Advocate Support Blog

NAMI Meets with President Obama at White House

NAMI Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick joined a group of 12 representatives from the disability community last week for a historic meeting with President Barack Obama.

Health Reform Effort at a Critical Stage -- Your Calls are Needed!

As Congress moves toward its month-long summer recess, health care legislation has reached a critical stage. While neither the House nor the Senate is expected to move forward on a final vote on legislation this week, a strong grassroots push is needed to keep the pro-reform effort on track going into the fall. A toll-free number is up and running to direct calls to all House and Senate offices. While advocates can also send e-mails and hand-written notes to members of Congress, phone calls directly to congressional offices are drawing the most attention in this critical stage in the debate.

The House is expected to adjourn for its summer recess on July 31, while the Senate is expected to follow on or about August 7. Even if votes are not taken in either chamber on the legislation, NAMI will be engaging in a broad grassroots advocacy campaign throughout the month of August -- including efforts to reach members of Congress while they are in their states and congressional districts.

Act Now!

Advocates are strongly encouraged to use the following toll-free numbers that will be up and running through August 7:

To connect to House offices, call 1-800-828-0498. A second toll-free number -- 1-866-308-6259 -- will connect callers to a recording that requires them to enter their zip code and then be connected directly to their House member.

To connect to Senate offices, call 1-866-544-7573. Again, callers will hear a pre-recorded message and will need to enter your zip code. You will then be asked whether you want your call to go to your state's junior Senator or your senior Senator. Each state has two U.S. Senators, and the senior Senator from your state has been in the Senate longer than the junior Senator. To send your call to your junior Senator, Press 1. To send your call to your senior Senator, Press 2. After making your selection, your call will be redirected to the appropriate office.

What is NAMI's Message?

NAMI's basic message to Congress is:

Move this year on health reform legislation that provides quality and affordable health care for all while reducing the rate of growth in health care costs in the future;
Ensure that mental illness treatment is included as part of any required basic benefit package AND is covered at parity relative to medical surgical benefits consistent with Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; and
Address medical co-morbidities experienced by individuals with serious mental illness through expanded access to primary care and early intervention services.
NAMI also urges that any health care reform package should include:

Adequate financing in order to guarantee that health reform lives up to its promise of delivering comprehensive, affordable coverage;
Income-based standards for premiums, co-payments, deductibles and all out-of-pocket health care costs;
Premium subsidies on a sliding scale up to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level along with limits on cost sharing so health coverage is affordable for all American families;
An expansion of Medicaid that strengthens and maintains Medicaid's role as the base of coverage for current mandatory beneficiaries;
Improvements to portability, enrollment, and renewal to maximize coverage, minimize red tape, and provide stability for all Americans;
Regulations that prevent insurance companies from discriminating based on health status, gender, and occupation;
Guarantees that quality, affordable health care coverage is available across the country and that individuals and families have options in selecting health plans;
Financial support and incentives for primary community-based care -- especially for children and adults living with serious mental illness;
Adequate cost savings to improve long-range fiscal stability;
A strong employer responsibility requirement with penalties for those employers who do not offer coverage based on total payroll rather than penalties tied only to employees who receive income subsidies;
Sufficient assistance for states so that federal health reform does not impose an unnecessary burden on already strained state budgets, and that does not punish states that have chosen to expand Medicaid and SCHIP coverage above federal requirements.
Learn More

Learn more about health reform and read NAMI's principles and goals for health reform legislation.

Stop Accidential Overdose

Accidental overdose took more lives last year than firearms, drownings and accidental falls combined. But these deaths are preventable! I just got a free sticker to promote overdose prevention. Want to help spread the word? Click this link to get your free sticker:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/stickers/

Addiction is Not a Choice

I recently read a post that took the position that people who become addicted to drugs do so by choice. 

For those of you who have not had a personal experience, or contact with someone who has had an addiction, I want to set the record straight. Addiction is not a choice!

I have been in the behavioral health and addictions fields for over 20 years and have met hundreds of people who have been addicted to chemicals, both legal and illegal, and I have not yet met one person who chose to become addicted. In fact, most of them struggle to break their dependence and pay an enormous price for their addiction(s).

I have never even met any person who has, or would choose to become addicted to anything.

I will concede that people do choose to consume substances and that some of them do become addicted, but never let anyone tell you that someone "chose to become addicted".

