 |
MGH Community News |
|
MGH Community News |
| September 2013 | Volume 17 • Issue 8 |
Highlights
Sections Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Lindsey Streahle, x6-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, x6-5807. |
New TAFDC Learnfare Rules – Families at Risk of Losing Benefits Families with school-aged children who receive TAFDC benefits are subject to special “Learnfare” rules. Under Learnfare, DTA is supposed to monitor school attendance quarterly for all children between the ages of 6 and 14. Children with 8 unexcused absences in a quarter are put on “probation.” Children who then have 4 unexcused absences in a subsequent month are removed from their family’s TAFDC grant. DTA keeps children on probation until they have no more than10 unexcused absences over six months in a row. Under new policies, DTA recently sent a form to all parents receiving TAFDC with school-age children to fill out with the name of the school their child attends. If they do not return the form in 10 days, their whole TAFDC grant will be terminated. This is a significant deviation from past practice. If the parent does return the form, DTA will use the information to get attendance data about the child from a computerized match with a data base maintained by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (Other practices apply for children in private, parochial or home schools.) The new policies say that if a child has 4 unexcused absences in a quarter, DTA will contact the parent to “identify and resolve any barriers to school attendance” including collaborating “with local school designees and assist[ing] in providing referrals to community partners.” DTA has not given any further information about this will mean in practice. The new policies also require DTA workers to send a “referral” to DCF for all children who have been under a Learnfare sanction for 3 months. Greater Boston Legal Services thinks that provisions DTA has added to terminate the whole family’s grant are illegal under the Learnfare statute. They encourage affected families to contact them for possible individual or group advocacy on these issues. Greater Boston Legal Services main office: 617-371-1234 or 800-323-3205 (toll-free). -Forwarded to Housing and Benefits Google group, on behalf of Kelly Turley, MA Coalition for the Homeless, September 20, 2013.
|
Update on Federal Same-Sex Marriage Benefits Post-DOMA One of the key unanswered questions after the overturn of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was how would couples who are legally married, but live in states that don’t recognize their marriage be treated under the law? Here are some updates. IRS Says it Will Recognize all Same-Sex Marriages All legally married same-sex couples will be recognized for federal tax purposes, regardless of whether the state where they live recognizes the marriage, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced in August. As of the 2013 tax year, same-sex spouses who are legally married will not be able to file federal tax returns as if either were single. Instead, they must file together as “married filing jointly” or individually as “married filing separately.” But the Treasury decision could have ramifications for many gay couples’ tax liabilities, said Roberton Williams of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington. Couples with similar incomes often pay the “marriage penalty,” with their tax liability as a couple being much higher than it would be if they were single. At the same time, same-sex couples will also be able to file amended returns for certain prior tax years, meaning that many couples might be eligible for refunds. Couples do not have to file amended returns if they do not want to, a senior Treasury official said, meaning that couples who might pay the marriage penalty would not owe back taxes. But the ruling creates complications for same-sex couples who live in any of the 37 states that do not recognize their marriages. Previously, such couples filed federal and state tax returns as individuals. Now, they will have to file their federal returns as other married couples do, but may be required to file state returns as individuals. Along with its August 29 ruling, the IRS posted a Frequently Asked Questions and Answers bulletin. Other Agencies an Uneven Patchwork of Regulations Medicare and Treasury officials have said they would use a “place of celebration” standard for determining whether gay couples are eligible for benefits. That means same-sex couples would receive benefits as long as they are legally married, regardless of where they live. But the Social Security Administration is now using a “place of residence” standard in determining spousal benefits, and a gay couple in Alabama might not receive the same benefits as a gay couple in New York until final determinations are made or Congress acts. Registered Domestic Partnerships and Civil Unions According to the National Senior Citizens Law Center, Registered Domestic partnerships (RDPs) & civil unions (CUs) can be a basis for marriage-based Social Security (the Spousal benefit, Widow/Widower benefits and Death benefit) & Medicare benefits. They also are encouraging outreach as most of these people are totally unaware that they may be eligible for benefits. However, while people in RDPs and CUs should be eligible for the benefits mentioned above, as of late August the Social Security Administration was not yet processing these claims. Those in RDPs and CUs are not considered married for the purposes of applying for SSI. This will likely be an advantage as then the partner’s income and assets are not counted, making it more likely one would qualify. More Information The Demise of DOMA The Impact on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid For Same Sex Couples (PowerPoint), National Senior Citizens Law Center, 8/20/13. -See the full Boston Globe article ... MRC Home Care Assist Program Expected to Accept New Referrals