To: NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliate Leaders

From: Mike Fitzpatrick, NAMI executive director

Re: Update

Date: April 18, 2011

OPPOSE BLOCK GRANTING MEDICAID- Medicaid is the most important source of public mental health funding, paying for nearly half of all services. The budget passed at the end of last week in the House would result in major reductions in future federal spending on Medicaid and convert the program from a federal entitlement to a block grant to the states. As you know, states are already struggling to contain Medicaid expenses. Converting Medicaid to a block grant program will increase pressure on state officials to further contain costs. Enrollments in Medicaid will be cut and essential services will be at risk.

As our E-News last week noted the time is now for advocates to contact their Senators and urge them to oppose a Medicaid Block Grant. All Senate offices can be reached at 1 (888) 876-6242 or (202) 224-3121 or send an e-mail message to your congressional member.

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1. NIMH hosted a lecture, Advances in Autism Treatment Research, in observance of Autism Awareness Month on April 21, 2011 from 10:30-11:30AM. This lecture was available via videocast.

2. SAMHSA has released two new fact sheets to support National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day activities:

• Childhood Trauma's Impact on Health Risks
• Building Resilience in Children and Youth Dealing with Trauma

3. As the Department of Defense has named April “Month of the Military Child,” you will see a number of resources released this month to support activities for and about children of service members.

We hope you find this information useful for your work.

Please sign NAMI-NYS's petition to maintain funding to NIMH

There is still time to sign the petition NAMI-NYS started to maintain the funding of NIMH in this year’s budget as well as in the 2012-13 Federal budget. We will be sending the petition to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee and the New York State Congressional Delegation. If you have not already signed the petition, please take a minute to tell Congress that you believe in the importance of research as our hope for the future and that you urge them to maintain funding to NIMH. Share the petition with your affiliate members, friends and family. When signing the petition be sure to click the tab that shows that you like the petition on Facebook. This will put a link on your Facebook page allowing all your friends to view and sign the petition.

NIMH connect the dots videocast to be included in NAMI-NYS's Children Mental Health Awareness Event

NAMI-NYS held our first Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day Event, which took place on Thursday, May 5th at the Main Branch of Albany Public Library. NAMI partnered with other mental health organizations and children and education advocacy organizations to present the latest information on understanding the mental health issues of children and adolescents from age 0-18.  Included was a videocast presentation of NIMH’s Connect the Dots panel presentation. The panel was moderated by Dr. Thomas R. Insel, Director, NIMH and included:

• Ellen Leibenluft, M.D., Chief, Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Program. Dr. Leibenluft is an internationally-recognized expert on the brain mechanisms involved in bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.
• Daniel Pine, M.D., Chief, Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience and Chief, Emotion and Development Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Programs. A renowned expert on the causes and occurrence, biological basis and treatment of childhood mental disorders.
• Jay Giedd, M.D., Chief, Unit on Brain Imaging, Child Psychiatry Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Program. Dr. Giedd is a leading expert on the biological basis of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in children.
• Benedetto Vitiello, Ph.D., Chief, Child and Adolescent Treatment and Preventive Interventions Research Branch, Division of Services and Intervention Research, NIMH. Dr. Vitiello is a research expert on the effects of medications and other interventions to treat mental disorders in children and adolescents.

 

NAMI-NYS is excited to announce the launching of our new Lending Library with over 100 titles of DVDs and books. The Library has resources on schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, criminal justice issues and many more, which are in the non-fiction, fiction and self-help genres. The process of borrowing is quick, easy and free. Please click on the following link http://www.naminys.org/lending-library to enter our lending library which operates like an online interlibrary loan.

 

If there are any particular titles you would like to see in our library, please let Tammie Paradis know. Although funds are limited, we will try our best to find books and DVDs that interest our membership.

 

Also, if you have any books or DVDs you would like to donate to our library so other members can enjoy them, please contact Kathleen. You can email Tammie at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or reach her by phone at (518) 462-2000 Ext. 204.

 

Thank you for your continued support and please enjoy our books and DVDs.

 

Urgent and immediate action is required to keep Provider Prevails and request patient protections be included in the NYS budget agreement. We cannot give up our advocacy for the NYS budget to include open access to the full gamut of evidence based psychiatric medications which are crucial for treating people with mental illness.

We can still impact the final outcome as the Medicaid Provisions are being discussed right now.  Please share this with everyone and tell them to immediately to make these calls.

Assembly Speaker Silver: (518) 455-3791
Assemblyman Gottfried: (518) 455-4941
Tell them to include Provider Prevails and include Patient Protections in the Budget language.

Senate Majority Leader Skelos: (518) 455-3171
Tell him to continue supporting Provider Prevails and include Patient Protections in the Budget language.

Governor Cuomo: (518) 474-8390
Tell them to include Provider Prevails and include Patient Protections in the Budget language.

The budget process will end today. Making these 4 calls is critical in keeping patients safe. We have this small window of opportunity to influence the final outcome. Flood these offices with calls immediately. Thank you for continuing the fight.

A vote on the Medicaid redesign plan is imminent. Every voice is needed! PLEASE CALL Assemblyman Gottfried's Albany office now at (518) 455-4941. Tell them you want a Medicaid Redesign that has open access to the full spectrum of medications.

Then share your views with Assembly Speaker Silver at (518) 455-3791.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CALL

We need to keep patient protections in place and reject proposal #11 that would eliminate the fee-for-service Medicaid drug program and carve the drug benefit into managed care.

Tomorrow will be too late! Share this message with everyone you know. Please call now:

Assemblyman Gottfried: (518) 455-4941
Speaker Silver: (518) 455-3791

Keep the current language and patient protections in place and reject proposal #15 that would eliminate "Prescriber Prevails" allowing the State Medicaid Director to make final determinations regarding prior authorizations of non-preferred brand drugs, and require prior authorization for currently protected classes of drugs (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-retroviral drugs, and immunosuppressants), and eliminate the Medicare Part D coverage wrap for dual eligibles for the same drugs.

KEEP HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN CHARGE OF HEALTH CARE DECISIONS!