Psy-screening and Mandatory Drugs for Everyone?

[Guest guest]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_sue_weib_051215_psy_screening_and_ma.htm

 

 

 

December 15, 2005

 

Psy-screening and Mandatory Drugs for Everyone?

The Genesis of President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

 

Screening for mental illness is the most controversial topic

concerning mental health today.

 

Various government entities, private foundations, organizations, think

tanks and universities, all flanked by cunning public relations firms,

are hard at work trying to make mental health screening as common as a

dental checkup. Despite public outrage over screening, these entities

are working feverishly to establish this system. With so much clamor

of disagreement for such a program, why, then, do these entities push

forward with such ferocity? This article reveals exactly how this all

got started, who's really behind " the big push, " and how President

Bush was tricked into establishing what might be the most detrimental

program in the history of mankind.

 

In 2002, President George W. Bush established the New Freedom

Commission on Mental Health (NFC) and charged it with the mission of

reviewing mental health care in the United States. The following year

the NFC released its findings and recommendations. The report called

for the establishment of an ambitious, Orwellian plan to screen every

American for mental illness, from pre-natal to the elderly. The NFC

recommended that screening is to be followed by " treatment " and

" support, " but these help-oriented euphemisms are a major cover-up for

barbaric psychiatric methodologies that include, but are not limited

to, powerful, mind-altering drugs to Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT)

– ultimately proven to create zombies, mass murderers and even death

in those subjected to these kinds of " treatments. " Sound comforting?

So, then, why would anyone want to forward the progress of such a

system? The answer is the same for all of the horrific things

committed against the people since the beginning of time – money,

power and control.

 

So who stands to gain from widespread screening? To answer this

question, one need only to look at these sister programs: the Texas

Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP) and Columbia University's

TeenScreen - both were recommended in the NFC's final report as " model

programs " . How did these two make the cut when hundreds of public,

private and faith-based programs are available to deal with mental

health issues? Finding out who lobbied for their inclusion, we quickly

see who stands to gain billions of dollars, reputation and power if

these programs are implemented.

 

What is TeenScreen?

 

The TeenScreen Program is a controversial mental health screening

program developed by Columbia University's Child Psychiatry's Research

Department. The ultimate goal of the Columbia TeenScreen Program is to

establish screening programs throughout our nation's communities so

that all children can be screened and treated for mental illness.

Establishing the program in every school in the nation, and possibly

the rest of the world, is clearly the objective.

 

Columbia University is not alone in this desire for TeenScreen's

universal acceptance and advance into the schools. The National

Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), billed as the voice of the mentally

ill, is collaborating on achieving that goal. NAMI is, itself,

controversial because of extensive pharmaceutical company funding.

While NAMI claims to be a grassroots organization structured to

benefit those diagnosed as mentally ill, its critics claim that NAMI's

main activity is to spread fraudulent information about what " mental

illness " actually is in order to claim more victims to treatment and

psychotropic drug prescriptions. There are also strong allegations

that NAMI is lobbying on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, which

give NAMI millions in funding every year.

 

At a conference given this year, supported in part by pharmaceutical

manufacturer, AstraZeneca, TeenScreen reported that 80% of the teens

identified through the use of their screening tool " are not truly at

risk. " This presentation also included the fact that 24% of the

referred students were then prescribed medication.

 

What is TMAP?

 

TMAP is a medication protocol for the treatment of mental illness that

originated in Texas when George Bush was governor of the state. TMAP

set uniform guidelines for treatment of certain psychiatric-deemed

" disorders " using the " newer, " brand name psychiatric medications and

culminating with Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT) - better known as

" shock treatment " - as the final solution when medications are judged

as being ineffective.

 

No other therapy or treatment of any kind is included in the algorithm

(problem-solving procedure) of TMAP; it is strictly medication and

ECT. This chart is intended to ensure that in every location, from

California to DC, a person with the symptoms of a psychiatric

" disorder, " which could be anything from schizophrenia and bi-polar

disorders to major depressive disorder, will receive the same

treatment – namely, a prescribed sequence of brand-name drugs and even

shock treatment.

