ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. FEDS SAY MENTAL HOSPITAL VIOLATES PATIENTS' RIGHTS
2. REPORT FINDS SYSTEM MISSES DANGER TO KIDS
3. N.J. TROOPS GET SUPPORT FROM YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
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FEDS SAY MENTAL HOSPITAL VIOLATES PATIENTS' RIGHTS
Ancora Psychiatric Hospital patients live in unsafe
conditions and do "not receive appropriate treatment
and rehabilitation,'' according to the findings of a U.S.
Department of Justice investigation announced yesterday.
Investigators found "patients at Ancora suffer an undue
risk of harm, stemming from the facility's failure to treat
aggressive and self-abusive behavior and its failure to
implement systems to protect patients from harm,'' according
to the letter. Ancora also "segregates far too many
patients for whom a hospital setting is not appropriate.''
State officials have 49 days to outline a plan to address
the deficiencies. If the Department of Justice is not satisfied,
it can file a lawsuit to compel the changes to be made.
Read Susan Livio's Star Ledger story:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1251164107260520.xml&coll=1
The Department of Justice Ancora Report:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/oshm/aph/progress_repts.html
NJ Department of Human Services press release:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/press/2009/approved/20090824.html
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REPORT FINDS SYSTEM MISSES DANGER TO KIDS
Child welfare workers too often overlooked family problems
caused by mental illness, domestic violence, and drug and
alcohol addiction before children died from abuse and neglect
in 2007, according to a report issued yesterday by the New
Jersey Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board. The
board urged the Department of Children and Families to re-evaluate
the guidelines that child welfare workers use to assess
a family's stability and a child's safety. The board also
recommended the department review the contracts it holds
with mental health professionals to make sure they more
comprehensively evaluate families under state supervision.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1251165315286280.xml&coll=1
See the Board report:
http://www.state.nj.us/dcf/about/commissions/fatality/CFNFRBAnnualReport2008_08.24.09.pdf
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N.J. TROOPS GET SUPPORT FROM YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM
About 76 percent of the soldiers in 50th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team who had previously been deployed and were later
found to have mental health issues, said they felt uncomfortable
reporting possible mental health symptoms, according to
preliminary findings of a mental and physical health survey
of about 2,500 Guard members commissioned by the Department
of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2008.
"We are doing everything we can possibly do to take
care of the family and soldier together to reduce suicide
rates and divorce rates," and other issues related
to military service, said Sgt. Maj. Robert Brown, program
manager for the National Guard's Yellow Ribbon Reintegration
Program.
Learn more:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/returned_nj_troops_get_support.html
