ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. ANCORA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FACES FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
2. ANCORA INJURY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT STAFF
3. PUBLIC HEARING - SCREENING REGULATIONS
4. FAMILY AND CAREGIVER FORUM
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ANCORA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FACES FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
Plagued by repeated deaths and injuries among patients,
Ancora Psychiatric Hospital will be the target of an investigation
by the U.S. Department of Justice, state Human Services
officials said today. The federal agency will determine
whether the rights of the 562 patients at the hospital in
Camden County have been violated, according to the Sept.
4 letter by acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung
Becker.
Read the Star Ledger Report:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/ancora_psychiatric_hospital_fa.html
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ANCORA INJURY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT STAFF
Even though two orderlies were supposed to stay within
an arm's length of a mentally ill man suffering from a serious
disorder that causes him to ingest almost anything in sight,
the patient still managed to injure himself. This latest
patient injury comes as the U.S. Department of Justice Civil
Rights Division begins an inquiry into conditions at the
state-run facility.
Read the Courier Post story:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/NEWS01/809090350/1006
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PUBLIC MEETING SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT INTO
UPDATING THE SCREENING REGULATIONS (N.J.A.C. 10:31)
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is in the process
of developing amendments to the Screening and Screening
Outreach Regulations (N.J.A.C. 10:31) DHS will be holding
a public meeting seeking input into updating the screening
regulations At this public meeting, the public will be invited
to present verbal commentary, which will be recorded by
a court stenographer. The Division also encourages commenters
to submit their comments in writing
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: The Department of Human Services
1st floor conference room A & B
222 S. Warren St
Trenton, NJ 08625
To view the full announcement:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/Notice_of_public_mtg_screeng_sept17.pdf
The full text of the existing screening regulations may
be viewed at the “Regulations” link of the Division’s
website - http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/regulations.html
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FAMILY AND CAREGIVER FORUM
The NJ Department of Human Services Dual Diagnosis Task
Force, for individuals with developmental disabilities and
co-occurring mental health and/or behavior disorders is
developing a report with recommendations that will serve
as a blueprint for developing a quality service delivery
system. The Task Force wishes to obtain input and feedback
from family members and caregivers.
Two public comment session will be held on Thursday, September
18, 2008, 10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. –
9:30 P.M. at the Division of Developmental Disabilities,
5 Commerce Way, Hamilton Township, N.J. 08691, Conference
Room: 199B.
RSVP: Nydia Gutierrez 609-631-6508 or Nydia.Gutierrez@dhs.state.nj.us
Teleconferencing available. Please indicate your preferred
speaking time (limited to 5 minutes) and if you will need
to call-in.
View the announcement:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/ddd/DDTF_Family_CaregiverForum18Sept08.pdf
See the Dual Diagnosis Task Force Report DRAFT: http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/ddd/DDTF_9808DraftReport.pdf
