Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 3.
In June, Gov. Edwards signed HB 554, now Act 128, authored by Baton Rouge Rep. Larry Selders, enacting the Juneteenth celebration into law and making it a permanent state holiday. Juneteenth is a day celebrating June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger led Union soldiers into Galveston, Texas bringing the news that the Civil War had ended and the Emancipation Proclamation declared to all those enslaved that they had been freed nearly two and a half years earlier. Gov. Edwards announced that in honor of Juneteenth becoming a legal holiday in the State of Louisiana, all state offices will be closed for a half- day on Friday, June 18. "I was proud to sign HB 554 by Rep. Selders and co-authored by the entire Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, finally recognizing Juneteenth Day as a legal holiday in Louisiana," said Gov. Edwards. "This is an important part of American history, commemorating the day those who had been enslaved in the United States learned of their freedom. There are meaningful lessons for everyone to learn." Act 128 designates the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth Day throughout the State of Louisiana, in honor of the day African Americans celebrate Emancipation Day. Beginning in 2022, all state offices will be closed the Friday before that Saturday.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 3.
As part of an effort to Bring Back Louisiana Summer and encourage people to go Sleeves Up and get their COVID-19 shots, free admission to Louisiana state parks is being offered now for anyone who has been vaccinated, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser announced June 3. Vaccinated individuals can gain free entry into all of Louisiana's 21 State Parks through July 31. This offer is available to all visitors from Louisiana and elsewhere who have been vaccinated, no matter when they got their shot. This offer does not extend to tour groups, according to the announcement.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 3.
The Department of Health published a rule in the June Louisiana Register, in order to continue the provisions of the March 16, 2020 Emergency Rule. "… Medicaid may temporarily cover services provided through the use of an interactive audio telecommunications system, without the requirement of video, if such action is determined to be necessary to ensure sufficient services are available to meet recipients' needs."
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 4.
On June 17, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness announced an additional $136 million dollars in FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding has been allocated for Louisiana parishes impacted by Hurricanes Laura and Delta. This is the latest installment in HMGP funding that will be added to the $40 million dollar allocation announced in November, bringing the total to $176 million, according to the press release. Funding through the federal HMGP can be used on projects that potentially save lives and reduce property loss. Working with local partners, the goal is to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property by lessening the impact of a disaster, noted the release. On June 30, Gov. Edwards announced more than $315 million in federal coronavirus relief aid will be allocated to 290 Louisiana towns and cities under the American Rescue Plan to help them respond to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency and support economic recovery. "The American Rescue Plan provided vital aid for communities large and small all across Louisiana that are still working to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will work at the state level to support these communities," Gov. Edwards said. The funding is divided among the 290 municipalities and localities in Louisiana that did not get direct allocations in the American Rescue Plan, because of their size. Larger communities, such as Alexandria, Baton Rouge, or New Orleans, are not funded through this program. The program is administered by Louisiana's Division of Administration in compliance with federal guidance.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 5.
Gov. Edward signed HB 375 into the new law, Act 1. The new law allows victims of sexual assault to receive early termination of their residential leases. "I am proud to have signed HB 375 by Rep. Freeman into law, making it Act 1 of the 2021 Legislative Session," said Gov. Edwards. "This bill is a great step forward in helping sexual assault survivors gain independence and protection under the law, and I applaud Rep. Freeman for bringing this legislation forward." The individual will need to (1) Assert in writing to the lessor that the lessee is a victim of sexual assault and requests an early termination; (2) Provide reasonable documentation of a sexual assault within the prior six months; (3) Assert in writing that the lessee shall not willingly and voluntarily permit the sexual offender further access to, visitation on, or occupancy of the lessee's residential dwelling unit; and (4) Fulfill all requirements of a lessee under the lease agreement. The new law provides that the lessor shall be entitled to an immediate eviction of a sexual assault offender upon presenting reasonable documentation of the assault. Proposed law provides that the lessee shall vacate the residential property by the date agreed upon to avoid liability for future rent.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 6.
The new law retains prior law, providing for the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board (board) including the membership, officers, meetings, and powers and duties of the board. The prior law provided that members of the board shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and a vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment. The new law provides that each member of the board shall be appointed for a term of four years and that a vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. The original law that created the board included terms of three years, four years, and five years.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 6.
