Advocacy E-News July 7, 2014
July 7, 2014
MENTALLY ILL RESIDENTS ARE ‘LEFT TO ROT’ IN TOMS RIVER BOARDING HOME, REPORT SAYS
A Toms River boarding home housing residents who suffer from mental illness is facing scrutiny for its poor living conditions and increase in police reports, according to a report from NBC 10 Philadelphia. A former kitchen manager at Dover Woods, told the news station it was not unusual to see mice running around the kitchen and dining area. He said the food
Authorities confirmed three recent deaths at the facility and an assault on an employee in November is still under investigation, according to the news station. The report did not state the cause of death in each incident or provide details on the alleged assault.
A DIFFERENT PATH TO FIGHTING ADDICTION
When their son had to take a medical leave from college, Jack and Wendy knew they — and he — needed help with his binge drinking. He had a disease, and in order to stay alive, he’d have to attend A.A. meetings and abstain from alcohol for the rest of his life, they said. But the couple resisted that approach. Instead, they turned to a group of psychologists who specialize in treating substance use and other compulsive behaviors. The center’s approach includes motivational interviewing, a goal-oriented form of counseling; cognitive behavioral therapy, a short-term form of psychotherapy; and harm reduction, which seeks to limit the negative consequences of substance abuse.
PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS NEED A STONEWALL INN
He was described, in the immediate aftermath of the Germanwings crash, as a cheerful and careful We are responsible for the lack of progress made in terms of diagnosing and treating mental illness because we’ve successfully hidden the magnitude of the problem. Why should Congress or state legislatures allocate funds to fix a problem that flies under the radar? Today, there are more people in our country whose lives have been touched by mental illness than not. What’s more, mental illness is by far the most prevalent disease in the United States, with an estimated 78 million Americans suffering from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, even now, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 60 percent of people who have experience with mental illness keep their experiences secret. People with mental illnesses still hide, and their families still hide, too. It’s time for those affected by mental illness to have our Stonewall Inn moment. We need to come out of the closet and hold our heads high.
LAST DITCH PLAN FOR GREYSTONE REBUFFED BY STATE
A prominent New York developer who once financed a $60 million shopping and entertainment complex in Paterson has submitted an expression of interest to finance the restoration of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany. But their attorney says no state, county or municipal official has responded to its bid, submitted on May 27. Wednesday, a state Department of Treasury (DOT) spokesperson said at this point, nothing can stop the wrecking ball from bringing down the 675,000-square-foot Kirkbride building, the towering centerpiece of the 19th century institution that once housed more than 7,000 patients as recently as 1953.
FIND YOUR LOCAL NAMI
