The Informer
 
       NAMI Supports Consolidation
 
                      NAMI ALABAMA POSITION STATEMENT

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Alabama (NAMI Alabama) is an organization of family members who have sons, daughters, brothers, sisters or other immediate family members with a serious mental illness.  Many times in the past, the treatment of these individuals has required hospitalization including stays at the state facilities operated by the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
 

With the advent of newer more effective medications and treatment approaches, our loved ones do and can live in the community.  They deserve no less.  This has meant the significant reduction of state hospital beds to a point that operating multiple facilities simply does not make economic sense.  The cost of each bed is exorbitant and our loved ones need those dollars to support them in the community.
 

Consequently, NAMI Alabama favors the consolidation of state facilities which requires the closure of one or more state operated facilities.  Our loved ones need the following services in the community of their choice:
 

Access to Medications (especially the newer generation of anti-psychotic medications)
Assertive Community Treatment Teams (ACT Teams) that have been proven successful with scientific evidence.
Access to Local Acute Care Hospital or Other Crisis Intervention Services when it is necessary
Housing (safe, affordable places to live)
 

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Membership Meeting
Tuesday, May 13 7:00 PM

1713 6th Ave. South 2nd Floor, Birmingham

House Passes Special Education Bill Eroding  Protections for Students with Mental Illnesses

 

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1350, the
"Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act of 2003", by a vote of 251 to 171.  NAMI strongly opposes HR 1350, which reauthorizes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), providing special education services to over 6.5 million children with disabilities, because it erodes critically important special education protections and threatens the fundamental rights of students with mental illnesses to receive an appropriate education.

House members considered 14 amendments to H.R. 1350 before the final vote on the bill.  NAMI joined with other advocacy groups yesterday in expressing outrage at 2 of those amendments that would likely result in fewer students with mental illnesses receiving appropriate educational services.  The 2 amendments reinforce the stigma and stereotypes that too many children and adults with mental illnesses and their families are forced to live with.

The first amendment, offered by Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) suggests that children are over-identified in the emotional disturbance eligibility category  which includes students with mental illnesses -- and they can be better served
with positive discipline and

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