Gov. Edwards signed HB 379 by Rep. White into Act 73, a measure about public health programs and services related to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias Act 73 states that the legislature is aware of the importance of early detection and timely diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia. The new law provides that it is in the public interest that information be provided to better understand Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases and increase awareness. Also, it states that it is public policy of the state that the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) provide consistent guidance and effective education programs to healthcare providers across the state. Act 73 provides that LDH may educate healthcare providers on the following: (1) The importance of effective care planning, including treatment options, support and services, long-term care options, advanced directives, and care at every stage of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases to include appropriate counseling. (2) The use of validated cognitive assessment tools. The new law states that the LDH office of public health may provide information that does all of the following: (1) Increases awareness of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases including any link to chronic disease, such as vascular risk factors. (2) Advises the public of the value of early detection of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases along with information on the early signs of such diseases. (3) Educates the public on the importance of identifying and reporting signs of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases to healthcare providers for timely diagnosis. (4) Increases data and surveillance applicable to Alzheimer's disease and other dementia diseases and encourages additional data analysis and accurate reporting on death certificates. Further Act 73 provides that LDH shall consult with and seek input from the Louisiana chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, along with other experts, advocates, or associations, when promulgating such rules and regulations.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 6.
The Louisiana Sexual Assault Oversight Commission has a mission to 1. Develop recommendations for a standardized sexual assault collection kit. 2. Develop recommended protocols for forensic medical examinations of sexual assault victims. 3. Develop recommendations of appropriate entities to perform sexual assault examinations. 4. Office of Attorney General to adopt all rules necessary to implement the recommendations. Act 188 updates the Commission, "…hereby created within the Department of Justice, office of the attorney general." Act 188 adds the president of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response to the members and the meeting schedule.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 6.
Act 279 establishes that a professional or occupational licensing board shall issue a license, certification, permit pending normal license, or registration to an applicant who is a dependent of a healthcare professional in accordance with the provisions of proposed law if the healthcare professional has relocated to and established his legal residence in Louisiana, holds a valid license to provide healthcare services in Louisiana, and is providing healthcare services in Louisiana. The new law provides that the dependent of the healthcare professional shall apply to the appropriate professional or occupational licensing board pursuant to one of the following: (1) Licensure by endorsement or reciprocity if provided for in law. (2) If the applicant holds an out-of-state license but licensure by endorsement or reciprocity is not provided for in law, by providing proof of certain qualifications. (3) Licensure based on work experience in another state, if the applicant worked in a state that does not use an occupational license or government certification to regulate the occupation. Act 279 provides that an applicant who is licensed pursuant to proposed law shall be subject to the laws regulating the occupation in this state and the jurisdiction of the professional or occupational licensing board in this state. Proposed law preempts laws by township, municipal, parish, and other governments in this state. Act 279 law provides that a professional or occupational licensing board may require an applicant to pass a jurisprudential examination specific to relevant state laws that regulate the occupation if required by law or the administrative rules promulgated by the board.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 7. Source pages: 8.
SB 66 was amended on the Senate floor the governor signed it in June to become Act 283, the Peace Officer and Public Safety Personnel Peer Support and Mental Health Wellness Act. According to the new law, "Peer support program" means a program established by a governmental entity to provide peer support services to peace officers and public safety personnel. "Peer support member" means a person specially trained and certified to voluntarily provide confidential emotional and moral support and assistance to peace officers and public safety personnel and who is approved as a peer support member by the executive director of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice, but need not be a peace officer or a licensed counselor or mental health professional. "Peer support session" means any communication by a peace officer or public safety personnel with a peer support member, primarily through listening, assessing, and assisting with problem-solving, and may include referring a peace officer or public safety personnel for professional intervention or treatment that is beyond the scope of the peer support member, and includes a group session following a critical incident experienced by a group of peace officers or public safety personnel. "Peer support training" means training in peer support and critical incident stress conducted by the Southern Law Enforcement Foundation, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc., or an equivalent program as approved by the executive director of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. New law provides that any governmental entity that establishes a peer support program must ensure that peer support members successfully complete the training required by new law before being designated as a peer support member. New law applies only to peer support sessions conducted by an employee or agent of a governmental entity who has both successfully completed peer support training and, at the time of the peer support session, has been designated by a governmental entity to act as a peer support member.
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Does Telepsychology Stack Up? A Review of a Comparative Meta-analysis on Efficacy Mental Health Services Delivered via of Video Conferencing Technology
COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives worldwide. In more technologically advanced cultures, there has been increased reliance on video conferencing platforms such as Zoom. Whether visiting with distant relatives or friends, for educational purposes, or for work-related functions, such platforms have become ubiquitous for many. Indeed, in March 2020 educators from the primary grades to graduate and professional schools were asked to suddenly “pivot” to the use of such technology for instructional purposes. The genie is unlikely to go willingly back into the bottle.
