ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. N.J. INDEFINITELY DELAYS INVOLUNTARY OUTPATIENT COMMITMENT
2. NEW STATE HOSPITAL LEADER IS EAGER TO TAKE OVER
3. SOUTH ASIAN DIRECTOR BRINGS MENTAL ILLNESS OUT OF HIDING
4. PARITY HELP
*******************************************
N.J. INDEFINITELY DELAYS INVOLUNTARY OUTPATIENT COMMITMENT
Citing a lack of money, Gov. Chris Christie's administration announced today the state will delay indefinitely implementing a law that would give families a greater say in determining whether their seriously mentally ill loved ones may be ordered to attend outpatient treatment. Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez alerted community mental health providers and some advocacy groups the "involuntary outpatient commitment'' law would not take effect this month because the legislation did not set aside any money to expand treatment options.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/police_say_newark_boarding_hom.html
***************************************************
NEW STATE HOSPITAL LEADER IS EAGER TO TAKE OVER
Oregon State Hospital's incoming leader says he wants to do away with mandatory employee overtime and reduce the patient population at the overcrowded, understaffed psychiatric facility in Salem. Greg Roberts, 59, currently is director of the Office of State Hospital Management in New Jersey. He was named OSH superintendent on Wednesday, and he is scheduled to start working at the state hospital here Sept. 20.
In his current position, Roberts oversees four adult state-run psychiatric facilities. Two of them — Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital and Ancora Psychiatric Hospital — have checkered histories, littered with critical reports about subpar patient care within packed facilities. In August 2009, federal investigators issued a report asserting that Ancora's patients live in unsafe conditions and do "not receive appropriate treatment and rehabilitation." The conclusions of that report mirrored U.S. DOJ's scathing assessment of Oregon State Hospital, as outlined in a report issued in January 2008.
Read more:
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100809/NEWS/8090325/New-Oregon-State-Hospital-leader-is-eager-to-take-over
***************************************************
SOUTH ASIAN DIRECTOR BRINGS MENTAL ILLNESS OUT OF HIDING
South Asian filmmaker Rehana Mirza has chosen to tackle the taboo of mental illness in her directorial feature debut 'Hiding Divya' and hopes to begin a dialogue with the community in America to not let silence take over and make it worse. Shot in New York City and New Jersey, the English-language drama provides a rare, realistic and poignant glimpse into the lives of three generations of women and the taboos created in the South Asian American community from mental illness in the family.
Read more:
http://sify.com/news/south-asian-director-brings-mental-illness-out-of-hiding-news-international-kiinubgffed.html
New Jersey Premier/Meet the Director:
http://www.naminj.org/programs/samhaj/samhaj.html#HidingDivya
***************************************************
PARITY HELP
Get practical information on insurance coverage for mental health and how health care reform may affect you. http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=104549&lstid=275