in October As reported last month (Mass Rehabilitation Commission Home Care Assistance Program [Homemaker] Closed to New Referrals, MGH Community News, July/August 2013), the Mass Rehabilitation Commission’s Home Care Assistance Program (HCAP), which offers homemaker Services to eligible people with disabilities who are under age 65, had closed its waitlist. We were recently informed that they hope to re-open their waitlist in October. Mass Online Unemployment Service Falling Short More than two months after the launch of the state’s new unemployment benefits computer system, it remains plagued with problems, $6 million over initial estimates, and unable to make proper payments to hundreds of financially strapped workers hunting for jobs. Many jobless Massachusetts residents have gone without some or all of their unemployment benefits since the system went into operation July 1. In some cases, they have been erroneously billed for thousands of dollars in alleged overpayments. One Lawrence man said he was mistakenly charged $45,339. In interviews and e-mails, frustrated claimants said they were unable to file claims through either the new online system or automated phone system linked to it. That frustration has been compounded by their inability to get through to help lines set up by the state. Many spoke of dialing and redialing in vain attempts to reach a human, spending long waits on hold only to be cut off and forced to reenter the queue. State officials acknowledge problems with the system, but insist those issues have affected a relatively small share of filers. Officials also acknowledge that callers are still spending an average of 40 minutes on hold. The company that built the system, Deloitte Consulting, has until the end of September to fix the problems without penalty, under the $46 million contract. It’s unclear what remedies are available to the state if the system is still not working properly after that. -See the full Boston Globe stories...
Nursing Home Deinstitutionalization- Money Follows the Person Update A Medicaid program called Money Follows the Person identifies patients, old and young, who have been in a nursing home for at least 90 days but don't really need to be there. Massachusetts is one of 45 states in the program, created by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The program works to identify and coordinate sufficient community supports to allow people to return to the community. The program is off to a slow start. Massachusetts had hoped to have more than 1,000 men and women enrolled by now. It has 306. Community agencies are still waiting for final rules for how they'll be paid — what's covered and which patients will qualify. The state has to establish connections in the program between housing, mental health, transportation and other departments. And resettling patients who are used to life in a nursing home can be hard. "It's a very complicated program for a variety of reasons," says Dr. Julian Harris, the Medicaid director in Massachusetts. "It's not a process that's sort of a one-size-fits-all." Putting together all the things a patient may need — a guard dog, maybe, or the right home care, home renovations and rides to appointments — is challenging, Harris says. But, she adds, "this administration has really made a commitment to making home- and community-based services possible." The commitment goes back to a 1999 Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. The judgement said that state Medicaid programs must pay for home care as long as it doesn't cost more than a nursing home or some other institution. It will be several years before supporters of this program will be able to say whether it saves Medicaid money and participants are better off. This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes WBUR, NPR and Kaiser Health News. -See the full NPR article ... -Cited in/Linked from: News from Margolis & Bloom, LLP - September 3, 2013, September 03, 2013. SNF Involuntary Transfer/Discharge Rights The National Consumer Law Center recently hosted a webinar entitled “Involuntary Transfer/Discharge: A Growing Problem We Can Do Something About!” The federal “Nursing Home Reform Law” offers protections to those residing in nursing homes and applies to every facility certified for Medicare and/or Medicaid and applies regardless of resident’s payment source. Allowable Reasons for Transfer/Discharge Under the law, SNFs can transfer or discharge a resident for the following reasons:
Notice Requirements The SNF must provide written notice to the resident and, “if known, an immediate family member of the resident or legal representative.” The notice must be in a language that the resident and/or representative will understand. The notice must include the date of proposed transfer/discharge, the location to where resident is to be moved, appeal rights and the local LTC Ombudsman program name, address, & telephone number. Generally the notice must be delivered 30 days in advance of the proposed transfer/discharge, though there is some room in the law for exceptions under certain circumstances. While some of the details of these exceptions are not clear, non-payment is NOT one of the exceptions. (“Congress specifically intended a 30 day notice because [in the Reform Law] it exempted a 30 day notice for a number of reasons … but not for nonpayment of services.” -56 Federal Register at 48,840 [1991].) Additional Requirements The facility must provide “sufficient preparation and orientation to residents to ensure safe and orderly transfer or discharge.” The facility must also have “[a] post-discharge plan of care that is developed with the participation of the resident and his or her family, which will assist the resident to adjust to his or her new living environment.” Improper Justifications for Transfer/Discharge Include
-See a .pdf of the presentation outline. The Transfer/discharge law can be found at 42 USC 1395i- 3(c)(2), 1396r(c)(2); 42 CFR 483.12.
