ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. FAMILY BOOSTS NEW JERSEY MENTAL ILLNESS BILL
2. BILL FOR EATING DISORDERS ADVANCES
3. HOSPITAL SURVEY: MORE REPORTING, LESS SHARING ON ERRORS
4. CRISIS INTERVENTION SIGNS A STEP TOWARD HALTING SUICIDES
5. STATE PAYS OUT $44M TO SIX STRUGGLING HOSPITALS
6. BRIDGEWATER TEEN RECOGNIZED FOR MENTAL-HEALTH
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FAMILY BOOSTS NEW JERSEY MENTAL ILLNESS BILL
On Monday, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior
Citizens Committee unanimously approved a bill that could
require mentally ill people who pose a danger to themselves
or others to receive treatment or potentially face involuntary
commitment to a mental hospital. The bill, sponsored locally
by Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, and Sen. Jeff Van Drew,
D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, now goes to the full Senate.
A companion bill in the state Assembly has sat in the Human
Services Committee since January. Supporters said 42 other
states, including neighboring Delaware, Pennsylvania and
New York, have similar laws on the books. A similar bill
was introduced in 2005 as part of then-Gov. Richard Codey's
Mental Health Task Force's recommendations, but failed to
become law.
Read the full story in the Press of Atlantic City:
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/186/story/340402.html
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BILL TO REQUIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE
FOR EATING DISORDERS ADVANCES
A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would
require all health insurers in New Jersey and the State
Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) to provide the same insurance
coverage for the treatment of eating disorders as it applies
to other biologically-based mental illnesses was approved
by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens
Committee today. This legislation would ensure that equal
coverage for eating disorder treatment - on par with other
biologically-based mental disorders - would be the law the
Garden State. The bill now heads to the Senate Budget and
Appropriations Committee, before going to the full Senate
for consideration
Read more:
http://www.politickernj.com/jbutkowski/25942/vitale-bill-require-insurance-coverage-eating-disorders-advances
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HOSPITAL SURVEY: MORE REPORTING, LESS SHARING ON ERRORS
Almost every hospital now collects data on patients injured
or killed by medical mistakes, but only one in five share
that information, even with key managers who could work
toward making improvements, a national survey released yesterday
found. Such practices prevent hospitals from creating systems
that would protect staff workers who report mistakes and
may foster an environment that keeps such critical information
under wraps, according to the survey, which was based on
voluntary responses from more than 1,600 hospitals nationwide.
New Jersey hospitals are required to report serious mistakes
to the state Department of Health and Senior Services. But
the names of hospitals and patients are not disclosed by
state officials. That makes it hard for the public to make
decisions about the quality of care.
Read the Star Ledger story:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-14/122880112016840.xml&coll=1
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CRISIS INTERVENTION SIGNS A STEP TOWARD HALTING SUICIDES
Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski today praised the installation
of crisis intervention information signs along the Victory
Bridge, a 110-foot span connecting Perth Amboy and Sayreville
that has seen many suicides and attempted suicides. Wisniewski
said he's been working with the state Department of Transportation
and local officials to find the quickest, most cost-effective
means of deterring suicides and suicide attempts on the
bridge. The new signs, which are being installed on both
sides of the span at 100-foot intervals, will contain crisis
intervention information and a hotline number for individuals
or motorists to contact to forestall suicide attempts along
the span.
See Assemblyman Wisniewski's Press release:
http://www.politickernj.com/jsverapa/25858/wisniewski-victory-bridge-crisis-intervention-signs-sensible-step-toward-halting-suic
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STATE PAYS OUT $44M TO SIX STRUGGLING HOSPITALS
Six struggling hospitals will share a $44 million pot of
state money to avoid cutting services or closing their doors,
state Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard
announced. Howard awarded Jersey City Medical Center $22
million, St. Mary's Hospital in Passaic $7 million, East
Orange General Hospital $5 million, Newark Beth Israel Medical
Center $5 million, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy
$4 million and Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood $1 million.
Hospitals that accept the grants must agree to conditions
that ensure they are managing their finances wisely and
making efforts to enroll uninsured people in Medicaid and
FamilyCare, the free and subsidized health coverage programs
for poor and working-poor families. The hospitals also must
appoint a state government representative to their boards
for the duration of the grant.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1228369030304960.xml&coll=1
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BRIDGEWATER TEEN RECOGNIZED FOR WORK BRINGING MENTAL-HEALTH
ISSUES TO FOREFRONT
At an age when pimples and popularity could be enough to
send someone into a self-esteem spin cycle, Caitlin Carey
is committed to discussing her mental-health issues and
providing a resource for others to fight their stigma. Carey,
17, of Bridgewater is the creator of http://stepoutofthesilence.org,
a forum for teenagers with any kind of mental-heath issues.
Her efforts are one reason why Caitlyn will be honored Dec.
8 as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Carey decided to
start her own forum, and a nonprofit organization. She launched
the effort in September 2007 to coincide with National Suicide
Prevention Week. The Web site allows youth to express themselves
with artwork, prose, photography, graphic art and dialogue.
Read more about Caitlin:
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200812032010/NEWS/812030374
