Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Why not make Kendra's Law permanent? Empire Information Services press release - "A new Kendra's Law bill has been introduced into both houses of the state legislature that would renew the law for five more years. This move has baffled the bills supporters, including Patricia Webdale, the mother of Kendra, for whom the bill is named, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), which represents families with loved ones who have a mental illness. Named for Kendra Webdale, who was pushed under a subway train by a man with a serious mental illness who did not take his medications, Kendras Law provides for Assisted Outpatient Treatment to persons with severe mental illness who could not otherwise survive safely in their communities 'While the bill includes improvements to the law, we are deeply disappointed that it won't make the law permanent,' J. David Seay, Executive Director on NAMI-NYS said. 'The law has saved many lives and has dramatically lowered the rate of re-hospitalizations, incarcerations and homelessness for those whom it has served.'"  
  

Mandatory care for mentally ill OK'd (Maine) Portland Press Herald story - " Large majorities in the Maine House and Senate have approved a bill that would require some mentally ill outpatients to adhere to court-ordered treatment plans or risk being hospitalized against their will. The measure, which deeply split the state's mental-health community and sparked passionate debate in Augusta, faces one remaining obstacle. The Appropriations Committee, which is expected to meet later this month, must allocate $520,000 to fund the bill, said its sponsor, state Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds."