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We have heard it all too often. A death in Chicago or New York City or the Midwest and headlines blame everyone with mental illnesses. It is practically the only time I am called by the media. I carefully shape a response, although my quote is usually buried in the story and cannot compete with the dramatic and blaming headline.

Violent incidents involving a few persons with mental illnesses are the exception, not the rule. The Surgeon General reports that, "The overall contribution of mental disorders to the total level of violence is exceptionally small."

The AP article, published on March 23rd, revealed some sad statistics. About 125,000 young and middle-aged adults with serious mental illnesses live in U.S. nursing homes. These persons, age 22 to 64, now make up more than 9% of the nation's nearly 1.4 million nursing home residents, up from 6% in 2002.

The causes of the increase, according to the story, are the closing of state mental institutions and a shortage of hospital psychiatric beds, as well as nursing homes needing folks to fill their beds as elderly stay in their own homes longer. We know the root of the problem is a lack of investment in supported housing and community mental health services.

Placement of individuals with mental illnesses in nursing homes is more than inappropriate. It is not humane. Warehousing of persons with psychiatric disabilities leads to the worsening of their illnesses and certainly counters recovery.

Placing those with mental illnesses in nursing homes is systemic violence affecting us all. It is shameful and inexcusable in a state that can build new Yankee and Mets stadiums but does not care adequately for its most vulnerable citizens.

NAMI will continue to cry out at the stigma and injustice surrounding mental illness. We will only cease when our loved ones receive respectful treatment and are given the resources to recover with dignity.

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