ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY
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1. GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS STOP THE STIGMA DAY
2. SYSTEM BREAKDOWNS CITED IN DEATH OF MAN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
3. VALLEY HOSPITAL'S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT HAS SUPPORT
4. WHITE HOUSE RELEASES FY 2005 BUDGET PROPOSAL
5. GOVERNOR VOWS NO INCOME TAX HIKE
6. ADDICTION SERVICES MOVES TO DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES
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GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS STOP THE STIGMA DAY Governor James E. McGreevey has proclaimed February 14, 2004 as Stop The Stigma Day.  The proclamation" urges all residents to dedicate themselves to learning more about mental illnesses which are very treatable disorders, and about the measures that they can take to support their fellow citizens who are suffering a mental illness to lead vital and productive lives". *******************************************
SYSTEM BREAKDOWNS CITED IN DEATH OF MAN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS Joel Seidel's life could have been saved, but Camden County jail officials did not respond to at least two warnings that Seidel was being beaten in prison. Mental health workers were slow to evaluate him, a court administrator complained. And a court order to move the 65-year-old Cherry Hill resident to the relative safety of a psychiatric hospital never reached the jail. In short, a series of breakdowns in the system contributed to his death. Read the Courier Post story:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/m020604a.htm
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VALLEY HOSPITAL'S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT HAS SUPPORT Psychiatrists, advocates, patients, and families argue passionately that The Valley Hospital must keep its psychiatric unit open to help the community cope with mental illness.  An overwhelming majority of people at a public hearing here this week testified against the hospital's plan to close its 20-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. Hospital officials want to use the beds for emergency room patients. They promise they will provide adequate care for psychiatric inpatients at other facilities. Read the Record story:
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NDgzNzc4 *******************************************
WHITE HOUSE RELEASES FY 2005 BUDGET PROPOSAL $39 Million Increase Proposed for NIMH, $44 Million in New Funds Requested for Transformation of Mental Health Services As is being widely reported in the press, President Bush on Monday, February 2, laid out his $2.4 trillion budget plan for FY 2005 - with major increases proposed for defense and homeland security, but only a .5% increase for all other domestic discretionary programs. These tight constraints on domestic discretionary spending (which comprise only about 18% of all federal outlays) come against the backdrop of a growing federal budget deficit that is now projected at $521 billion in the current fiscal year. As a result, there is growing pressure in Congress to constrain spending - especially on discretionary programs that are funded by the annual appropriations bills that Congress must pass before FY 2005 begins
Read the NAMI detailed analysis:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=February_2004&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=13339 *******************************************
GOVERNOR VOWS NO INCOME TAX HIKE Gov. James E. McGreevey will not raise income or sales taxes and has ruled out any cuts in NJ Saver property tax rebates in the upcoming state budget, administration officials said yesterday. By closing the door on income tax increases, McGreevey, who will deliver his annual budget address on Feb. 24, has rejected calls by some Democratic lawmakers to raise the tax on New Jersey's richest residents. Administration officials say they are working to close an estimated $4 billion shortfall in the budget year that begins July 1. Read the Star Ledger article:
http://www.nj.com/statehouse/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1075878715274710.xml *******************************************
ADDICTION SERVICES MOVES TO DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES Department of Human Services Acting Commissioner James M. Davy and Senior Services (DHSS) Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy, M.D., announced that the Division of Addiction Services, which coordinates and implements substance-abuse treatment and prevention services statewide, will be transferred from DHSS to the Department of Human Services. Governor James E. McGreevey transmitted an executive order to the state legislature on Thursday making the transfer effective.
Read the DHS press release:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/Press-2004/Davy_Commits_$10m_%20to_treat_substance_2_04.htm