ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. OFFICIALS LAY OUT AN OVERHAUL AT TROUBLED MENTAL
HOSPITAL
2. ANCORA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL REPORTS SIGNS OF PROGRESS
3. NOT GUILTY BUT STIGMA FOLLOWS
4. CRISIS PROGRAM TEACHES PATIENCE
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OFFICIALS LAY OUT AN OVERHAUL AT TROUBLED MENTAL HOSPITAL
Aiming to close a dark chapter at New Jersey's largest
psychiatric hospital, state officials yesterday said the
facility will restructure its patient care and further reduce
its overcrowded population. Gov. Jon Corzine visited Ancora
Psychiatric Hospital in Camden County to announce an administrative
order mandating the reorganization, as well as new security
and training procedures. The changes are already under way,
Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez said at the hospital.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1211431018318780.xml&coll=1
View the Ancora Administrative Order Highlights:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20080521.html
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ANCORA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL REPORTS SIGNS OF PROGRESS
"We're not ready to declare victory yet," said
Greg Roberts, the acting chief executive officer of the
hospital. But in an interview, Roberts and Assistant Human
Services Commissioner Kevin Martone pointed to a series
of positive changes made since the Asbury Park Press began
examining hospital conditions on Jan. 6:
Read Alan Guenther's report:
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/NEWS03/805210359/1007/NEWS03
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NOT GUILTY BUT STIGMA FOLLOWS
After being locked away in the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital
for so long, she was anxious to put her new house in order
but complaints to town officials from "nervous"
residents spurred a legislator to propose a state law that
would mandate notification of local police chiefs when a
formerly violent offender, found not guilty by reason of
insanity, moves into town.
Read the Star Ledger Story:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-13/121229507920430.xml&coll=1
View Senate Bill S1840:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/S2000/1840_I1.HTM
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CRISIS PROGRAM TEACHES PATIENCE
Gale Lewin, president of the Camden County chapter of the
National Alliance on Mental Illness, said a number of families
who attend NAMI meetings have horror stories about how police
handled incidents.
Last week, it was Collingswood Police Detective Tom Hartshaw
, a CIT-trained officer, who responded to a call, a man
was wandering with a knife. A typical situation would have
had sirens blaring and police officers pointing their guns
at the man, shouting for him to drop the weapon.
But none of that happened.
Read more in the Courier Post:
http://beta.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080601/NEWS01/806010365/1006/news01