The delivery of health-care services has not been left untouched with many health-care professionals offering services via such distance technology. Important questions arise as to the efficacy of such treatment for a broad range of healthcare services including mental health-related services.
A recent meta-analysis by Batastini et al. (2021) pooled data from 57 qualified peer-reviewed journal articles, 43 examining clinical intervention outcomes and 14 examining evaluation reliability, to compare the use of video-conferencing technology (VCT) with more traditional in-person mental healthcare delivery. The studies included spanned over 20 years of research published in peer-reviewed literature between 2007 and 2019. The inclusionary criteria were that each study must have been published in or available in English, evaluate mental health outcomes following a mental health service, use a telecommunications system that allowed for synchronous audio and video connectivity, utilize a between-groups design, and provide enough information to calculate effect sizes and corresponding variances.
The 43 intervention studies that met inclusionary criteria were published between 2002 and 2019 representing a total of 281 individual treatment outcomes. In total, the studies analyzed subsumed 364 treatment outcomes among 4,668 participants. These studies included both male and female clients (no mention was made of clients who identified as non-binary or gender nonconforming) as well as child, adolescent, and adult clients. A variety of settings were represented including home-based, university clinics, veterans’ facilities, outpatient clinics, and correctional institutions. A wide variety of mental disorders were represented among the studies including, for example, depressive or mood disorders, as well as trauma and anxiety-related symptoms. Most of the studies reported the results of psychosocial interventions or psychotherapy while others focused upon psychotropic medication management with adjunctive counseling or psychotherapy.
There were 14 studies that were published between 1997 and 2019 that met inclusion criteria for assessing the reliability of psychological and psychiatric assessment procedures involving 332 examinees.
The results of two types of meta-analytic analyses revealed no overall statistically significant difference for treatment efficacy as a function of service delivery by VCT as compared to in-person interventions. Similarly, VCT-based assessments were found to yield similar assessment scores to those obtained with in-person formats.
The findings with regard to treatment efficacy are tempered somewhat by statistically significant moderation effects for client gender as well as a client intervention site. Specifically, there is evidence that in studies with a predominantly male sample treatment efficacy was higher for in-person interventions as compared to VCT-based interventions. The authors note, however, that other factors such as veteran status could be involved thus limiting the generalizability of this finding. In studies with a primarily female sample, the opposite was the case – females tended to benefit more from VCT-based interventions. The authors suggest that this finding may be related to evidence that women and girls are more frequent users of technology in the forms of text messaging, social media, and the like as compared to males.
Also, participants in medical facilities demonstrated higher efficacy for VCT- based interventions than was the case for in-person treatments. Regarding this latter finding, the authors speculate that it may be the case that medical facilities are equipped with superior online communication technologies than are those available in other settings and/or clients in such settings may differ from those in other settings in terms of types of presenting disorders, severity of disorder, etc.
Based on this careful and comprehensive meta-analysis, there is little reason at present to doubt the efficacy of VCT-based interventions and assessments as compared to such services offered in-person. This does not necessarily mean, of course, that there are in fact no differences nor obviate the possibility that with other outcome measures or samples drawn from other populations differences could be found. As we know, we cannot accept the null hypothesis, we can simply fail to reject.
Reference
Batastini, A., Paprzycki, P., Jones, A., & McLean, N. (2021) Are videoconferenced mental and behavioral health services just as good as in-person? A meta-analysis of a fast-growing practice. Clinical Psychology Review 83, 1 -22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.1019 44
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 6. Source pages: 15.
June is National PTSD Awareness Month, June 20 is National PTSD Screening Day, and June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day, named by the U.S. Congress in 2010.
Dr. Kelley Pears, Psychologist, PTSD/SUD Specialist and a member of the PTSD Clinical Team at the Alexandria VA Health Care System spoke about the month to the Times and provided the calendar (right).
"I think its important to note that PTSD is not limited to combat veterans or veterans in general," Dr. Pears said.
"Trauma can be caused by a variety of incidents such as a motor vehicle accident, physical or sexual assault or natural disasters. PTSD has been called the 'invisible wound of war' because there are no external signs, such as scar or prosthetic," he said.
In discussing available resources, Dr. Pears said, "People don’t need to suffer in silence. There are a multitude of resources available. The National Center for PTSD has an incredible website (www.ptsd.va.gov) with resources for clinicians, the survivor and the family members."
The VA also has developed excellent phone apps to help manage symptoms, such as PTSD Coach, PTSD Family Coach, PE Coach, CPT Coach and Mindfulness Coach."
For a full list, explore www.ptsd.va.gov/ap pvid/mobile.
