Pete Earley

In the nine years since our son was diagnosed with a serious mental illness, one of my coping strategies has been to read, read, and read more.  After awhile, authors and researchers began sorting themselves out in my head—there are the ones that are so-so, the mostly awesome ones, and…the rock stars! 

The rock stars are writers who have a profound impact on my thinking about mental illness—they publish books and articles that I recommend to other parents of those with mental illnesses and often have a unique slant on a topic that has not been addressed by many others.

 Dr. Xavier Amador is one of those rock stars. 

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Here is the first report from bloggers who are attending the National Alliance on Mental Illness Convention in San Antonio. Thanks so much Joe and Beth! I was especially thrilled to read about the continued excellent work that my friend, Gilbert Gonzales, is doing with CIT and jail diversion. Bexar County continues to be an excellent example for us to cite when asked if programs that divert our loved ones from jails save money and lives!

National NAMI Notes by Joseph and Beth Meyer 

We have been to several state and national conferences, but this was our first national NAMI Convention.  Within our first sessions, one thing caught our attention—there were more standing ovations in the first two hours than in all of the other conferences we have attended put together.  It speaks to the hope NAMI has brought to many—those with mental illness, family caregivers, and those of us in both roles.  Living with mental illness can be exhausting, but everyone has a reason to celebrate the progress that is being made for these four days.  

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From my files Friday:  School is out for the summer but here’s a test to check your mental health knowledge. I first published this in December 2010. Enjoy!

Eleven Questions about Mental Health  

           Question one:  A recent president — not President Obama — appointed a commission to study mental illness. Critics immediately attacked that commission and recruited a celebrity to blast it. What president appointed The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health: Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America and who was the celebrity who criticized it?

1. President George H.W. Bush and Tom Cruise
2. President Bill Clinton and John Travolta
3. President George W. Bush and Patch Adams
4. President George W. Bush and Britney Spears

Question two: What is the “largest, public mental health facility” in the United States? Click to continue…

I wish the author of this recent email that I received could have spoken at the White House summit held a few weeks ago or be heard by Rep. Tim Murphy’s House subcommittee investigating our mental health care system. Sadly, I get a lot of emails like this from dedicating and caring workers who simply get burned out.

Hi Mr. Earley.

I’m a family therapist in [deleted for privacy] having recently graduated from [a prestigious school]  I interned at a federal correction facility in its mental health unit and I currently work in a psychiatric residential treatment facility for children ages 6-12 who’ve been through complex trauma.

I’m beyond disgusted with our system.

I’ll be honest — the mental health treatment was better in the federal prison where I have worked than what I’ve witnessed in our community mental health system.

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                 SAMHSA Director Pamela Hyde now will have the GAO Investigating her agency.

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), who is both a psychologist  and member of Congress, is keeping his promise to continue shining a much needed spotlight on our nation’s problem-plagued mental health care system.  Late last week, Rep.  Diana DeGette (D-Co.),  joined him in asking the General Accountability Office to investigate how the U.S.  government delivers mental health services to the public and whether the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is doing a responsible job in allocating the $3.6 billion each year that it spends.

Reps. Murphy and DeGette deserve big KUDOS for continuing to make mental health reform a priority — especially since their counterparts in the Senate and other members of the House appear to have put mental health on a back burner while they chase after more recent scandals (IRS and privacy concerns) that are more likely to get them on the national news.

Have they forgotten Sandy Hook and all of the promises that were made about improving our  mental health system?

Rep. Murphy chairs the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations subcommittee and Rep. DeGette is its ranking Democrat member. Under their bipartisan leadership, the subcommittee already has held a public forum and two hearings about mental health care — all prompted by the Newtown shootings.  The same question was asked at each hearing. Is the federal government meeting the needs of the sickest of the sick?

The answer has been and continues to be an loud NO.

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