Please,
click below to help in our campaign to restore proposed budget
cuts:
ACTION
ALERT: State Budget Cuts for Mental Health!!!
Dear
NAMI Members and Friends,
WE
ARE IN THE HOME
STRETCH!
PLEASE RENEW and STRENGTHEN YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS!
Your
advocacy efforts have made a positive impact on the state budget
process. SB850 failed to be passed by the House Appropriations
Committee on June 8th, 2009. Consequently, there is no state budget.
The Governor has submitted a revised proposal which increases
his earlier recommendation of 3 million in proposed cuts for Mental
Health services. The
new proposal is for 14 million in cuts for Mental Health services.
It is also proposed that SB850 be sent to the full House for consideration.
These
proposed cuts will be devastating to the mental health community.
Please renew your calls and emails to your legislators. We need
to flood our legislators with calls and letters to restore the
proposed cuts.
We
need you to continue your efforts by email,
(a sample letter is attached), We are also asking that you place
calls to
your legislators. Please get family members, friends, neighbors
and acquaintances to make calls and to send email messages. We
must continue our calls for leadership and compassion. It is critical
that our elected officials support our request for restoration
of these critical funds.
The
focus of our efforts needs to include letters and calls to the
Governor. The Governor’s proposed budget makes cuts to community
mental health services.
Remember
these points in your contacts:
• Mental Health and Disability Services are essential services.
• Cutting services will not save money.
• Cuts will shift the cost to families.
• Cuts will shift the cost to counties.
• Cuts will shift responsibility to jails and corrections.
Resources
to help you:
• General
Talking Points
• Specific
Talking Points
• Points
of Etiquette when working with your Legislator -
Always Be Courteous in Your Contacts
Please
keep us informed about your efforts and any feedback you receive.
Thank
you for the important work you are doing!
Sincerely,
Jim Jordan
NAMI
PA Executive Director Jim Jordan and PCPA
and other advocacy groups speaking
at
a rally at the Capitol on budgetary concerns.
|
Hundreds
of concerned citizens
gathered at the State Capitol to
advocate restoration of budget cuts. |
|
"The
Human Existence: Mind, Body and Soul;
Explore the Importance of the Integration of
Mind, Body and Soul in Recovery"
Annual
Conference 2009
CALL
FOR PRESENTERS
|
SPONSORS/EXHIBITORS/ADVERSTISORS
|
| |
|
NAMI
PA Regional Conferences 2009
One
day Educational Events for members, supporters and friends
of NAMI PA local affiliates and interested community members
Regional
Conferences are an opportunity to:
-
Network with consumers, family members, providers and other
supporters
-
Learn new information and sharpen skills in a relaxed
setting
-
Provide & receive peer-based support
-
Interact with NAMI PA leadership to obtain 1st hand information
about state-level initiatives and plans
|
Northeast:
COMPLETE
When:
Saturday, May 30th
Where: Kirby
House, Mountain Top PA |
Central:
COMPLETE
When: Saturday
June 13th
Where: Montour
Training Academy, Danville State Hospital, Danville |
Northwest:
When:
TBD
Where: TBD |
Southeast:
When: TBD
Where: TBD |
Announcements
and Updates
| Legislation
of Interest
LEGISLATION:
as of October 3rd, 2008 there were 107 Bills of interest
to NAMI PA in the 2007-2008 Session.
The 2007-2008 Legislative Session is finished as of November
30th, 2008.
All bills not passed are closed for consideration. When the
Legislature re-convenes in January 2009, bills can be re-introduced
for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session.
Contact
us to see how you can help
NAMI
Legislative Resource:
Grading the States Report, NAMI National, 2009
Full
Article
|
NAMI
PA VETERAN'S
ADVISORY COUNCIL
The NAMI Board of Directors considers the emerging problem
of veterans with mental illness to be one of the most serious
problems facing our nation. We have set aside one day at our
Annual Conference to discuss the many issues that families
and veterans must face. In 2008 the NAMI Pennsylvania Board
of Director’s and it’s veteran members established
a Veterans Advisory Council to assure close attention is paid
to veterans’ mental health issues in PA and each of
it’s four Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN).