SNAP Benefits Will Be Reduced for All Participants in November 2013 SNAP recipients will experience two benefit changes this fall. First, many clients will notice a slight increase in their SNAP benefit in the month of October 2013, attributed to the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). Then due to the end of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, SNAP benefits will be reduced for all SNAP recipients on November 1, 2013. For families of three, the cut will be $29 a month — a total of $319 for November 2013 through September 2014, the remaining months of fiscal year 2014. Without the Recovery Act’s boost, SNAP benefits will average less than $1.40 per person per meal in 2014. This cut will be the equivalent of taking away 21 meals per month for a family of four, or 16 meals for a family of three, based on calculations using the $1.70 to $2 per meal provided for in the Thrifty Food Plan upon which SNAP benefits are based. -Learn more at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities website...
AIDS Action’s Rental Assistance Program Suspends Utility Assistance AIDS Actions’ Rental Assistance Program (RAP) delivers short-term emergency assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS who face eviction, unaffordable housing, rental start-up costs and high utility bills. RAP helps those who live or are moving to Essex, Worcester, Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol counties. Unfortunately, the program announced on September 30, 2013 that, due to a large increase in demand for program assistance, they need to prioritize helping clients move into affordable living situations and/or keeping clients housed. They have suspended the Utility Assistance program until further notice. The program will continue to offer clients and advocates information about other utility assistance programs and shut-off protections. Social Service staff can learn more about utility assistance and shut-off protections on our Utilities page and from there can download our Utility Patient Handout. For information about RAP call 617-437-6200 or see their website. -Thanks to Melanie Cohn-Hopwood for bringing this to our attention.
Free Medical Alert Bracelets from the MedicAlert Foundation The MedicAlert Foundation (or call 800-432-5378) offers “sponsored memberships” for low-income people. A membership includes one free stainless steel bracelet or necklace engraved with personalized vital health information and access to an Emergency Medical Information Record (EMIR). In the event of an emergency, medical professionals can locate the member’s personal ID number inscribed on their bracelet or necklace and call MedicAlert 24/7 to get immediate access to the member’s health information. Each MedicAlert member maintains their own EMIR with 24-hour online access. The EMIR should include updated medical history, medications, allergies, and any medical instructions from the member’s regular doctor. To apply for a free membership, you must complete the regular application and submit proof of income (pay stubs, SSI check, Medicaid card, unemployment/worker’s compensation statements, etc.). If unable to demonstrate proof of income, they will accept a letter from a social worker. Eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. More at Sponsored Services. (12/14 application is being revised and applications are based on funding for certain diseases. Call to ensure that you have the correct and current version.) Include in the application
Send the completed application and proof of income to:
Or fax to 1-800-863-3429 (Address it to “sponsored membership”). The membership is good for three years but may be renewed by resubmitting an application and proof of income. Please note: a free medical alert bracelet cannot be obtained without the free membership. -Thanks to Melanie Cohn-Hopwood and Matt Silvia-Perkins for sharing this resource. Magnolia Meals: For Breast Cancer Patients Near Andover, MA and Woodcliff, NJ Magnolia Meals at Home provides up to two months worth of free meals to people living with breast cancer and their families. Eligible participants will receive up to 20 meals per delivery (10 for the patient and, on request, 10 for family members). Meals are delivered once a month for up to two months. Those with great need may be able to re-enroll. All meals will be delivered frozen with a label containing the ingredients. Eligibility: Breast cancer patients (both women and men) who live within a 25-mile radius of the Andover, MA or the Woodcliff Lake, NJ who meet at least one of the following criteria:
There are no income or asset limits to qualify. To apply, mail the application and a letter from your doctor, social worker, or nurse verifying your diagnosis the appropriate address below. For applicants in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire area:
For applicants in the New Jersey/New York area:
For more information see www.magnoliamealsathome.com. New Veterans’ Housing Opens in Somerville
Homeless military veterans in the metropolitan Boston area now have a greater chance to get back on their feet with a roof over their heads and access to a wide array of supportive services with the recent dedication of Volunteers of America Massachusetts' Massachusetts Bay Veterans Center (MBVC) in Somerville, MA. More Information at: http://www.voamass.org/highlights-articles/new-veterans-housing-program-to-open-in-august/ -Thanks to Kitty Craig-Comin for alerting us to this new program. Wheelchair Dance Classes in Cambridge Spaulding Hospital Cambridge will be hosting wheelchair dance classes. For wheelchair users and their loved ones- the class teaches the “combi-style” partner dancing, consisting of one standing partner and one seated partner. Beginner and Intermediate classes offered. The maximum class size is 8 dance pairs (16 individuals). The cost is $40 for each 3 session series. Classes will be held at the Spaulding Hospital- Cambridge Culinane Center. See the facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/129503173926492/?ref=22 Call 877-976-7272 to register. -Thanks to Zary Amirhosseini for forwarding this information.
