HealthDay (6/18, Preidt) reports that research suggests that individuals “who have a relative with Tourette syndrome or a tic disorder are at increased risk for the same condition.” The study suggests that “the highest risk is among first-degree relatives, such as siblings, parents and children.” Investigators came to these conclusions after analyzing “data from more than 4,800 people in Sweden diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder between 1969 and 2009.”

Related Links:

— “Tourette Risk Seems to Be Driven by Genetics,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, June 17, 2015.

The Congressional Quarterly (6/17, Attias, Subscription Publication) reports that the “revised version” of HR 2646, “a wide-reaching mental health bill by Rep. Tim Murphy [R-PA], appears to have picked up the tentative support of” Mental Health America, “a group that endorsed a rival measure last year, but Democrats still have concerns about Murphy’s effort.” For example, at yesterday’s Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, “some witnesses and panel Democrats aired concerns…including how the bill addresses a protection and advocacy program and court-ordered treatment for certain individuals with serious mental illness in a community.” At the hearing, “subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts, R-Pa., said the panel would act on the legislation.”

Related Links:

— Congressional quarterly (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (6/16, Norton) reports that research indicates that an increasing “number of US kids are landing in the” emergency department (ED) due to “self-inflicted injuries.” Investigators found that “between 2009 and 2012, self-injuries accounted for a rising percentage of children’s” ED “trips – increasing from 1.1 percent to 1.6 percent of all visits.” The researchers came to these conclusions after looking at information from a national database. The findings were published online June 15 in Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “U.S. Hospitals Seeing More Kids With Self-Inflicted Injuries,” Amy Norton, HealthDay, June 15, 2015.

In continuing coverage, Forbes (6/16) contributor Todd Essig writes that in a study published online in the American Journal of Public Health, investigators from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Institutes of Health described the development of “a ‘big data’ algorithm allowing clinicians to more reliably identify those at increased risk for suicide.” Commenting on predictive modeling as a tool for identifying people at high risk for suicide, National Institute of Mental Health Director Thomas Insel, MD, said, “It’s particularly encouraging that these analyses use the types of data available to any large health care system.” He added, “These methods could help us prevent civilian as well as veteran suicides.”

Related Links:

— “How ‘Big Data’ Can, And Can’t, Prevent Suicide,” Todd Essig, Forbes, June 15, 2015.

Scott Pelley reported on the CBS Evening News (6/15, story 6, 2:45, Pelley) that the VA estimates that 22 of the two million American veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan “die each day by their own hand.” Correspondent Chip Reid added that two veterans have “launched an Instagram suicide prevention network” which encourages veterans “who are having suicidal thoughts to call them, any time, day or night.”

Related Links:

— “VIDEO: Veterans launch Instagram page to prevent suicide,” Scott Pelley, CBS News, June 15, 2015.