Due to the vigorous Crusade from a Mother's Heart, On January 17, 2008; The Honorable Senator Joseph J. Carraro; while in Santa Fe, NM for the 2008 Regular Session, Introduced to the Floor SM9 (Senate Memorial 9) STUDY ANTIDEPRESSANTS & SUICIDE. (This is the first step towards "Sarina's Law").
Please see the Memorial below.
It is imperative that the Senate pass this Memorial; which will then have the Health Policy Commission and The Department of Health set up a Task Force and make up a finding of facts; as to the study of psychotropic drugs, how they're prescribed and whether or not there needs to be restrictions on who prescribes them.
I am very pleased and proud that this action has taken place; as you all know, my ultimate goal is to have Suicide-Causing Anti-Depressants Abolished completely.
This Memorial is an excellent start, I am also urging Legislature and the Task Force for the respect and acknowledgment to have Sarina's name attached to this Memorial and represent it, it's very important that we all understand that Sarina's Voice is the basis behind this Memorial; which will make certain that Sarina's life and death, and all those hundreds of thousands with her; were not in vein.
PLEASE, everyone contact a member of the NM Legislature and let them know that you support this Memorial and want Sarina's name to represent the Memorial and the Task Force. Also, PLEASE email me back your "detailed" words of support and I will make certain they get into the right hands.
I don't know when the final decision will be made to accept or reject this Memorial, but time is of the essence, please do not delay, please send your letters of support immediately.
Hopefully our first Victory is close -
Senator Carraro and Michael Hely; Sarina and I Thank You !!
............SARINA'S VOICE WILL BE HEARD -
Camille Milke, Eternal "Mommy" of Sarina Angel
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Forever........
My Beautiful Baby Girl, 1/26/86 - 10/28/07, 21 years 9 months 3 days
COPES Foundation (Coalition Of Parents Enduring Suicide)
Founder and President, Main - 505-269-2286, Fax - 505-213-0999
www.COPESFoundation.com
www.ILoveYouSarina21.last-memories.com
SENATE MEMORIAL 9
48TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2008
INTRODUCED BY
Joseph J. Carraro
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THAT THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY POSSIBLE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AND TO RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS ANY CORRELATION.
WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration issued a public warning in October 2004 about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in children and adolescents treated with a class of antidepressant medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, an advisory committee to the federal food and drug administration recommended that the federal food and drug administration issue a public warning about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young adults up to the age of twenty-five who are taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and
WHEREAS, in September 2007, a study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that there is not a positive correlation between antidepressants and suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young people; and
WHEREAS, studies and professional organizations disagree as to whether the prescription of antidepressant medications should be further regulated or further protocols developed to guard against suicidal thoughts or behaviors among young people; and
WHEREAS, according to the treatment for adolescents with depression study, funded by the national institute of mental health, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for adolescents with depression; and
WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration has issued guidelines stating that individuals who take antidepressants must be carefully monitored for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviors; and
WHEREAS, on the basis that some physicians are inadequately monitoring or are unaware of the risks that antidepressants may pose for young people, the state of California has considered legislation that would require all family practice physicians who treat depression by prescribing antidepressants to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to convene a task force comprising experts from the human services department and the department of health; medical and behavioral health providers; and other health care and health policy experts to investigate whether there is a correlation between antidepressant drugs and suicidal thoughts and behaviors and to recommend policy solutions to address the correlation, if it exists; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers who prescribe antidepressants should be required to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications in order to provide expertise in monitoring the risks that may be associated with antidepressants in young people; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers should be allowed to prescribe antidepressants to patients only in combination with concurrent psychotherapy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine in particular whether the scope of providers permitted to prescribe psychotropic drugs should be narrowed to include only persons specialized in the practice of psychiatry, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatric physician assistants; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico health policy commission.
