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For the second time in two years, California regulators slammed HMO giant Kaiser Permanente for causing mental health patients, including some who were severely depressed or suicidal, to endure long delays for treatment. The state Department of Managed Health Care said in a report Tuesday that some Kaiser patients continue to wait weeks to see therapists and psychiatrists. The agency also criticized Kaiser for giving patients misleading information about the extent of their mental health coverage. (Pfeifer and Terhune, 2/24)

For the second time in two years, the state of California has faulted HMO giant Kaiser Permanente for failing to provide patients with appropriate access to mental health care. Some Kaiser patients still have to wait weeks or even months to see a therapist or psychiatrist, which violates state laws intended to ensure timely access to mental health treatment, the state Department of Managed Health Care said in a report released Tuesday. (Gold, 2/25)

The New Mexico Senate has passed a proposal that would require some New Mexico residents with severe mental illness to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment. Senators approved Tuesday by a 30-11 vote a measure strongly supported by mental health advocates. (2/24)

A state-run mental hospital in Iowa fired three workers because administrators say the three didn't act quickly enough when they noticed a patient trying to hang himself. The Mental Health Institute in Mount Pleasant has also made several changes to better protect patients in response to the Oct. 19 incident, which revealed safety gaps. The hospital is one of two that Gov. Terry Branstad is seeking to close. (2/24)