Free mental health screenings Friday

Sinnissippi Centers will offer free mental health screenings Friday. "The early detection of a mental health disorder leads to early treatment, which can improve the quality of life at any age," said Mary Scuffham, Sinnissippi's director of clinical services. Screenings will be conducted for depression, bipolar disorder, general anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. People will complete a questionnaire, receive educational materials and have an opportunity to talk individually and confidentially with a mental health professional. Referrals will be provided to those in need. The screenings will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sinnissippi's main offices in: - Dixon, at 325 state Route 2. - Sterling, at 2611 Woodlawn Road. - Oregon, at 125 S. Fourth St. - Mount Carroll, at 1122 Healthcare Drive. - Rochelle, at 1321 N. Seventh St. No appointment is necessary. For more information, call 800-242-7642. Blagojevich administration botches health care, makes pharmacies pay The impetus: A Cook County judge, later backed by an appellate court, shut down Gov. Rod Blagojevich's expanded Family- Care program. What it was: The expansion offered state-subsidized health care to more families based on a sliding premium. But Blagojevich didn't have authorization to do it. So then: The Blagojevich administration had to tell pharmacies that they would not be reimbursed for medication they dispensed under the expanded FamilyCare rules. Now: Pharmacists are out that money. They pay for the drugs upfront and expect reimbursement. No one can say how much they spent collectively, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services won't respond to questions. Quote: Rep. Ron Stephens, a Greenville Republican and pharmacist: "They gave out medication according to the instructions of the governor. Now they're out real money. They had to pay for that medication. Rod Blagojevich should pay them back."