ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. SOME MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE MEMBERS CALL FOR CLOSING TRENTON FACILITY, SAVING HAGEDORN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
2. VAINIERI HUTTLE CALLS FOR HEARINGS ON HAGEDORN REPORT
3. AS GEORGIA CLOSES MENTAL HOSPITALS, SHORTAGE OF COMMUNITY CARE LOOMS
4. STATES STRUGGLE TO DISARM PEOPLE WHO’VE LOST RIGHT TO OWN GUNS
*************************************
SOME MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE MEMBERS CALL FOR CLOSING TRENTON FACILITY, SAVING HAGEDORN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
While New Jersey officials plan to shut down Hagedorn in June 2012, some members of the State Mental Health Facilities Evaluation Task Force have offered an alternative: close Trenton Psychiatric Hospital and transfer some of its beds to a nearby facility. The task force behind the proposal argues the move would save money and maintain specialized care for the population at Hagedorn. The alternative proposal was released last week as part of the task force's final report to Gov. Chris Christie and the New Jersey Legislature.
See the full story:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/hunterdon-county/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1296969053210670.xml&coll=3
View the Task Force Report:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/home/HPH_TF_Final_Report_feb_1_2011.pdf
*************************************
VAINIERI HUTTLE CALLS FOR HEARINGS ON HAGEDORN REPORT
Assembly Human Services Chairwoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) released the following statement Wednesday on the status of Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital:
"While it is unfortunate that the Hagedorn Task Force was unable to reach consensus, I am not surprised given the many restrictions placed on this body. We need an objective and comprehensive analysis, which is why I've sponsored legislation to establish the Legislative Review Panel on State Psychiatric Hospitals and Developmental Centers. The panel would be comprised of legislators from both parties and both houses ready to do the hard work of finding long term solutions to the cost and care problems plaguing the state systems designed to serve our most vulnerable populations.
"I look forward to delving further into the findings of the task force at an Assembly Human Services meeting by hearing from Commissioner Velez, members of the task force and concerned advocates."
Read the full statement:
http://www.assemblydems.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=3671
Assembly Hearing will be held on Thursday, February 10, 2011, 1:00 p.m., Rm. 16 at the State House Annex.
*************************************
AS GEORGIA CLOSES MENTAL HOSPITALS, SHORTAGE OF COMMUNITY CARE LOOMS
For parents of children with mental illness, daily struggles are challenging enough, but many fear they’re reaching a breaking point because the state is releasing patients from regional mental hospitals. It’s not that these parents want to see their children continue to spend decades institutionalized. It’s their worry that there won’t be adequate treatment options in their community after they’re released.
Read the full story:
http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/11292320/article-As-Georgia-closes-mental-hospitals---shortage-of-community-care-looms?instance=home_news_lead_story
*************************************
STATES STRUGGLE TO DISARM PEOPLE WHO’VE LOST RIGHT TO OWN GUNS
In the wake of the Tucson shootings, much attention has been paid to various categories of people who are legally barred from buying handguns — those who have been “adjudicated as a mental defective,” have felony convictions, have committed domestic violence misdemeanors and so on. The focus has almost entirely been on gaps in the federal background check system that is supposed to deny guns to these prohibited buyers.
Read the NY Times report:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/us/06guns.html?_r=1&emc=eta1&pagewanted=print
