Screeners?

 

An important issue worth considering regarding national mental-health

screening is who will monitor and evaluate the " experts " ? If history

is any indication, much of so-called mental illness is subjective and

differs greatly across cultural, religious, and political lines. For

example, in 1967 homosexuals were considered to be " afflicted with [a]

psychopathic personality " and were prevented from immigrating to the

United States (see the U.S. Supreme Court case Boutilier v.

Immigration Service).

What Can You Do?

 

Large special-interest groups—many of them well-meaning—are pushing

for state-based and national screening for a variety of illnesses, not

just mental illnesses. If you are concerned about your and your

families' freedom from compulsory screening, diagnoses, and treatment,

you should contact your state and federal policymakers and voice your

own opinion on the matter.

 

The president's report can be accessed online at

www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/reports/FinalReport/FullReport.htm.

 

This article was originally published in the July/August 2004 issue of

Health Freedom Watch, the bimonthly watchdog report published by the

Institute for Health Freedom.