KFF Health News (9/7, Saint Louis) reports, “Since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline transitioned a year ago to the three-digit crisis phone number 988, there has been a 33% increase in the number of calls, chats, and texts to the hotline,” but “even with that early sign of success, the program’s financial future is shaky.” For the past “two years, the federal government has provided about $1 billion from the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Safer Communities acts to launch the number, designed as an alternative to 911 for those experiencing a mental health crisis.” But, “after that infusion runs out, it’s up to states to foot the bill for their call centers,” and many states, particularly “predominantly rural ones” where 988 is particularly needed, “have not made long-term plans to provide support.”

Related Links:

— “Most States Have Yet to Permanently Fund 988. Call Centers Want Certainty,”Christina Saint Louis, KFF Health News, September 7, 2023

According to Psychiatric News (9/7), findings from an umbrella systematic review and meta-analysis published online Sept. 6 in “JAMA Psychiatry suggest antidepressants are as safe and effective for people with comorbid depression as those with depression only.” After examining “52 meta-analyses involving 27 medical diseases,” the study team concluded that “the efficacy of antidepressants (relative to placebo) in patients with depression and comorbid medical diseases is comparable to their efficacy in people with depression alone.”

Related Links:

— “Antidepressants Found Effective for Depressed Patients With Other Medical Disorders, Psychiatric News, September 7, 2023

HealthDay (9/6, Thompson) reports, “People in better physical condition appear to have less need for drugs to treat mood disorders, Norwegian researchers have found.” The investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing data from the Trøndelag Health Study, and then comparing “that data with information from the Norwegian Prescribed Drug Registry.” The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Fitter Folks Need Fewer Psychiatric Meds, Study Finds,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay , September 7, 2023

The Washington Post (9/6, Osaka, O’Connor) reports, “When temperatures surge, the effects of schizophrenia can be profound.” However, “the precise reasons why people with serious mental illnesses — and those with schizophrenia in particular — struggle to deal with higher temperatures remain somewhat murky.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

RevCycle Intelligence (9/5, Bailey) reports, “A third of surveyed health care workers plan to leave their job in the next year, according to new data from Tebra.” A further “14% of respondents said they planned to leave the industry entirely within the next year.” The article adds, “Recruiting and retaining staff is a key priority for many health care organizations,” but “consequences stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and other administrative burdens are creating a less-than-ideal work setting for many health care professionals.”

Related Links:

— “1 in 3 Healthcare Workers Plan to Leave Their Position, Survey Finds,” Victoria Bailey, RevCycle Intelligence, September 5, 2023