​Mental health on college campuses has gained more awareness. An increasing number of college students suffer from mental health issues and require help from professionals. A 2014 National Survey of College Counseling Centersfound that 52% of the respondent’s clients had severe psychological problems. As a result, colleges are expanding services for students battling conditions such as depression and anxiety. Better and accessible screening, as well as earlier diagnosis, are important factors in improving the quality of mental health care on college campuses.
 
Accessible Screening and Services
 
Late adolescence and early adulthood are times when many mental health issues begin to manifest. Therefore, in addition to adjusting to college life, many students are coping with the onset of conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Many students may not know what is happening to them, and it is important for college campuses to conduct screenings to determine whether a student is in need of help. On-campus screenings for possible depression and other conditions can help point students towards services.In addition, access to crisis care can be essential to students with mental disabilities. Crisis hotlines staffed with after hour counselors can be used to triage issues and direct students in crisis to the services they need.
 
The most important quality in mental health services on campus is accessibility to all students. Many campuses simply don't have enough staff to accommodate the students who need help, and students languish on waiting lists. Ensuring that mental health centers have adequate numbers of properly trained staff to help students is an essential duty of any college campus.
 
Early Diagnosis
 
In addition to accessibility, it is important that the staff in campus mental health centers are adequately trained to recognize the symptoms of serious mental illness in college students. Individuals with conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder benefit from early treatment and diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis can lead to serious problems with academics and social skills and can lead to college students failing to succeed. If staff are adequately prepared to treat the mental illness of college students, they should have the capability of referring students to providers in the community who can help.
 
If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental disabilities. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.

​It has become a cliché to say that the jail and prison systems in the United States have become the largest mental health facilities in the country. Mental illness runs rampant throughout correction facilities, and frequently county jails become dumping grounds for those with mental illness. Most jailers don't have the appropriate training to handle inmates with mental illness, and this can result in tragic consequences. Texas has initiated a mental health training program that can hopefully give jailers better tools for dealing with the unique challenges presented by inmates with mental illness.
 
Training Program
 
At the Brazos County Detention Center, jailers from four Texas counties underwent training on techniques for dealing with inmates who have mental disabilities. Master trainers from the Sheriff’s Office, along with a case manager from the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority (MHMR) helped to conduct the training which had been developed by the National Institute of Corrections and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas.
 
During the training, actors were used to help demonstrate the situations jailers may encounter with a prisoner with mental illness. In one instance an “inmate” told the jailer that he wanted to be moved to a different cell because the loud sounds of the slamming doors were hard for him to deal with. The jailer spoke calmly to the “inmate” and quickly determined that the “inmate” was a military veteran suffering from PTSD. The jailer was then taught techniques on how to be empathetic and helpful to the “inmate” rather than dismissive. 
 
The officers undergoing these training sessions hope to become certified for serving on jail crisis intervention teams. Brazos County’s jail currently has two or three crisis trained deputies on every shift to help handle escalated situations often involving inmates with mental disabilities. These crisis intervention teams meet once a week to discuss the special needs of the inmates and those who have mental health and behavioral issues. 
 
While Brazos County has made real strides towards training their jailers on how to address the needs of mentally disabled inmates, the program is not widespread enough. Jails across the country need to provide comprehensive training to their officers on how to handle crisis situations and the special needs of these inmates. 
 
If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental illness or intellectual/developmental disability. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.

​Many individuals with mental disabilities have issues communicating properly or acting socially appropriately in a given situation. These communication issues can be especially problematic if a disabled individual encounters law enforcement or other first responders. The police often have no way of knowing that someone has a mental disability and often have no training on how to recognize a disability. 
 
Although it may appear that an individual is refusing to comply with an officer’s orders, it is sometimes the case that the person doesn’t understand the order or doesn’t know how to comply. A person may be acting strangely or erratically, and a police officer may interpret this behavior as aggression. Situations involving law enforcement and those with mental disabilities can have tragic and even deadly results.
 
Bridging the Communication Gap
 
Steven Mase and G.L. Hoffman worked closely with a police officer in Minnesota, parents, and caretakers of individuals with mental disabilities, and other members of the community in developing an app that could help bridge that communication app between people with mental disabilities and first responders. The Vitals mobile app promotes safer interactions by allowing authorized personnel to view a personalized digital profile of individuals with conditions that may affect their communication abilities. 
 
The information on the app is specific to the individual which is very important because every individual with a mental disability is different. The Vitals app pairs with a Bluetooth beacon that an individual wears that sends a signal to the law enforcement officer who also has the app. The information transmitted to the app includes the individual’s name, contact information, and condition. It also includes important information about known triggers and helpful de-escalation techniques. The app also allows a family member or caregiver to upload a video message directed to the individual with the disability letting them know that law enforcement is here to help. 
 
Developers of the Vitals app are hopeful that with widespread use it can change the tone of interactions between law enforcement and people with mental disabilities. The app is currently being used by 1,800 individuals and 60 law enforcement agencies in Minnesota. The app will hopefully expand to other states soon.  
 
If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental illness or intellectual/developmental disability. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first medical device to help children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTENS) system is available for children with ADHD aged 7 to 12 who are not currently taking medication. The device offers the first non-drug treatment for the condition. 
 
What is ADHD?
 
ADHD is a common condition that can be difficult to manage and begins in childhood. Symptoms of ADHD include difficulty focusing, inattention, impulse control issues, and increased physical activity. To be diagnosed with ADHD a person must demonstrate persistent inattention and hyperactivity that has a long-lasting effect and interferes with their daily life. 
 
The eTENS System
 
The device requires a prescription and is intended to be used under the close supervision of a caregiver. It is about the size of a cell phone and is designed to generate a low-level electrical pulse to the trigeminal nerve from a wire to a small patch placed above the child’s eyebrows. The trigeminal nerve then sends therapeutic signals to the parts of the brain that are believed to affect ADHD. The child may feel a tingling sensation when the device is working. The device is intended to be used at home while the child is sleeping.
 
Clinical trials of the device have indicated that it may take up to four weeks to begin working properly. A test showed a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms for those patients who used the device for four weeks or more. Side effects of the device include drowsiness, increased appetite, and trouble sleeping. Long term side effects are not currently known because the device is so new. The device should not be used by children under the age of 7 or those that have pacemakers or active implantable neurostimulators.
 
The eTENS system is currently available in Canada, Australia, and Europe and has been used as a device to treat depression. No U.S. release date has been advertised yet. The system is not currently covered by insurance. 
 
If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental illness or intellectual/developmental disability. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.