The Racine (WI) Journal Times (1/3) reports, “Reports of child abuse and neglect have dropped nationwide for the fifth consecutive year and abuse-related child fatalities also are at a five-year low,” according to the latest annual report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. The report, “released last month, estimates that there were 681,000 cases of child abuse or neglect across the nation in the 2011 fiscal year.” The piece quotes George Shelton, the HHS acting secretary for children and families. Shelton, who praised the progress made, said that “what this report tells me is that we still have 681,000 children out there who need our help.”

Related Links:

— “COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER: Reports of child abuse and neglect have dropped nationwide for 5th straight year, The Journal Times, January 2, 2013.

HealthDay (1/3, Dotinga) reports, “People diagnosed with mental illness are more likely than others to be victims of domestic violence,” according to a review recently published in the journal PLoS One. After examining data gathered from 41 studies across the globe, researchers found that “women with symptoms of depression were 2.5 times more likely to have experienced domestic violence over their lifetimes than those in the general population, while those with anxiety disorders were more than 3.5 times more likely to have suffered domestic abuse. The extra risk grew to seven times more likely among those with post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Related Links:

— “Mental Disorders Linked With Domestic Violence, Study Says,”Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, January 2, 2013.

The CBS Evening News (12/29, story 13, 2:30, Jarvis) reported, “For many American veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, this is the toughest time of year.” CBS (Miller) reported retired Army Capt. Emily Stair “says she saw a lot of carnage while serving as a physical therapist in Iraq. Although she appeared upbeat, once out of Iraq she fell into a deep depression and thought about suicide.” Miller explained, “In March of 2009, she spent more than a week undergoing psychiatric evaluation at an Army hospital in Germany.”

In an analysis piece, the National Journal (12/28, Mershon, Subscription Publication) reported, “About one in four adults suffers from a diagnosable mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, but millions of those who report needing mental health services don’t receive care because of its cost or its negative stigma.” What’s more, states “have cut about $5 billion from public mental health spending in the past four years, at the same time that 10 percent more people have sought services, according to Joel Miller, a senior policy director at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.” The question now is whether mental health services will improve under the Affordable Care Act. “While most experts agree that supply will eventually catch up with demand, the infrastructure to support substantially more individuals seeking mental health services will take time to develop.”

Related Links:

— “Will ‘Obamacare’ Fill the Gaps in Our Mental Health System?, “Erin Mershon, National Journal, December 28, 2012.

In a column focused on how to help families whose members are in need of mental health services, Steve Lopez wrote in the Los Angeles Times (12/31, Lopez), “If you have concerns about a loved one, contact your physician or your county mental health department. If you don’t get immediate help, call (800) 950-NAMI (6264) or go to http://www.nami.org, a great resource for information on symptoms and treatments of all mental disorders, as well as a link to the” nearest National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) chapter.

Related Links:

— “A lifeline for parents concerned about a child’s mental health, “Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2012.