ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. ACT NOW ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY!
2. STATE ADDS SERVICES FOR TROUBLED YOUTHS
3. PRIVACY LAWS SLOW EFFORTS ON GUN-BUYER DATA
4. PENTAGON PANEL WARNS OF MENTAL STRAINS
5. GREYSTONE PARK VOLUNTEERS COULD BE GIVEN NEW HOME
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ACT NOW ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY
It is time to contact the members of the Assembly Appropriations
Committee. With only 2 possible dates this spring for a
hearing before the committee, we must have the bill posted
and heard this month. After sending more than 750 emails
to Speaker Joe Roberts, we need to double and redouble our
efforts with the committee members.
We know that opponents have been very busy spreading their
myths about parity, and it is our turn to let the truth
out. Mental health and substance abuse treatment is cost-effective
and it works. The consequences of untreated or under-treated
mental health and addictions conditions exacts a heavy financial
burden on the state, as well as business and industry (large
and small) in terms of lost productivity, absenteeism, accidents,
impaired decision making, and adverse effects on physical
health.
Contact our legislators NOW!
http://capwiz.com/ncaddnj/issues/alert/?alertid=9707531&type=CT&show_alert=1
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STATE ADDS SERVICES FOR TROUBLED YOUTHS
Children and Families Commissioner Kevin Ryan announced
yesterday he has dedicated $15.6 million to provide more
in-state treatment for seriously mentally ill children who
are now sent out of state, and to prevent homelessness among
young adults leaving foster care. Most of the money, $12.9
million, will open 86 beds in privately run residential
treatment centers for kids with severe behavioral problems
or developmental disabilities. The new beds are expected
to be ready in July.
Read the Star Ledger report:
http://www.nj.com/statehouse/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1178168092161380.xml&coll=1
For a list of private agencies that will receive a share
of the money: www.state.nj.us/dcf.
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PRIVACY LAWS SLOW EFFORTS ON GUN-BUYER DATA
Momentum is building in Congress behind a measure that
would push states to report their mental health records
to the federal database used to conduct background checks
on gun buyers. But a thicket of obstacles, most notably
state privacy laws, have thwarted repeated efforts to improve
the reporting of such records in the past and are likely
to complicate this latest effort.
Read the full NY Times report:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/us/02guns.html?ex=1178769600&en=db054019a412b852&ei=5070&emc=eta1
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PENTAGON PANEL WARNS OF MENTAL STRAINS
The military is putting already-strained troops at greater
risk of mental health problems because of repeated deployments
to Iraq and Afghanistan, a Pentagon panel said Thursday
in warning of an overburdened health system. Issuing an
urgent warning, the Defense Department's Task Force on Mental
Health chaired by Navy Surgeon General Donald Arthur said
more than one-third of troops and veterans currently suffer
from problems such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
Read the Associated Press story:
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/05/04/ap/washington/d8ot50fg3.txt
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GREYSTONE PARK VOLUNTEERS COULD BE GIVEN NEW HOME
A volunteer group that has worked for more than half a
century to help Greystone patients could get a new home,
built and paid for by the state, a move that would keep
the charitable group from disbanding, according to officials.
Hundreds of area residents signed petitions in recent weeks
to support the association, which runs a thrift shop and
candy store that benefits patients. The Greystone Board
of Trustees also strongly backed the association’s
request.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/morris/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1178253032215340.xml&coll=1
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