 

When TMAP was developed, with help from the pharmaceutical industry,

the most expensive, newer-generation antipsychotic drugs - called

" atypicals " - were the ones to make the list. In TMAP, the older drugs

and generic drugs, which are less expensive, have been completely omitted.

 

Based on TMAP, before a drug can be prescribed by a state physician

for someone in the state system, it has to be on the TMAP list. It is

then no surprise that states who have implemented TMAP are going broke

due to the costs of these high-priced medications. No surprise,

either, is that the pharmaceutical company coffers are growing in

proportion to the states' increasing financial woes.

 

Key Players in the NFC, TMAP and TeenScreen

 

In 2002, Bush appointed Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D., the director of the

Ohio Department of Mental Health, to chair his NFC. Hogan has close

ties to both TeenScreen, TMAP and with pharmaceutical companies.

 

Hogan is a member of TeenScreen's Advisory Council and a

member-at-large of the National Association of State Mental Health

Program Directors (NASMHPD). Hogan's resume includes his connection to

TMAP. He is the past president of both NASMHPD and the NASMHPD

Research Institute (NRI), and is currently on the NRI Board ofs. Both entities are heavily supported by Janssen

Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly through " educational grants. "

 

Through NASMHPD, the pharmaceutical companies had to influence only

fifty key people in order to introduce TMAP to every state in the

nation. Allen Jones, a whistleblower in Pennsylvania, had this to say

about NASMHPD: " Janssen's influence of state Mental Health Directors

was not limited to NASMHPD funded events. Janssen also formed

" Advisory Boards " comprised entirely of State Mental Health Directors

and regularly treated these " Advisory Board " members to trips and

conferences, with all expenses paid by Janssen. "

 

About Parexel, Jones had this to say: " If you click on their ADAP

[AIDS Drug Assistance Programs] Report and Medicaid Pharmacy Bulletin

you will find other state level Directors participating. Different

drug companies pay for each publication. What is significant here is

that these publications are fluff pieces generated after `advisory

board' meetings in various locations throughout the country. Thes are treated to trips, first class accommodations and other

perks in exchange for showing up and listening to a spiel. The PA

director, Steven Karp, admitted that the sessions were attended by

Janssen sales personnel who directed the course of the meetings. "

Jones continued: " Also significant is the fact that several members of

the New Freedom Commission attended these marketing sessions,

including Hogan, [steven] Mayberg from California and Carlos

Brandenburg from Nevada. Janssen had multiple cracks at 3 of 22 NFC

members, including the chairman, during the time the NFC

recommendations were being formed. "

 

Laurie Flynn was the Executive Director of NAMI but left in December

of 2000 after a no-confidence vote from the board. She was then hired

by Columbia to co-direct its Carmel Hill Center and eventually to

direct the TeenScreen Program. She had been with Columbia University

for just over a year when the NFC was formed. Flynn, well connected to

pharmaceutical companies through NAMI, now works diligently to expand

TeenScreen through every possible avenue. But she has even more

connections.

 

Hogan and Flynn

 

Hogan and Flynn have known each other for some time. Prior to Hogan's

appointment to the NFC and Flynn's hiring by Columbia, they

collaborated on at least one other project, the " Expert Consensus

Guideline Series: Treatment of Schizophrenia 1999 " . And the purpose of

this project? To establish uniform medication guidelines for

schizophrenia. Sound familiar?

 

The " Expert Consensus Guideline " is explained by Allen Jones:

" Essentially, TMAP opted to " establish " new drugs as the best drugs

for various illnesses by surveying the opinions of doctors and

psychiatrists of TMAP's own choosing. No hard science, no patients, no

study review, and no clinical trials – just the " Expert Opinions " of

persons TMAP elected to survey. "

 

Hogan, Flynn and several members from the TMAP Project in Texas took

part in this " Schizophrenia Consensus. " In agreement with TMAP

protocols the newer, expensive, atypical, antipsychotic drugs ended up

as the drugs of choice in the " consensus. "

 

NAMI was not only given credit for their collaboration on the overall

TMAP project, but 51 representatives from chapters of NAMI are listed

as " Policy Experts " in the " Expert Consensus Guideline Series for

Schizophrenia " .

