On its front page, the New York Times (4/2, A1, Santos, Goode, Subscription Publication) reports in a 1,500-word story “on the growing number of people with severe mental disorders who, in the absence of adequate mental health services, are coming in contact with the criminal justice system, sometimes with deadly consequences.”

Across the US, “police officers find themselves playing dual roles as law enforcers and psychiatric social workers.” Unfortunately, some mental health crises can be made worse by fearful or reflexive actions taken by police officers. For that reason, some cities have established mental health crisis intervention units or have at least “put in place training for officers in how to deal with mentally ill people, teaching them to defuse potentially volatile situations and to treat people who suffer from psychiatric illnesses with respect.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in 17 people living in the US may have a mental illness of a serious nature.

Related Links:

— “Police Confront Rising Number of Mentally Ill Suspects,” Fernando Santos, New York Times, April 1, 2014.

The AP (4/1, Volz) reports that Disability Rights Montana on Monday filed a Federal lawsuit against seven officials with the Montana Department of Corrections and Department of Public Health and Human Services over claims that the officials have “warehoused” individuals with mental illness.

According to the lawsuit, the state officials have been placing patients with mental illness into Deer Lodge prison in order to increase bed space in the Montana State Hospital; the patients are then “mistreated and denied proper mental-health care,” representing cruel and unusual punishment and violations of due process, the AP says.

Disability Rights Montana says those determined to be “guilty but mentally ill” that are transferred from the hospital to the prison encounter significant hardship and is asking a judge to find that the inmates were discriminated against and had their constitutional rights violated.

Related Links:

— “Group: Montana warehouses mentally ill inmates,” Matt Volz, Washington Times, April 1, 2014.

In “Quick Study,” the Washington Post (4/1, Searing) reports that according to a study published online March 18 in the Journal of Adolescent Health, military relocation of families from one city to another may affect children’s mental health. After analyzing data “on 548,336 children, six to 17 years old, who had one parent in the US military,” researchers found that “adjustment disorders, conduct disorders, drug problems, self-injurious behavior and suicide attempts were more likely among youths who had moved.”

Related Links:

— “Moving kids from one town to another may affect their mental health, study finds,” Linda Searing, Washington Post, March 31, 2014.

USA Today (4/1, Healy) reports that according to a study published in the April issue of the American Sociological Review, “as students become more popular and climb the social hierarchy of middle and high school, they are at increased risk for gossip, harassment and even physical attacks from rivals competing for status.” The study of 4,200 eighth, ninth and tenth graders also revealed that “adverse consequences of that bullying – including increased depression, anxiety and anger, and decreased school attachment – are magnified the more popular the victim.”

Related Links:

— “As popularity rises, so does risk of being bullied,” Michelle Healy, USA Today, April 1, 2014.

HealthDay (3/19, Norton) reports that according to a study published March 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “critically ill people who survive a stay in the intensive care unit face a heightened risk of mental health problems in the months after hospital discharge.” The study of some 24,000 ICU patients in Denmark revealed that “after discharge, people had an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders or other psychiatric conditions.” The risk rate “was 22 times the rate seen in the general population over the same time period.”

Related Links:

— “ICU Patients May Face Mental Health Issues After Discharge,” Amy Norton, HealthDay, March 18, 2014.