Medicare Open Enrollment Period The Fall Open Enrollment Period, during which people with Medicare can make unrestricted changes to their coverage options is from October 15 to December 7. During Fall Open Enrollment, people with Medicare have the right to change their Medicare health and drug coverage options without restriction. Changes made during this period will take effect on January 1, 2014. Most people are allowed to make a change only during Fall Open Enrollment.
More details (and above adapted from): Fall Open Enrollment Period: A Resource for Journalists, Medicare Rights Center, August 28, 2013. Medicare Reminder: Early Retirement - Do I Take Medicare B? In a recent interview with Consumer Mojo, Joe Baker, President of the Medicare Rights Center, explains the necessity of enrolling in Medicare Part B at the right time. To avoid late enrollment penalties and/or gaps in coverage, it is important to know the rules for enrolling in Part B when you are eligible and retired or if you have coverage through a large group employer plan. Mr. Baker says, “A lot of people who take early retirement have the retirement coverage from their former employer and they say, ‘This is great.’ But it’s not enough. What they don’t realize is that when they turn 65 that coverage…becomes secondary to Medicare. You need to enroll in Medicare for primary coverage.”
Learn more about when to enroll in Part B. -Adapted from Medicare Watch, The Medicare Rights Center, August 08, 2013. Medicare Reminder: Medigap Plans Whether you are allowed to buy a Medigap plan during Fall Open Enrollment (October 15-December 7 of each year) depends on your circumstances and your state’s specific rules on Medigap enrollment. A Medigap plan is supplemental coverage designed to pay for out-of-pocket Original Medicare costs, such as deductibles and coinsurances. Medigap plans do not work with Medicare Advantage plans. You can only have a Medigap plan if you have Original Medicare. Anyone in Massachusetts with Medicare Part A and Part B coverage, except people under 65 who get Medicare because of end-stage renal disease, can buy Medigap insurance. Medigap companies do not have to sell to individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) until they reach the age of 65. Companies in Massachusetts cannot refuse to sell you Medigap, limit your coverage, or make you wait for coverage of a preexisting condition. For exact rules and protections in other states contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or State Department of Insurance. Learn more about Medigap enrollment at www.medicareinteractive.org, or call their helpline at 800-333-4114. -Adapted from Transitions to Medicare after the Affordable Care Act, Medicare Watch, Volume 4, Issue 36, The Medicare Rights Center, September 12, 2013, and Massresources.org (As of March 2015 website no longer operational). Applying for Health Insurance Under the Affordable Care Act? Expect Homework Getting covered through President Barack Obama's health care law might feel like a combination of doing your taxes and making a big purchase that requires research. You'll need accurate income information for your household, plus some understanding of how health insurance works, so you can get the financial assistance you qualify for and pick a health plan that's right for your needs. The process involves federal agencies verifying your identity, citizenship and income, and you have to sign that you are providing truthful information, subject to perjury laws. You heard it was going to be like buying airline tickets online? Not quite. But even if the process triggers some anxiety, it's not the government poking in your medical records, as "Obamacare" foes have suggested. After state health insurance markets open Oct. 1, consumers can apply online, via a call center, in person or by mail. Trained helpers are supposed to be available, but there may not be enough of them. The main steps are:
Many people, ranging from lower-income workers to the solid middle class, will qualify for tax credits to help buy a private plan through the state markets. The government will send money directly to your insurer, and you'll make arrangements to pay any remaining premium. Massachusetts residents should go to The Connector’s website: www.mahealthconnector.org -See the full nbcnews.com article including detailed advocacy tips... Cited in/linked from: HEALTH CARE WEEKLY UPDATE , Barbara Roop & John Goodson, Health Care for Massachusetts, September 13, 2013. One Care- Dual Eligibles Coverage Starting in October; PHS PCPs Will Not Participate Massachusetts is participating in a demonstration program to better coordinate services and save money on care provided to “Dual Eligibles”- those covered by both Medicare and MassHealth- who are age 21-64. The new “One Care” program will begin in October (see previous coverage: One Care- MA Pilot Program for Dual-Eligibles Cut Back, MGH Community News, July/August 