Health report looks at trans, non-trans veterans
A report in LGBT Health sought to determine if medical- and/or mental-health disparities exist in the Veterans Health Administration ( VHA ) for clinically diagnosed and non-transgender veterans.
The studywhich looked at 5,135 individuals, with George R. Brown and Kenneth T. Jones leading the researchwas the first to examine a large group of clinically diagnosed transgender patients for psychiatric and medical health outcome disparities using various types of data with a matched control group. The veterans were treated between 1996 and 2013.
The result was that trans veterans were found to have global disparities in psychiatric and medical diagnoses compared to matched non-trans veterans. The researchers stated that the finding will have important implications for policy, health-care screening and service delivery in VHA and possibly other healthcare systems.
The report is at http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/lgbt.2015.0058.
Changes secured in state prisons
Law firm Dentons announced a pro bono victory in a seven-year legal battle to improve the treatment of thousands of prisoners with mental illnesses currently incarcerated in the Illinois correctional system.
As part of the settlement, some of the terms include:
For the first time ever, Illinois will provide both long-term and acute care for prisoners who are so seriously mentally ill that they require hospitalization;
More than 300 new clinical staff will be hired to treat prisoners with serious mental illnesses, along with more than 400 new security staff to work at the new residential treatment units; and
Four residential treatment units will be constructed at Logan, Pontiac, and Dixon Correctional Centers, and the now-closed Illinois Youth Center in Joliet.
Counter-protest set for anti-choice event
Chicagoans are gearing up to host a counter-protest to national anti-choice events this month.
The Chicago events are timed right after a "March for Life" Jan. 22, in Washington, D.C. In Chicago there is an anti-choice event Sunday, Jan. 17, 2-4 p.m. at Federal Plaza, 50 W. Adams.
Among the slated speakers are Archbishop Blase Cupich of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chicago and Pastor Wilfredo De Jesus of Chicago's New Life Covenant Church.
Counterprotestors will also march Jan. 17, including FURIE ( Feminist Uprising against Inequality and Exploitation ), which is planning on meeting at the federal courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn St., at 1 p.m. See www.facebook.com/events/513884098788124/ .