 

This consensus was generously supported exclusively by 6

pharmaceutical companies: Eli Lilly and Co., Janssen Pharmaceutica,

Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Ortho-McNeil

Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Inc. and Zeneca Pharmaceuticals.

 

The NFC is Born

 

By 2002, Flynn, Hogan, TMAP, TeenScreen, big pharma and NAMI, were

allied in their plan to implement widespread screening. The next step?

Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC).

 

While Hogan is chiefly known for his appointment as head of Bush's

NFC, other factors have not been widely known. How he gained that

important appointment and the key role he played in getting both

TeenScreen and TMAP listed in the recommendations as " model programs "

can all be explained by Laurie Flynn.

 

At the 2004 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's

(AACAP) annual meeting, Laurie Flynn made an eye-opening statement

while giving a presentation on TeenScreen. She admitted her own covert

role in creating the NFC by inserting a few words into Bush's campaign

speech prior to his election. Once Bush was " on the record " that he

would form a commission, Flynn and others coerced President Bush into

keeping that " promise. " In the same presentation, she said that

Hogan's appointment as the chair of the NFC was " not entirely by

accident. "

 

Flynn stated: " ...one of the things that we did here was to build on

President Bush, not a major promoter of these kinds of initiatives,

but to build on actually an opportunity that came to me while I was

still at NAMI. I had worked for many years with Senator Pete Domenici

and Paul Wellstone around the parity issue. And Senator Domenici

hosted Candidate Bush, in New Mexico, where Candidate Bush declared

his support for parity. This was as far as we could tell the last time

that he has supported parity, - [laughter] - but he supported it that

day in Albuquerque in front of the media, and I was one of a couple of

people invited to add some remarks to his speech. And I was able, with

a colleague, whose idea it was, it wasn't even my idea, in fact, I

tried to talk him out of it, I'll confess, I said to him, `What the

heck good is a Commission? " He was, at that time, Commissioner of

Mental Health in Virginia and said, `Listen, they have, ya know, beat

me up with Commissions in Virginia, this could be good!'. So, we put

into this speech, and it survived the edit process, a line that

Candidate Bush spoke, `And if I'm elected, I will convene a

Commission, to look at why our public sector and our mental health

system are not able to do the job our citizens deserve,' or some

such....anyways, he said `I'm havin' a Commission'. We had him on the

record, once he was elected it took awhile, alot of r-e-m-i-n-d-e-r-s

had to come to him that he had said this, we had to keep pushing this

message and ultimately Senator Dominici had to r-e-m-i-n-d him that he

had promised this. But indeed, a Commission was convened... "

 

Flynn went on to say, " ...and not entirely by accident, uhmm, Mike

Hogan from Ohio, the Commissioner of Mental Health in Ohio and one of

our most distinguished Commissioners, was appointed as Chair. "

 

Hogan was now in an ideal position to get TeenScreen and TMAP inserted

into the New Freedom Commission recommendations. In December of 2002,

Flynn plugged the TeenScreen program in a presentation to Hogan and

members of the NFC. The result of their collaboration is that

TeenScreen and TMAP both received prominent mention as " model

programs " in the NFC recommendations to the president. This gave the

TeenScreen Program the highly desirable " third party credibility " that

their PR firms were looking for.

 

TeenScreen's public relations firm seized upon this as a marketing

ploy and to this day crows that " TeenScreen has been recommended by

the NFC. "

 

Pushing the NFC Recommendations

 

Rabin Strategic Partners, Inc., one of TeenScreen's hired PR

companies, put together a key publication called, " Catch Them Before

They Fall; How to Implement Mental Health Screening Programs for Youth

as Recommended by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental

Health " . Hogan and Flynn's intention on mental health screening

becomes clear in the " Forward " of this publication, where it is

stated, " It will take the effort of people like you to make mental

health screenings for youth as commonplace as other preventive health

efforts like hearing and vision screenings. " When states were slow in

coming up with their own mental health action plans, per the NFC

recommendations, TeenScreen decided a little push was needed. So along

with Rabin, they sent out that publication and a copy of a " model

resolution " that they wrote, to key players in all the states. Of

course, TeenScreen was mentioned in that model resolution.