2013). Partners Healthcare Will Not Participate for Primary Care Patients with a Partners Primary Care Physicians can either opt out of the One Care program and remain with their PHS PCP or enroll in one of the One Care plans and choose a new PCP. MGH will participate with Commonwealth Care Alliance and Network Health (two of the three participating plans) for specialty and hospital care. Background One Care combines MassHealth and Medicare benefits into one plan, with one card, including medical, pharmacy, mental health and substance abuse services, long-term services and supports, and community support services. Goals of the program include better benefits coordination, eliminating conflicting rules, and managing care/saving money by intervening early to avoid more costly care later, rehospitalizations, and to avoid or delay long-term care placements. Covered Services
Enrollment and Plans Some eligible members will be automatically enrolled starting in January (only those where there are at least two options: Hampden, Hampshire, Suffolk, & Worcester county residents; and only those who are the least medically complex). Patients can opt out before or at any time during and return to regular MassHealth and Medicare (though the switch will happen at the beginning of the following month). Patients wishing to enroll or opt out can return the enrollment form they received in the mail from MassHealth (the form can also be downloaded from the MassHealth website: www.mass.gov/masshealth/onecare) or they can call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900 or TTY: 1-800-497-4648 (for people with hearing or speech impairments). Three health plans have signed on: Commonwealth Care Alliance (not to be confused with Commonwealth Care), Fallon Total Care, and Network Health. About half of eligible enrollees will have just one choice. Five counties - Bristol, Berkshire, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket - will be excluded because no insurer signed on to serve customers there. Notification and Important Dates MassHealth sent an enrollment packet to all dual eligible patients under 65 during September. The state will be sending out 60 day notice in November to those patients who may be auto-assigned in January 2014. Additional waves of auto-assignment may take place in April and July 2014. -Thanks to Kristin McGonagle for her assistance with this article.
Adult Day Services May Get New Rules Thousands of older Massachusetts residents, many with dementia, receive health care and participate in social activities in adult day programs that are not licensed and routinely inspected, but proposed rules unveiled by state regulators in early September would change that. The rules would require the programs to be inspected every other year by the state Department of Public Health, and mandate minimum staffing levels, infection control measures such as showers and hand-washing stations, and separate spaces to provide activities for those with advanced dementia. The council is scheduled to vote later this fall to finalize the rules, after a public hearing. MassHealth, the state Medicaid program, certifies the adult day health programs that it reimburses, and that process includes proof of fire inspections, criminal background checks on all employees, and some minimum staffing and training requirements. There are 150 adult day health programs that get Medicaid funding, but Dr. Madeleine Biondolillo, director of the state Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality, said officials are unsure of how many other programs may be operating, adding that some estimates put it as high as 50 more. -See the full Boston Globe article ...
Plan Aims to Reduce Hospital Readmits Staffers at about three dozen Massachusetts nursing homes soon will receive intensive training aimed at reducing the number of residents who cycle back and forth to hospitals, often with preventable health problems. The federal government has been pressuring hospitals to reduce such repeat admissions, but now it is funding a pilot program to attack the problem from the other side, by improving the care of nursing home residents. The one-year program, which its creators hope becomes a national model, will train staff “behavior teams” to decipher the reasons for difficult behavior from residents, many of whom have dementia and are unable to speak. The teams will learn ways to care for residents who are punching, slapping, or screaming, without resorting to physical restraints or antipsychotic medications to sedate them. Both these approaches can cause serious health complications, leading to hospitalization. Repeat hospitalizations can be traumatic for patients, exposing them to infections and other complications. They are also costly. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has estimated the cost of avoidable hospital readmissions at more than $17 billion a year. -See the full Boston Globe article...