Addiction is a terrible disease that torments people. We should have compassion for addicts and they should have access to treatment, when and if they want it.

Yes Men Save the World

I saw the Yes Men Save the World Movie on HBO last night. I had previously watched many of their clips on YouTube, but the movie was able to put them in context and tell a more complete story. able to tell a complete story.

 

I encourage the Yes Men to start up some health insurance company web sites ASAP, if they haven't already.

For more info on THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD (dir. Andy Bichlbaum + Mike Bonanno - 2009) please visit:
http://www.theyesmenfixtheworld.com

To book a public screening of THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD on your campus or arrange a live appearance of THE YES MEN through the Evil Twin Booking Agency please visit:http://www.eviltwinbooking.org

ValueOptions® To Manage Maryland’s Public Mental Health System

Value Options, Inc. of Norfolk, Virginia has been awarded a five year, $51.6 million dollar contract to serve as the Administrative Services Organization (ASO) for Maryland’s Public Mental Health System.

Beginning September 1, 2009 ValueOptions®, will take over administration of Maryland’s Public Mental Health System from MAPS-MD, the current administrator.

The Maryland Mental Hygiene Administration (MHA) and ValueOptions® are working together to ensure a smooth transition in September. Six provider meetings were held in June and additional meetings will be held for providers throughout the summer, but additional dates are not currently available on MHA’s web site.

More information for providers, including FAQ’s, Forums, MHA’s notice, and a PowerPoint presentation, can be found HERE.

Updates from NAMI

House Approves 2010 Funding for Mental Illness Research and Services

July 27, 2009

On July 24, by a vote of 264-153, the House cleared legislation that includes funding for mental illness research and services for FY 2010. The bill, known as the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill (HR 3293) includes a $52 million increase for mental illness research at NIMH, as well as an $8.4 million increase for the PATH program (outreach services for homeless individuals with serious mental illness) and a $17 million for the Childrens Mental Health program. The Senate takes up the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill in Committee next week.

Learn More

Read more details about the FY 2010 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill.
NAMI E-News Alerts are electronic newsletters provided free of charge as a public service. With more than 1,100 state and local affiliates, NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. Contributions to support our work can be made online.

If you do not wish to receive further E-News Alerts, please click here, sign in and uncheck the box next to E-News. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please send an email to enews@nami.org.

House Approves 2010 Funding for Mental Illness Research and Services

On July 24, by a vote of 264-153, the House cleared legislation that
includes funding for mental illness research and services for FY 2010. http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=82892&lstid=275

Jim Crosson Advocate Support Services, Inc.

Details on Proposed Mental Illness Research and Services Funding for FY 2010

On July 24, the House cleared legislation that includes funding for
mental illness research and services for FY 2010. The bill, known as
the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill (HR 3293) includes
a $52 million increase for mental illness research at NIMH, as well as
an $8.4 million increase for the PATH program (outreach services for
homeless individuals with serious mental illness) and a $17 million
for the Childrens Mental Health program. http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=82889&lstid=275

Jim Crosson Advocate Support Services, Inc.

Maryland Economic Woes Means No Medicaid Inflation Increase for Community Mental Health & Substance Abuse Providers

Following is a video of Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley, from July 21, 2009, in which he announces that he is seeking $4 billion in cuts to Maryland's budget by this Labor Day. 

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However, a July 22, 2009 article in the Baltimore Business Journal, Maryland Board of Public Works approves O'Malley budget cuts, by Ryan Sharrow, reported, "Maryland’s Board of Public Works unanimously approved Wednesday Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposal to slash $280 million from the state’s current budget. The cuts are the first step in trimming more than $700 million of the state’s $14 billion budget, a move precipitated by plunging tax revenue. O’Malley plans to introduce the remaining cuts by Labor Day."

The Baltimore Sun reported, "Among the hardest hit in this round of budget cuts would be Medicaid providers. The governor plans to save $24 million by paying only for hospital stays of a certain length under Medicaid, $23 million by reducing Medicaid rates for nursing homes and $13 million by taking away an inflation increase for providers of community mental health, substance abuse and other services." $280M in state budget cuts approved At least $420 million in further reductions planned before Labor Day, By Julie Bykowicz, July 22, 2009

Maryland's Board of Public Works is a three-member board which is comprised of Governor Martin O'Malley, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.