According to Grading
the States: A Report on America's Health Care System for Serious
Mental Illnesses, released by NAMI National in Washington,
D.C., five states received grades in the B range, 17 states and
the District of Columbia received Cs, 19 states received Ds, and
eight states received F. Two states, Colorado and New York, declined
to respond to a October- November 2005 survey on which the report
is based.
"Don't think for one moment that D is okay because it's the
average," said Jim Jordan, NAMI Pennsylvania Executive Director.
"D means that there is serious work that needs to be done in
Pennsylvania to improve our system.
"Today's D is a baseline to help measure future progress.
We need to build a mental health care system based on proven, cost-effective
practices and the goal of recovery. That's what people with serious
mental illness deserve. That's what taxpayers deserve."
Carol Caruso, state president of NAMI PA, said, "The one in
five families in our Commonwealth affected by mental illness, and
the dedicated professionals working in the field of mental health,
deserve the fullest support from our state government."
For a full copy of the report, including state narratives, see
www.nami.org/grades.
Grades are based on 39 criteria in four categories. Pennsylvania
received a "D+" for Information Accessibility, a "C-"
for Infrastructure, a "C-" for Services and a "C-"for
Recovery Supports.. "Infrastructure" represents the state's
forward-looking orientation based on priorities, innovations, data
collection and planning.
Access to services depends on access to information. In a unique
feature called the Consumer/Family Test Drive, NAMI members tested
access to basic information through the state mental health department's
Web site and telephone system. Pennsylvania scored 2 out of a possible
10 points and ranked 42nd in the nation on the test drive.
The report did, however, commend Pennsylvania for 5 innovations:
* Pioneering leadership to eliminate the use of restraints and
seclusions
* Implementation of evidence-based practices
* PennMAPS decision making tool for physicians
* State inmate re-entry program in Allegeny County
* Co-occurring disorder workforce development
"Urgent needs" identified for Pennsylvania in the report
include:
* Funding
* Comprehensive system blueprint
* Hospital land used as a trust for people with serious mental illness
* Better information access
* Community services; reduction of hospital waiting lists
"There are many areas that clearly need work," Jordan
said. "The report helps identify them through scores on specific
criteria and provides a checklist for change.
"In the immediate future, NAMI Pennsylvania will be focusing
on working with the state to develop a comprehensive blueprint,
incorporating the recommendations of this report, for development
of a community-based mental health system.
"Adequate support, including access to community psychiatry,
employment opportunities and appropriate housing are essential components
of any such plan."
The plan requires cooperation between the executive and legislative
branches of state governments to insure that adequate funding is
available to support this system.
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