Psychiatric Times Vol 21 No 3

Many children today are receiving inadequate mental health care due to a decrease in the number of well-trained providers, while the prevalence of children's mental health problems is increasing. Legislation is pending in the U.S. House and Senate to address these issues.

In January, the state of Arkansas executed Charles Singleton, a man known to be suffering from mental illness. That state's supreme court ruled that treating Singleton, even though it would cause him to be competent to be executed, was not cruel or unusual punishment nor unethical. Dr. Stone discusses the ramifications for other death penalty cases.

Cognitive impairment is a common symptom in many psychiatric and neurologic conditions. The articles selected for this Psychiatric Times special report provide a sampling of some important and topical issues regarding the influence of various factors on cognition in individuals with neuropsychiatric conditions.

What role might cognitive functioning play in suicidal ideation in elderly patients? How can psychiatrists determine the cognitive functioning skills of older patients who express suicidal thoughts?