ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. IT'S WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
2. HAGEDORN SUPPORTERS FEAR STATE'S LATEST MOVE
3. CHILD’S ORDEAL SHOWS RISKS OF PSYCHOSIS DRUGS FOR YOUNG
4. COUNSELORS MONITORING PRISON OFFICERS WITH PTSD
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IT'S WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Every day 3,000 people end their own lives, and for every person who dies, there are 20 more people who unsuccessfully attempt a suicide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the United States alone, that amounts to one death by suicide every 16 minutes, says the National Council for Suicide Prevention (NCSP). The NCSP launched a "Take 5 to Save Lives" campaign that summarizes how we can all help prevent suicide — simple steps like learning the signs of suicidal behavior, raising awareness by telling other people about the World Suicide Prevention Day, and asking for help if you are concerned about your own thoughts and behavior.
Read more:
http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2010/09/10/its-world-suicide-prevention%C2%A0day-what-you-can-do-to-help/#ixzz0z8osgqmW
Take 5 to Save Lives:
http://ncsponline.org/takefive.html
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HAGEDORN SUPPORTERS FEAR STATE'S LATEST MOVE TOWARD CLOSURE
Patients’ families, employees and other supporters of Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital are worried the state’s plan to stop sending 18- to 64-year-olds there is another step toward shutting the Hunterdon County facility. Hagedorn — which currently receives psychiatric patients ages 65 and older from 16 counties — will not receive any additional referrals, the state said, which likely means an overall decrease in its population, making the hospital’s supporters fear for its future. The move, announced last week, comes just months after Hagedorn was granted a reprieve from Gov. Chris Christie’s budget ax.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2010/09/hagedorn_supporters_fear_state.html
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CHILD’S ORDEAL SHOWS RISKS OF PSYCHOSIS DRUGS FOR YOUNG
At 18 months, he started taking a daily antipsychotic drug on the orders of a pediatrician trying to quell the boy’s severe temper tantrums. Thus began a troubled toddler’s journey from one doctor to another, from one diagnosis to another, involving even more drugs. A Columbia University study recently found a doubling of the rate of prescribing antipsychotic drugs for privately insured 2- to 5-year-olds from 2000 to 2007. Only 40 percent of them had received a proper mental health assessment, violating practice standards from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
View the full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/business/02kids.html?hp
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COUNSELORS MONITORING PRISON OFFICERS WITH PTSD
HE became a corrections officer following deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. When he came home, he suffered insomnia and nightmares, drank more heavily, was quick to anger, "reckless with everything" in his life. Corrections departments commonly have employee assistance programs. But many officers fear seeking help can hurt their careers. Nationwide, law enforcement groups are taking notice of veterans starting or returning to jail or prison jobs. This summer, the International Association of Chiefs of Police published guides for combat veterans returning to law enforcement jobs and for their supervisors to help them reintegrate into the work force.
Read the full report:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iDkURf4JkhjFHGjkMzZa2xVKM8KgD9I2JPP00
