ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. LIFTING A BURDEN FROM FORMER PATIENTS
2. CODEY OKS MENTAL HEALTH REFORMS
3. PROGRAM AIMS TO DESTIGMATIZE MENTAL ILLNESS
4. CODEY BILL ESTABLISHES SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING TRUST
FUND
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LIFTING A BURDEN FROM FORMER PATIENTS
Thousands were hit with liens under a state law that demanded
payment from people who had stayed at county and state psychiatric
hospitals but did not have the insurance coverage to pay
for it. The practice dated to 1918. That all changed recently
when acting Gov. Richard Codey signed a bill repealing the
lien law. Until Codey's action, New Jersey was the only
state in the nation that continued to place liens on former
psychiatric patients.
Read Susan Livio’s Story:
http://www.nj.com/statehouse/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1118033545172050.xml&coll=1
Read the Lien Law PL2005,c55
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2004/Bills/PL05/55_.HTM
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CODEY OKS MENTAL HEALTH REFORMS
After visiting with patients and praising acting Gov. Richard
J. Codey yesterday implemented several reforms aimed at
improving mental health care. "These recommendations
ensure that the decades of neglect our mental health system
has endured will remain a thing of the past," said
Codey, who has made several mental health care reforms and
proposals since becoming acting governor in November.
Read the Times of Trenton article:
http://www.nj.com/statehouse/times/index.ssf?/base/news-0/111778601972570.xml&coll=5
Read the Governor’s Executive Order
http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2550
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PROGRAM AIMS TO DESTIGMATIZE MENTAL ILLNESS
Kivler is one of 12 people with mental illness who plan
to give 150 talks around Mercer County during the next three
years to reduce the stigma attached to problems like depression,
bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. It is not a new tactic
by the Mercer County chapter of the National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill (NAMI), but for the first time the county's
government is participating in the effort.
Read the Times of Trenton Story:
http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1116921979187630.xml?times?ngx&coll=5
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CODEY BILL ESTABLISHES SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING TRUST FUND
Acting Governor and Senate President Richard J. Codey today
introduced legislation to establish a $200 million Special
Needs Housing Trust Fund, which, over the next 10 years,
will help create 10,000 new affordable housing opportunities
for people with mental illness and other special needs.
The money will be used to develop permanent supportive housing,
community residences and other supportive housing arrangements
for people with special needs, including mental illness
and physical or developmental disabilities.
Read the Governor’s press release:
http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2531