The
NAMI PA Veterans Advisory Council includes:
- Volunteer
veterans
- Family
members
- NAMI
PA Consumer Council Representative
- Friends
who have an involvement and interest in issues affecting
veterans.
We advocate for an improved VA continuum of care and for better
access to services and support for veterans with mental illnesses.
Veterans
Home|
Department
of Veterans Affairs
| Vet
to Vet Education Program
|
| Veterans
News | Veterans
Resources |
| Science
Corner
June
1st , 2009
NIMH:
Recovery Funds Will Support Evaluation of Suicide Prevention
Training
NIMH is using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act to provide grant support for the completion of a project
under way to evaluate the effectiveness of a new training
program for telephone crisis counselors at suicide hotline
centers. The rollout of the new training program, which began
in winter of 2008, offers an unrepeatable opportunity to assess
the benefits of the training. The information could shape
telephone-based suicide prevention services across the country.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), the nation's
leading source of immediate help for those dealing with suicide-related
issues, is carrying out the training program across its network
of crisis centers. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) funds NSPL.
Full
Article
|
Emergency
Preparedness: Swine Flu
H1N1
Influenza
Resources & Updates:
Online
Resources: Pennsylvania
|
CDC |
WHO
New
State of Pennsylvania resources, June 2009:
Guidance
for Camps on Novel Influenza A (H1N1)
Guidance
for Travelers (June 19, 2009)
Guidance
for Professionals |
|
Criminal
Justice Training and the Forensics Interagency Task Force
NAMI believes that education about brain disorders at all
levels of judicial and legal systems is crucial to the appropriate
disposition of cases involving offenders with brain disorders.
Judges, lawyers, police officers, correctional officers, parole
and probation officers, law enforcement personnel, court officers,
and emergency medical transport and service personnel should
be required to complete at least 20 hours of training about
these disorders. Consumers and family members should be a
part of this educational process.
NAMI believes that state and local mental health authorities
must work closely in conjunction with state and local correctional
and law enforcement agencies to develop strategies and programs
for compassionate intervention by law enforcement, jail diversion,
treatment of individuals with brain disorders who are incarcerated,
and discharge planning and community reintegration services
for individuals with brain disorders released from correctional
facilities. |
Emergency
Preparedness Planning
The
First 72 Hours |
10
Potential Emergencies
|
Make a Plan
|
Get
a Kit |
Special
Needs
Emergencies/disasters
are part of every day life. Floods, droughts, earthquakes,
snowstorms, the accidental release of radiation and terrorist
attacks are just a few examples of problems we may face. Advance
planning and coordination of family activities will improve
the opportunities for managing and overcoming the challenges
of such emergencies. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “it
is better to dig your well before you are thirsty.”
Emergency
Preparedness Section |
| Medicare
Part D- Prescription Drug Assistance
OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS NOVEMBER 15TH
for 2008
Medicare
Drug Benefit Update: 2008 Plan Year Enrollment Begins November
14, 2008. November 15 marks the start of the open enrollment
period for the Medicare Part D drug benefit for 2008. During
the “open season” period for 2008 drug plan enrollment,
Medicare beneficiaries will be able to select prescription
drug coverage that goes into effect on January 1, 2009. The
open season ends December 31.
As the 2009 plan year approaches, NAMI is watching closely
to ensure that beneficiaries with serious mental illness,
especially low-income dual eligibles, are able to maintain
continued access to drug coverage that meets their complex
treatment needs. Of particular concern are the 1.9 million
citizens on medical assistance and low-income subsidy (LIS)
Medicare beneficiaries.
There are a number of important web-based tools to search
available plan options, research whether or not a specific
medication is on a plan’s formulary for 2009–
or is subject to an access restriction (placed on a tier requiring
higher cost sharing, prior authorization, step therapy, quantity
limit, etc.). Most can be searched by zip code to check on
availability by geographic region. Click here for
Resources for Medicare Part D- Prescription Drug Assistance
CONTACT NUMBERS:
Medicare:
1-800-633-4227 |
DPW:
1-800-525-0674
|
Medical Assistance:
1-866-542-3015
|
Apprise:
1-800-783-7067
|
SPBP:
1-800-922-9384 |
|
