ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. HEARING PUTS FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
2. PARENTS, STAFF OPPOSE BRISBANE SHUTDOWN PLAN
3. CODEY EMBRACES BLEE PLAN FOR MENTALLY ILL SCREENING
4. CONSTRUCTION PLANS NOT FINAL FOR GREYSTONE
5. MANAGED CARE LAGS BEHIND IN COVERING MENTAL ILLNESS
6. GOVERNORS UNITE IN MEDICAID FIGHT
7. A ONE-STOP MEDICINE SHOP FOR STATE'S POOR
8. HELP NEED WITH ACCESS TO MEDICATION
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HEARING PUTS FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
On Wednesday, dozens of people from North Jersey testified
before acting Governor Codey's mental health task force,
which had its first public hearing at Bergen Community College
in Paramus. Many said the region's high housing prices were
particularly burdensome for the mentally ill, who often
cannot work. Public housing assistance, better insurance
coverage and new treatment laws were among the solutions
they suggested.
Read Carolyn Feibel’s story in The Record:
http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NjM1OTY1
Learn about the Governor’s Task Force and how you
can participate:
http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2279
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PARENTS, STAFF OPPOSE BRISBANE SHUTDOWN PLAN
Some teary-eyed as they spoke, workers and parents of former
patients at the Arthur Brisbane Child Treatment Center outlined
to state officials on Thursday why they believe closing
the state's only public psychiatric hospital for children
is a big mistake.
Although their comments were echoed by nearly a dozen others
during a three-hour public hearing held in the municipal
complex, the closure of Brisbane is inevitable, said Kathi
Way, deputy commissioner of the Office of Children's Services
in the state Human Services Department.
See the full Asbury Park press story:
http://www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,1138758,00.html
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CODEY EMBRACES BLEE PLAN FOR MENTALLY ILL SCREENING,
Treatment Proposed For Those Charged With Nonviolent
Crimes
Frank Blee, R-Atlantic, sent a letter to acting Gov. Richard
J. Codey about a bill Blee introduced to provide treatment
instead of jail time for mental-health patients charged
with nonviolent crimes. Blee's idea requires participation
from law enforcement, the courts and social-service agencies.
The process would begin with police officers trained by
the state to refer potential mental-health patients to professional
screeners.
Read the Atlantic City press story:
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/newjersey/123004MENTALHEALTH_D29.cfm?CFID=1381889&CFTOKEN=17dd31bf480bc239-2F11CDB1-F5C4-630C-2306E9E0D56A9C28
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CONSTRUCTION PLANS NOT FINAL FOR GREYSTONE
Despite Lengthy Delays, Officials Predict Spring Groundbreaking
Construction of a new Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital
was supposed to be bid this month and the second largest
structure on the state hospital campus in Parsippany was
supposed to come down. Neither has occurred. The demolition
of the massive, 103-year-old dormitory building was due
to be completed by Dec. 23 -- four days ago. The abandoned
building has yet to have a stone knocked off it. But state
officials say they are pressing forward with the project
and think a 2007 opening date for a new Greystone still
is possible.
Read Larry Ragonese’s report in the Star Ledger:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1104127858272530.xml
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MANAGED CARE INDUSTRY LAGS BEHIND IN COVERING
MENTAL ILLNESS
Many companies throughout the managed care industry have
been slow to understand just how mental health issues plague
citizens throughout New Jersey. Even when companies provide
the coverage, the process to seek care often becomes so
tedious that the client becomes frustrated, gives up, and
the mental health condition worsens. As the Mental Health
Task Force meets to craft recommendations for Codey, we
implore it to take a closer look at coverage afforded by
managed care companies to citizens throughout the state.
Read the Asbury Park Press Editorial:
http://www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,1152960,00.html
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GOVERNORS UNITE IN MEDICAID FIGHT
Fearful that President Bush plans to shift more Medicaid
costs to the states, the nation's governors are mounting
a bipartisan lobbying effort to stave off new federal limits
on the program. The governors could find themselves on a
collision course with Mr. Bush, who has pledged to cut the
federal budget deficit in half in the next five years. A
bipartisan lobbying effort would also put pressure on the
Republican-controlled Congress.
Read the New York Times story:
http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1308511/posts
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A ONE-STOP MEDICINE SHOP FOR STATE'S POOR
Industry Clearinghouse Also Offers Help On Cost
The pharmaceutical industry that calls New Jersey home
is rolling out a program to help Garden State residents
with limited incomes and no health insurance get their brand-name
prescription medicines for free or at substantial discounts.
For the first time, New Jersey consumers can dial one toll-free
number 1-888-Rx FOR NJ and speak with a trained operator
at a central clearinghouse who can help them navigate more
than 300 separate give-away programs drug manufacturers
have run for years.
For more information: www.rx4nj.org
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HELP NEED WITH ACCESS TO MEDICATION
Nationwide the fight is on to maintain full access to
the most up to date, effective medications for the treatment
of mental illness. In neighboring New York, Medicaid is
blocking access to Risperdal Consta, the new long acting
Risperdal that can help reduce the positive and negative
symptoms that are part of schizophrenia.
It is important to share the experience with Risperdal
Consta that you, your family member or friends have
had so that New York Medicaid can make an informed decision
on the medications that it covers. Please contact Phil Lubitz
at (732) 940-0991 or plubitz@optonline.net with your experience.
Your anonymity will be protected.