"Also, over the past 10 years, many providers in the private sector have become trained in Evidence Based Psychotherapies to treat PTSD, expanding treatment options. Educating primary care providers and other initial points of entry into healthcare are important so proper referrals can be made," Dr. Pears said.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 6. Source pages: 15.
The Louisiana Psychological Association will host it's 73rd Annual Conference, "Timely Topics During a Global Crisis," on Friday, June 25 via it's virtual platform.
Keynote speakers are Dr. Peter Isquith, author and developer of The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and Dr. Michael Anestis, Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Center and author of Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic who will be presenting on issues related to this year's theme.
The convention will allow attendees to earn up to eight continuing professional development (CPD) credits (including 1 hour of ethics) through attendance at various events including the Science Café, Lunch & Learn, and invited addresses. Also presenting will be Drs. Kristin Fitch & Melissa Dufrene.
Peter Isquith, PhD, is a Developmental Neuro- psychologist, Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement; Senior Attending Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry and Instructor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School.
He is a licensed psychologist with specialty in development neuropsychology. His research interests are in development and disorders of self-regulation across the lifespan, and his clinical specialty is in working with Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. He is author of several measures of executive function including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function family of instruments and the Tasks of Executive Control.
Dr. Michael Anestis will deliver The Janet and Lee Matthews Invited Address. Dr. Mike Anestis is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor of Urban- Global Public Health in the School of Public Health at Rutgers. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 2002 and his Ph.D. in psychology from Florida State in 2011. Dr. Anestis has been a named investigator on approximately $5 million in externally funded suicide prevention grants, including serving as the PI on one of the first randomized controlled trials of lethal means counseling for firearm owning service members – Project Safe Guard.
He served on the means safety task force for the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, and the lethal means line of effort for the PREVENTS task force.
Dr. Anestis currently serves on the research advisory board for the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine (AFFIRM) and chairs the firearms and suicide committee for the American Association of Suicidology (AAS).
For more information see the LPA website.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 6. Source pages: 2.
One of the most dreaded species in the Star Trek universe is the Borg. The Borg don't just kill you, or even eat you––they "assimilate" you.
The Borg have a super cool psychology that draws on our primal fears. When assimilated, you become a drone––you have no separate thoughts or free will. Drones conform to everything. The Borg Queen tells them what to do and as a drone you are constantly listening to the buzz of the "collective" instead of your own separate thoughts. Even for a character with the strength of will of our beloved Captain Picard, you're pretty much done for as an individual once you're assimilated.
The literary device of this archenemy compares directly to important themes in psychology and philosophy. Nietzsche asserted the higher man versus the herd, and automatic conformity has been delved into by such classic researchers as Solomon Asch and Stanley Milgram. David McCelland and his followers looked at the problems that arise for leaders when their social need to cooperate and comply has been primed.
Recent events in the community caused me to wonder who's been assimilated. The state psychology board has been having financial problems for at least six years, primarily due to the overuse of legal consultants, an adversarial complaints committee, and the need to justify expenses for an outcome measure of only two misdemeanors per year, half of which are usually related to child custody.
In 2020, the state psychology board, set on a path to grow and expand, tried to sneak it's 23-page, candy-store legislation by opponents. Tripped up by Covid, the cat was out of the bag. Next came a commitment to develop a "consensus" with citizens, exercised through secret talks with mostly a few council members of the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA).
Through this process–– which started with the wrong solution to the wrong problem–– we get an assimilation of those who should be watching out solely for individual psychologists and their rights. But, boundaries dissolved along with clear problem-solving.
The 23-page bill, HB 477, was promoted to psychologists as now being okay because it had been tweaked for months––as if tweaking a bad idea makes it into a good idea. Thankfully, the long version was submarined by a group of rogue psychologists in LPA (I'm of course one of those).
But the bad legislation did not completely die there, unfortunately. A shorter HB 477 was resurrected next as a "fee bill" and then once again supported by the LPA Council. While the rogue members forced an open meeting, called by a members' petition, LPA leadership stuck to its guns and demonstrated its own political muscle.
They were brilliant––bringing in past board chairs and new members to vote in favor of the bill. They primed the emotionally convincing argument that somehow, without this bill, the state board would go belly-up and people would lose their licenses. As if the board can't raise license fees annually if they need to.
Whether the bill was the correct solution to a properly and adequately defined problem was lost in the foggy thinking and strange group dynamics. The state psychology board assimilated LPA. Welcome to the hive mind.
A bright spot emerged however. The real issues were not entirely obscured. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee members asked such insightful and clear questions about the citizens' participation in the origin of this legislation, and about the real underlying financial problems, that I have hope yet.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.