 

Flynn was quoted at that 2004 AACAP Meeting as saying, " One of the

things that we did was to mail a copy of our report " Catch Them Before

They Fall " and we mailed a model resolution, ahh, to all the 50

states, we sent this as a very friendly, `Here's some information you

might like to use since you're on a health committee' – we mailed it

only to people who were in key committees – `you might like to have

this resolution, to introduce the notion that every child should be

screened for mental illness, at least once in their youth, in order to

identify mental illness and prevent suicide.' So we offered them up

some language and some tools, and a surprising number of folks, in

fact, introduced it exactly the way we sent it and made some real

strides with it. "

TeenScreen now had their program specifically mentioned in individual

state mental health resolutions. States could then apply for federal

funding and begin the task of expanding TeenScreen's goal to screen

every child for mental illness.

 

The Pharmaceutical Industry

 

The pharmaceutical companies are positioned to gain billions in profit

from TMAP and TeenScreen. Naturally, they have been ready and able to

help with funding every step of the way. Who else would be in a better

position to `help all those poor children' that were now labeled with

so-called " disorders " by TeenScreen? Who else had medications, at the

ready, per TMAP recommendations? The NFC recommendations opened the

door for the pharmaceutical industry.

 

Eli Lilly was quick to recognize the efforts of Mike Hogan by

announcing the winners of their " 2004 Helping Move Lives Forward

Reintegration Awards. " First-place winners received a $5,000 cash

contribution " to their respective institutions to further the success

of their programs. " Lilly's press release announced: " A First Place

Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Michael Hogan, PhD,

chair of President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Illness…Dr.

Hogan has [since] delivered over 75 presentations urging for the

implementation of goals set forth in the Commission's Report. "

 

In looking over some of those " 75 presentations, " it was found that

these conferences were heavily funded by the pharmaceutical industry,

who also traditionally pay for the keynote speaker. The Pharmaceutical

Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and NASMHPD were heavy

contributors as well.

 

Ohio's Mental Health System under Hogan – Will the entire U.S follow?

 

What is Hogan's personal stance on mental health screening? He would

have preferred universal mental health screenings for the population,

but he acknowledged that " science and public opinion " have not

advanced to the point where universal mental health screening is

acceptable. Hogan has expressed his frustration that implementations

of the NFC recommendations have not proceeded faster. He conceded that

" we in the field, would have an easier time convincing the public of

the need for at least broader, if not universal, screening if the CMHS

(Center for Mental Health Services) had published the NFC Action Plan

that has been delayed. " CMHS is the federal agency within the U.S.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

that is charged with the efforts to implement the recommendations of

the NFC.

 

The following two stories indicate what has happened in Ohio under

Hogan's watch and what might happen in other states if Hogan, Flynn,

NAMI and the drug companies achieve their aims.

 

Drugging Babies in Ohio

 

In a Columbus Dispatch article dated April 25, 2005, the headlines

read, " EVEN BABIES GETTING TREATED AS MENTALLY ILL; Prescriptions on

the rise even though they haven't been tested on children " .

 

The Dispatch reported, " Nearly 40,000 Ohio children on Medicaid were

taking drugs for anxiety, depression, delusions, hyperactivity and

violent behavior as of July [2004]. For the entire year, the Ohio

Department of Job and Family Services paid out about $65.5 million for

kids' mental-health drugs. " They also reported that 696 Ohio children,

ages newborn to 3 years old, received sedatives and powerful,

mood-altering, mental-health drugs through Medicaid in July of 2004.

 

Valid research shows that ages 0-3 are the most critical years for the

development of children. Combine that data with the recent FDA black

box warnings on these drugs that list the physical side effects

ranging from headaches, nausea and weight gain to heart attacks, liver

damage, suicidal ideations and sudden death.

