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National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio
Ohio's Voice on Mental Illness
 Dear Mental Health Advocate, the Coalition for Healthy Communities, a consortium of 27 statewide mental health and alcohol/drug addiction advocacy organizations including NAMI Ohio, is jointly communicating the following message. Please read this carefully and forward it on to others. BUDGET UPDATE:The Ohio Senate and House of Representatives have each taken action on Am. Sub. H.B. 1, the Fiscal Year 2010 – 2011 Biennial Budget. The bill will now go to a Conference Committee where three legislators from the House and three from the Senate will work to reconcile the differences between the two versions of the bill. It is anticipated that additional cuts will be made to parts of the state’s budget. It is absolutely imperative that consumers, family members, providers, board personnel, and other behavioral health advocates communicate directly with House and Senate leaders and their own legislators indicating the urgent need to safeguard the community alcohol, drug addiction and mental health system from further cuts. Your advocacy is critical to any chance of success in putting a stop to the deterioration of our behavioral health care system here in Ohio. Legislators listen to the members of the Coalition, but what makes all the difference is your voice directly communicated to your elected representative. If we do not act, consumers and their loved ones will pay the price in reduced service availability. Ohio’s behavioral health system is on the verge of collapse! Specifically, we need your help in advocating for the changes below. BUDGET CHANGES NEEDED:The Coalition for Healthy Communities calls on the General Assembly to take the following action on Am. Sub. H.B. 1:
CALL TO ACTION:
The Coalition for Healthy Communities is a consortium of 27 statewide organizations advocating for quality mental health and addiction services. |
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View NAMI Ohio’s Television Commercial on YouTubeRecently, a commercial informing television viewers about NAMI Ohio began airing in various media markets around the state. To view the commercial, click here. Ohio Receives “C” for Mental Health Care: A Decrease from Last Report CardColumbus – On March 11th the National Alliance on Mental Illness issued a national report card that gives Ohio a C for its public mental health system. The report is a follow-up to a NAMI report published three years ago to measure the progress of states in achieving the goals of a presidential commission that called for transformation of the mental health care system – which too often is fragmented, outmoded and inadequate. In the previous report, Ohio received a grade of B. This year it is one of 12 states that saw their grades decline. The national average is D, remaining stagnant from three years ago. Six states received B’s, six received Fs, and no state received an A. “This grade is a tremendous disappointment. Three years ago, Ohio received a B and was viewed as a national leader. Instead of moving forward as we should have, we have fallen miserably backwards, and in the process have left many of our most vulnerable citizens behind,” said Jim Mauro, Executive Director of NAMI Ohio, the state affiliate. “Ohio has worked hard over the years to establish a solid infrastructure, only to have it threatened by funding cuts. NAMI Ohio calls on the Strickland Administration and the members of the General Assembly to stop the erosion of Ohio’s mental health system. We cannot continue to rely on jails and emergency rooms to serve as our safety net. Instead, we must invest in cost-effect, proven mental health services that save lives and save money,” said Mauro. The report card is based on 65 criteria, including access to medication, housing, family education and support to National Guard members. It includes policy recommendations for federal and state leaders. State governments provided most of the information on which the grades are based. To view the report in its entirety, go to www.nami.org/grades2009.
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