ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. MENTAL HOSPITAL WATCHDOGS
2. ON MISSION TO SAVE PSYCH UNIT
3. THE GUY SARAH PALIN FIRED WAS A TRAILBLAZER, TOO
4. AWARD IS PRESENTED TO CAROL KIVLER, MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
5. FAMILY AND CAREGIVER FORUM
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MENTAL HOSPITAL WATCHDOGS
The Corzine administration is finally getting around to
something that should have been a priority: It has begun
naming volunteer trustees for New Jersey's five state psychiatric
hospitals. The administration just appointed 24 trustees,
after leaving vacancies and holdover appointments in limbo
for as long as three years -- with seven vacancies remaining
to be filled. The volunteers have traditionally served as
watchdogs, extra eyes and ears on everything from the budgets
of those hospitals to the quality of their patient care.
Read the Star Ledger Editorial:
http://www.nj.com/opinion/ledger/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1219898155179090.xml&coll=1
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ON MISSION TO SAVE PSYCH UNIT
Across the state, hospital closures have translated into
a shortage of services for the mentally ill, leaving many
to wander the streets or overburden hospital emergency rooms
with their complex array of needs. Passaic should have a
hospital-based mental health unit for involuntary committal
of troubled patients, a group of protesters said Thursday
outside St. Mary's Hospital. The protesters were reacting
to news of the possible closure of St. Mary's inpatient
psychiatric unit.
Read the Herald News report:
http://myheraldnews.com/view.html?type=stories&action=detail&sub_id=43062
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THE GUY SARAH PALIN FIRED WAS A TRAILBLAZER, TOO
To mental health advocates , state public safety commissioner
Monegan was presiding over a crime prevention program that
was revolutionary in terms of treating people with mental
illness. Monegan's department was teaching its officers
how to deal with a mental health crisis, and serving as
a model for other police departments in the country - such
as Memphis - who were doing similar things. At the time,
10 percent of his 330 officers were "crisis-intervention"
trainees who were learning how to speak to, deal with and
ultimately handle people with psychiatric disorders.
Read Tom Davis’ article in the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-davis/the-guy-sarah-palin-fired_b_123542.html
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SEEDS OF HOPE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO CAROL KIVLER, MENTAL
HEALTH SPEAKER, ADVOCATE AND COURAGEOUS SURVIVOR
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as well as NAMI-Mercer
Board of Trustee member Carol Kivler has been honored by
NJ Monthly as a recipient of the "2008 Garden State
Seeds of Hope Award." The New Jersey Monthly started
the Garden State Seeds of Hope Awards to honor exceptional
people who go to extraordinary lengths to help and give
hope to others. What makes Carol exceptional is her journey
from a severe depression sufferer to mental health speaker
and advocate.
Read the PR Web story:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1277724.htm
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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