 

Hogan's views on all this? The Dispatch reports, " The biggest

public-health crisis facing the state and nation is the number of

children with mental illness who fail to receive any care or

treatment, " said Michael Hogan, director of the Ohio Department of

Mental Health. " It's true children are more likely to get medication

than counseling or other behavioral therapy if they go to their

pediatrician or family doctor. But at the end of the day, meds are

quite safe and effective. "

 

Medicaid Funding Crisis in Ohio

 

Medicaid spending in Ohio currently accounts for 37 percent of the

state's $49-billion budget. Ohio is spending $2 billion this year

alone on prescription drugs - a 94-percent increase since 2001. In

1999, under Hogan's direction, Ohio's version of the costly TMAP

program was implemented in the state. It's called OMAP, which was put

into place in conjunction with Janssen Pharmaceutica, Eli Lilly and

AstraZeneca. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Ohio-NAMI were

two of the primary movers of this program.

 

Medicaid is the primary funding source for mental health services with

public funds currently accounting for 63% of all national mental

health spending. The October 23, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle reported

that, " Nationwide, Medicaid programs purchase an estimated 60 to 75

percent of antipsychotic drugs. "

 

The cost to Medicaid for reimbursement of prescription drugs has grown

faster than any other area of the program. More specifically,

according to a report issued by the United States Surgeon General,

expenditures for psychiatric drugs are among the fastest-rising costs,

currently representing an estimated 20 percent of Medicaid's total

payment for pharmaceuticals. For Ohio, in 2002, psychotropic drugs

were 23 percent of their Medicaid pharmacy budget. Typically, the

costs for psychiatric drugs out-strip the costs for heart, asthma,

antibiotics and blood pressure medications combined.

 

According to the National Pharmaceutical Council, Ohio has been rated

one of the top 10 states in terms of the highest amount of Medicaid

reimbursement for prescription drugs. Those 10 states alone, account

for 58 percent of the total Medicaid drug payment amount ($7.9 billion

out of $13.7 billion), with two antipsychotics - Zyprexa and Risperdal

- representing almost 20 percent of all of the prescriptions.

 

The Washington Post, on June 16, 2005, reported a statement by House

Energy and Commerce Committee Chair, Joe Barton (R-Texas), about the

current conditions of Medicaid throughout the nation. He said, " We

have reached a point where there just are not enough taxes or taxpayer

money to keep Medicaid going, " adding, " Medicaid eventually will

bankrupt every state in the nation. "

 

With the rising Medicaid expenses to state budgets, states are

scrambling to rein in costs and meet budgetary constraints. Ohio

Representative, Catherine Barrett, expressed concerns for these

issues: " Ohio's Medicaid spending on drugs for mental health, needs a

Task Force and an Oversight Commission to investigate the spike in

Medicaid spending on antipsychotic drugs. "

 

In an interview with WIMA-AM Radio in November 2005, Hogan had this to

say on OMAP in Ohio: " …frankly it didn't work very well for us and

we've discontinued it…..Increasingly it's clear that the scientists

don't have pretty good information to give the doctors about which

works best……So we thought, and frankly I thought at one point in time

that this kind of algorithm where you'd give the docs, `Try this

first, try this second,' would be a good idea but it just hasn't

worked that well. " That must have been a pretty expensive lesson in Ohio.

 

Today and Tomorrow

 

This is not a complete report on what is happening today regarding the

implementation of these programs. Due to the secrecy employed by

TeenScreen and the various hidden channels by which TMAP is being

introduced into government and private treatment plans, it is

impossible to report the complete story.

 

At the time of this writing, TeenScreen claims 460 active sites in 42

states. As of August 2004, TMAP had been implemented in at least the

following locations on a state government basis: Nevada; Ohio;

Florida; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; New Mexico; Illinois; Georgia;

Kentucky; Washington, D.C. and California.

 

The final chapter to this report will be written in the upcoming years

and perhaps decades. Children will be screened for mental illness or

they won't; they'll be given a series of psychiatric drugs and ECT or

they won't – depending upon the actions taken today and tomorrow of

concerned parents, citizens, civic groups, churches and legislators.

There is no longer any mystery about the actions and intentions of

psychiatric interests, including NAMI and drug companies. They will

continue to push programs like screening and TMAP and will succeed if

not stopped. They are well-funded and fairly well organized. However,

that does not make them right or invincible. Our next generation

deserves the very best in care when it is needed, and protection from

fraudulent " care " that is implemented to line the pockets of others.

