Press Release
Portland, Oregon – February 13, 2011
Contacts: Virgil Stucker, Chairman of the Foundation for
Excellence in Mental Health Care. Phone: 828-899-4673 and Gina Nikkel, Vice
Chairperson of the Foundation at 930-0349.
Oregon Leads the Way: Psychiatrists and
Policy Makers Meet on Concerns about Overuse of Medications
On
February 11th and 12th, 54 mental health experts from 13
states, including 22 psychiatrists met in Portland Oregon to begin developing ‘medication
optimization’ protocols and national and state policy reforms to help improve
mental health care outcomes. Two days of discussion cited research from recent
articles and books indicating that medications work well for some people, but that
many who are diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia, and depressive disorders are
not served well by medications over the long term.
Meeting Coordinator Gina Nikkel,
Ph.D. states: “Attendees were clear that our systems of mental health care have become
too medication focused, and it’s time for a broader approach. History will show
that this national shift began this weekend in Portland, Oregon.” Gina is Executive Director of the Association of Oregon
Community Mental Health Programs, an Associate Professor in the Department of
Psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University and Vice Chair of the newly
formed Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care that sponsored the
symposium.
Attending Psychiatrists embraced the
broader approach. Maggie Bennington-Davis, MD, Chief Medical and Operating Officer
for Cascadia Behavioral Health Care in Portland, Oregon states, “This
Symposium helped me to remember why I love working with complex people. Serving them is not just about giving
them a pill; we must think in broader terms and always hope and work for recovery.”
The
gathering included psychiatrists with teaching affiliations at Harvard
University as well as Beckie Child, Director of Mental Health America of Oregon
and Dr. Daniel Fisher of the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery and
international consumer activist Will Hall.
Robert
Whitaker, science journalist, catalyst and author of the Anatomy of an
Epidemic was a guest of the Symposium. The Anatomy of an Epidemic compiles
evidence showing that the number of individuals with disabling mental illness
has more than doubled in two decades, despite the dramatic increase in our
nation’s use of psychiatric medications by both children and adults.
Former
Oregon state commissioner of mental health and addictions services Robert
Nikkel stated, “Clearly something has to
change. We are called to action by Mr. Whitaker’s work and are deeply
appreciative for his courage and clarity of thought and analysis.”
The
Symposium called for a “recovery model” that endorses the optimal use of
medications as long as they are used in conjunction with other psycho-social
supports. During the two days, Symposium attendees focused on developing
improved protocols and policies for how psychiatric medications should be
optimized during the recovery phase for individuals with depression or
schizophrenia. Attendees cited the growing expense to Medicaid and Medicare
billing of psychiatric medications, and asked whether this approach was as cost
effective as other methods such as psychotherapy. Scientific papers defining
these protocols will be forthcoming and published on the Foundation’s website.
The
two day “Medication Optimization Symposium in the Service of Recovery” was
convened by The Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care,[1]
which is chaired by Virgil Stucker. Mr. Stucker, Executive Director of the
CooperRiis Healing Community in North Carolina and a national leader in the
therapeutic community movement, states, ”We
have run the course of narrow thinking that would reduce human despair to a permanent,
bio-chemical imbalance in the brain. We are re-awakening to the wonderful and
challenging complexity of the human condition. Compassion that fosters hope for
recovery will be the hallmark of our new mainstream. Science is providing
evidence for the effectiveness of this evolving broader approach.”
The
Foundation will convene future Symposia and anticipates that its next gathering
will focus on the increased use of psychiatric medications by our nation’s
children. The Foundation invites inquires by volunteers and philanthropists who
would like to help us with its work. Inquiries can be directed to Virgil@CooperRiis.org or gnikkel@aocweb.org
[1] The
Foundation is a new national non-profit organization operating currently as a
Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation of Sheffield, Massachusetts.
All donations to the Fund are tax-deductible.