Long-Term Care Commission Provides Its Recommendation to Congress The Federal Long-Term Care Commission, created by Congress after the repeal of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS), released a summary of its recommendations to Congress. The Commission was tasked with addressing the country’s need for long-term services and supports. The report calls for supporting criminal background checks for long-term care workers, ensuring that family caregivers are included in care planning, and improving working conditions and opportunities for long-term care workers. Noticeably missing from the Commission’s recommendations were options for financing long-term care services. Currently, Medicare does not pay for long-term services and supports, and Medicaid only covers those services for people with low incomes or those who have sufficiently spent down their assets in order to qualify. The Commission did not provide any recommendations on how to pay for long-term services and supports, but did recommend that Congress advocate for new models of public payment on the basis of the service, rather than the setting. Read the summary of recommendations. - Adapted from Medicare Watch,Volume 4, Issue 37, The Medicare Rights Center, September 19, 2013. Dementia Care Standards Unveiled for Nursing Homes Massachusetts nursing homes that advertise specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care units will be required to provide workers with at least eight hours of initial training to care for such residents, and four additional hours annually, under proposed rules unveiled recently by state regulators. The rules would also require all licensed nursing homes, and not just those with special dementia units, to provide dementia-specific training for all direct-care workers, including medical directors, nurses, social workers, dietary aides, therapists, and activities staff. Regulators said it was important to require the training at all facilities because roughly 60 percent of nursing home residents have some form of dementia. Nursing homes would have 90 to 180 days after the rules go into effect to complete the initial staff training. Nursing home industry leaders said they agree on the need for minimum training standards but worry about how facilities will pay for it. Advocates have said that too often nursing homes do not provide appropriate activities for residents with dementia, and that can exacerbate agitation and wandering, two hallmark challenges with these patients. Another issue addressed by the rules is the physical design of special-care units. Specialists say proper design can ease agitation, confusion, and difficult behaviors. The Public Health Council is expected to vote on the proposals later this fall, after holding a public hearing on Sept. 18. -See the full Boston Globe article...
New Mass. Law Puts 17-Year-Olds In Juvenile Court This month Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law a bill placing 17-year-olds accused of crimes under the jurisdiction of the state’s juvenile courts. Currently in Massachusetts, 17-year-olds are treated as adults, regardless of the circumstances or severity of the offense. Thirty-nine other states and the federal government use 18 as the age of adult criminal jurisdiction. In cases of violent crimes, juvenile court judges would have the discretion to impose an adult sentence. The new law also means 17-year-olds won’t receive an adult criminal record. Patrick said the new law will give young people the chance to rehabilitate their lives while holding the most violent offenders accountable. Supporters of the change say in almost all other legal matters in Massachusetts — including voting, entering into a contract, and serving on a jury — 18 is the age of adulthood. The Massachusetts Bar Association’s chief legal counsel, Martin Healy, applauded the change. “Seventeen-year-olds are still mentally developing, and should be treated as a juvenile under our criminal justice system,” he said. In a statement on his website, State Rep. Jason Lewis said that juvenile offenders are much more receptive to rehabilitation than adult criminals and that who are committed to the adult criminal justice system are more likely to repeat criminal behavior, and are less likely to become integrated, productive members of society. Other advocates note that juveniles are also much more likely to be victims of sexual assault in adult prisons and have a much higher suicide risk. Healy said 5,000 17-year-olds are arrested each year, most for nonviolent offenses. -See the full WBUR story ... -See the statement from Rep. Jason Lewis...
Social Isolation Rivals Hypertension as Mortality Risk Factor Social isolation is a risk factor for premature death that rivals more traditional mortality risk factors of smoking and high blood pressure, a study shows. Investigators at the University of California Berkeley–University of San Francisco Joint Medical Program in San Francisco found that social isolation predicted mortality for both sexes, as did smoking and high blood pressure. The "power of isolation as a marker of poor health cannot be ignored," lead investigator Matthew Pantell, MD, and colleagues write. The study was published online September 12 in the American Journal of Public Health. -See the full Medscape summary article: Social Isolation Rivals Hypertension as Mortality Risk Factor. Medscape. Sep 17, 2013.
Online Tools May Boost Breast Cancer Patients' Mood Women with breast cancer who created a personal website about their health reported feeling less depressed, more positive and having a greater appreciation for life in a small new study. The researchers say that while cancer patients have long benefited from support groups of other survivors, they may still have trouble talking about their experiences with family and friends - who may also feel uncomfortable broaching the subject. The websites in this study were especially helpful for women to "be able to truly tell their story, express emotions and communicate with others without having to repeat information about their diagnosis and treatment," said lead author and psychologist Annette Stanton of the University of California at Los Angeles. The study is the first to use a randomized controlled trial to evaluate online intervention tools and their influence on patient moods, Stanton told Reuters Health. Popular sites like CaringBridge.org and MyLifeLine.org offer similar tools, "but, to our knowledge, none of those websites have been tested for their effects," she said. -See the full Medscape summary article: Online Tools May Boost Breast Cancer Patients' Mood, Medscape, Aug 30, 2013.
|