 

Perhaps if more teens start thinking for themselves, as Andrew Workman

of Ohio has, the future will turn bright. Andrew is an astute

14-year-old and has this to say: " I've been reading through new

statistics regarding TeenScreen in Ohio, and it appalls me. I've come

to realize TeenScreen is just a front to get kids on drugs whether or

not people want to realize this. " Andrew is currently writing to all

of his legislators in Ohio, to inform them of the dangers of TeenScreen.

 

Cassandra Dawn Casey, President and Co-Founder of ASPIRE (The Alliance

to Stop Psychiatry's Influence in Religion and Education) says that

it's important to speak up. She says: " Talk to your neighbors,

friends, relatives, members of your affiliated organizations,

including your clergy and educational leaders and your local

legislative leaders. Help them to become better educated on this most

important and dangerous initiative. "

 

David Oaks is the Director of MindFreedom International, which has

united 100 groups working for human rights and humane alternatives in

the mental health system. Mr. Oaks states, " I see a terrible tragedy

unfolding as literally hundreds of thousands of young people are

placed onto, often, dangerous psychiatric drugs, without families

being offered full information or a range of alternatives. " He goes on

to say: " I see an amazing rebellion stirring that cuts across usual

political lines. A federal bureaucrat recently called this a " curious

coalition " in the media. We are seeing traditionally conservative

groups working together with progressive social justice and

libertarian groups. The psychiatric drug companies have overextended

themselves, and the general public is showing signs of waking up. I

just hope they wake up very soon! "

 

When asked, " What needs to be done to thwart these insidious

programs? " , Oaks said, " On the national level, let's unite to push

through legislation, and make our topics issues in elections. While we

may all work in different groups, it's especially important that, at

times, all of these groups unite on some specific projects and pull

together. We are confronting one of the richest industries in the

history of the planet - the psychiatric drug industry - and this will

take a lot of people power. "

 

Given the concerns and the united force needed to give back the power

of choice to families and individuals, Mr. Oaks asks the ultimate

question, " The question is -- will there be enough people to speak out

to stop, literally, millions of more people being put on psychiatric

drugs internationally? That is not an exaggeration. The mental health

system has said they feel that millions of people around the world

need to be put on psychiatric drugs, so the stakes are incredibly high. "

 

According to a September, 2005 Pittsburgh Post Gazette story

headlined: " FIERCE OPPOSITION ARISES TO MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING IN

SCHOOLS " , Hogan complained about opposition from a " curious coalition

of people " .

 

 

Hogan now says that " my skin is a little thin " after being accused of

being a " pill pusher and worse " .

 

Brace yourself Mr. Hogan, the curious coalition is expanding and

curiously coalescing.

 

***

 

For a copy of the references for this article, please e-mail Sue

Weibert at: info

 

 

Or go to the website listed here:

http://www.teenscreentruth.com/new_freedom_commission.html

 

Independent journalist, Doyle Mills, contributed to this report

 

Sue Weibert is an investigative journalist, mother of six and resides

in Western NY.

 

Editor's note: OpEdNews has run a series of articles on Teenscreen.

Here are links to a few:

 

TeenScreen - Angel of Mercy or Pill-Pusher

http://www.opednews.com/pringleEvelyn_041405_teenscreen.htm

 

TeenScreen - Another Gross Distortion

http://opednews.com/articles/opedne_%20evelyn_p_050729_teenscreen___another.htm

 

 

TeenScreen Sets Up Shop In Illinois

http://opednews.com/pringle_062005_teenscreen_IL.htm

 

August 24 DC Protest - Activists Against TeenScreen Will Attend

http://opednews.com/articles/opedne_%20evelyn_p_050819_august_24_dc_protest.htm

 

Parental Consent : TeenScheme Sets The Record Wrong

http://opednews.com/articles/opedne_%20evelyn_p_050713_parental_consent___t.htm

 

Ken Kramer - Crusader Against Mass Drugging of Kids-- A Big Pharma Plot

http://www.opednews.com/pringle_042005_%20crusader_against_mass_drugging.htm

 

TeenScreen - Who Pays For Treatment & Drugs?

http://opednews.com/pringle_teenscreen_who_pays.htm