Advocacy E-News July 25, 2016
July 25, 2016
NAMI RELEASES REPORT: “Engagement: A New Standard for Mental Health Care.”
NAMI is pleased to release a new report titled “Engagement: A New Standard for Mental Health Care.” The information in this report is based on a fascinating expert listening session that took place in Fall, 2015, along with interviews of key informants, many of whom are quoted in the report. Many people who seek mental health care drop out, and 70% of those dropping out do so after a first or second visit. The report sets forth principals for advancing a culture of engagement in mental health care, even those who may be difficult to engage due to severity of symptoms or lack of insight.
NJ AWARDS STATE RENTAL ASSISTANCE VOUCHERS AND SERVICE FUNDING
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) hman today announced that 12 nonprofit organizations have been selected to manage the distribution of 500 State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) vouchers and service funding through a new program in New Jersey known as “Housing First.”
An RFP was issued in April 2016 requesting proposals from nonprofit agencies. Of the applications received, 12 organizations were selected to receive and administer tenant-based vouchers and service funding to serve the following counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Salem and Union.
CLOSE THE MENTAL HEALTH GAP IN N.J.’S COMMUNITIES
Approximately one in five Americans lives with a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. New Jersey is not immune to this alarming reality. Yet a shortage of psychiatrists in certain areas of the state has left a wide gap in accessibility and made it nearly impossible for individuals who need or seek help to get it. Mental health is at the core of a functioning society, and providing mental health care services to those who need it, when they need it and where they need it is a moral obligation.
Read Former Governor Richard Codey’s Op Ed
OBAMA SIGNS OPIOID LEGISLATION
President Barack Obama on Friday signed a bill into law to address the country’s ever-growing opioid epidemic, despite issues with funding. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 increases the availability of naloxone (an opioid antagonist), strengthens prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) by assisting states with monitoring and tracking prescription drug diversion, and expands prevention and educational efforts with teens and other adult populations. Commonly known as CARA, the bill authorizes $181 million in spending for new programs in the legislation.
BETTER WAY NEEDED FOR NJ VETERANS
New Jersey is home to more than 53,000 disabled veterans, many of whom struggle with mental illness stemming from their service. Hundreds of veterans are homeless. Despite these clear challenges, and recognizing that our veterans desperately need and deserve vital services, New Jersey has been slow to adapt. The problem isn’t a lack of caring, but the inertia of bureaucracy.
FIND YOUR LOCAL NAMI
