ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. NAMI NEW JERSEY ON THE HILL
2. A NEED FOR TREATMENT LAW FOR NEW JERSEY
3. EDITORIAL: MENTALLY ILL CAST ASIDE
4. STATE STARTS INSPECTING SITES FOR MENTALLY ILL
5. $550M HOLE IN STATE'S BUDGET
6. MISSING DAUGHTER FOUND
7. NAMIWALKS in NEW JERSEY 2004
*********************************************
NAMI NEW JERSEY ON THE HILL
Save September 9th for advocacy visits in Washington to
Capital Hill. The NAMI NEW JERSEY Advocacy Network will
be holding a reception for representatives of the New Jersey
Congressional delegation from 11am to 1 pm in room 340 of
the Canon House office building. Buses to the hill will
be leaving the Hilton convention center following the Legislative
Plenary scheduled to feature Senators Dominici and Kennedy.
Contact Phil Lubitz (732) 940-0991 or plubitz@optonline.net
if you will be attending the reception.
To view the briefing materials: (Requires an Adobe Acrobat
Reader)
http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Inform_Yourself/Upcoming_Events/Convention/packet.pdf
Download a free Adobe Acrobat Reader:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
More Convention information:
http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=convention
*********************************************
A NEED FOR TREATMENT LAW FOR NEW JERSEY
NAMI NEW JERSEY has prepared a bill to reform mental health
care in New Jersey and is seeking support for its introduction
during the fall legislative session. The bill addresses
significant systemic problems in the de facto mental health
system. This system includes the traditional system of hospitals
and community mental health agencies, correctional facilities,
substance abuse programs and shelters to which people with
mental illness have been dispersed.
Read more:
http://www.naminj.org/advocacy/need_for_treatment_law.htm
*********************************************
EDITORIAL: MENTALLY ILL CAST ASIDE
New Jersey has been closing public psychiatric hospital
wards based on this lie: Patients can draw on a network
of community services to get better care in their own communities.
The state has made itself dependent on the boarding homes
because since 1970 it has shut down 12,500 public mental
hospital beds, leaving only 2,500. But New Jersey has not
created group homes and support programs to care for patients
now out in the community.
Read the Star Ledger Editorial:
http://www.nj.com/opinion/ledger/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1093416849121760.xml
*********************************************
STATE STARTS INSPECTING SITES FOR MENTALLY ILL
The state Department of Community Affairs began examining
93 free-standing residential facilities for the mentally
ill yesterday for potentially life-threatening violations,
said Gretchen Michael, spokeswoman for the state Department
of Health and Senior Services. The inspections come almost
two weeks after state Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex)
paid surprise visits to two such facilities in East Orange
and found conditions that experts described as dangerous.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1093327026144970.xml
*********************************************
$550M HOLE IN STATE'S BUDGET
Shrouded by the smog of gubernatorial scandal that has
settled over the State House, a $550 million hole has opened
in the seven-week-old state budget. Lower than expected
business and sales tax collections, plus $150 million in
unbudgeted aid to poor school districts, will more than
wipe out the projected $400 million surplus, according to
the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services.
The deficit was projected in a memo prepared earlier this
month by OLS but overlooked because of the scandal gripping
the McGreevey administration. The memo also forecasts a
$4.4 billion shortfall in the next state budget, which will
have to be drawn up before July 1, 2005.
Read the Times of Trenton story:
http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1093334757262763.xml
*********************************************
MISSING DAUGHTER FOUND
Diagnosed with a mental illness, Susan Carcano's adopted
daughter was on medication but still having severe mood
swings. Carcano feared that she couldn't watch the 16-year-old
closely enough, so she turned to the state Division of Youth
and Family Services to arrange help for the girl and a safe
place for her to stay. The arrangements were made, but her
daughter didn't stay safe.
Read the Daily Record report:
http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news3-runaway.htm
*********************************************
NAMIWALKS in NEW JERSEY 2004
NAMI NEW JERSEY brings you the second annual walkathon
for mental illness on Sunday, October 10 at Liberty State
Park. Come Walk with us and raise awareness about the issue
of mental illness and the toll it takes on individuals and
families.
Learn more:
http://www.naminj.org/events/Walk2004/walk_04.html
