NAMI Policy Research Institute

The mission of the NAMI Policy Research Institute (NPRI) is to drive national, state, and local debates on reforms and investments in the nation’s mental illness delivery and financing system.

The Institute brings together policymakers, advocates and scientists through various forums to develop solutions and expand support for science-based, recession-proof treatment and recovery systems. The Institute operates public policy task forces involving consumers, family members, experts and researchers to study issues of complexity in mental health policy. In this regard, the Institute supports and strengthens the policymaking responsibilities of national board of directors.

As part of its mission, the Institute provides technical assistance to NAMI state organizations and local affiliates on pivotal issues such as access to medication, health insurance parity, children’s delivery issues and increased funding. NPRI works closely with state leaders to develop innovative policy and advocacy strategies and reaches out to other stakeholders to build consensus and coalitions that focus on public policy issues on which the mental health community can agree.

The Institute issues a wide variety of publications including policy bulletins, state alerts, fact sheets and federal legislative analyses.

State Action Alerts

• NAMI Board of Directors Policy Recommendations on Access to Medications: Guidance for Advocates
• Medicaid Prior Authorization Programs: A Guide for Advocates
• Medication Carve Outs for Mental Illness: A Guide for Advocates
• Fail First Policies to Limit Access to Medications: A Guide for Advocates
• Increasing State Medicaid Funding Matches: A Guide for Advocates
• A Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: A Guide for Advocates
• The Current Revenue Crisis and Implications for State Mental Health Services: Prelude to a Crisis- The State Tax Cuts of 1994-2001

State Policy Bulletin

• Issue Number 01-02
  Strategies for Responding to Threats to Limit Access to Medications in Medicaid and Other Mental Health Financing Systems
• Issue Number 02-02
  Prior Authorization, Supplemental Rebates and Medicaid
• Issue Number 03-02
  A Political Primer on Assuring Access to Appropriate Medications
• Issue Number 04-02
  In Harms Way:  The Immenent Financial Threat to Mental Health Care Services in Medicaid Programs

Fact Sheets

• Medicaid Facts - What You Need to Know
  This comprehensive document contains twelve fact sheets on different aspects of Medicaid, plus a glossary and bibliography (PDF, 583 KB)

• Policymaker's Fact Sheet Number 01-02
  Policymaker's Fact Sheet on the Mental Health System
• Spending Money in all the Wrong Places
  Six fact sheets on various social issues and the effect that untreated mental illness has on compounding these issues.

Policymaker's Toolkits

• Facts on Access to Medications for People with Mood Disorders: A Policymaker's Resource

Position Papers

• 10-Point Policy To Ensure Access to Effective Medications in State Medicaid Programs

NPRI Task Force Reports

• Task Force on Children and Psychotropic Medications Report
• Task Force on Serious Mental Illness Research and Roadmap to Recovery & Cure Report
• Prescribing Privileges Task Force Report and Recommendations to the NAMI Board of Directors 
• Access to Medications Task Force Report and Recommendations to the NAMI Board of Directors
• Seclusion and Restraints
• Importation/Reimportation of Prescription Medications Background and Task Force Report

Conference Call Series for NAMI State Policy Advocates

• Reinvesting Public Mental Health Resources, November 19, 2004 (Power Point Presentation,  92 KB)

Online Discussion

• State Medicaid Forum
  Find support, share knowledge and ask questions on financing and delivery of mental illness services in Medicaid programs

Understanding the Issue

• State Budgets at the Crossroads (Power Point Presentation and Script)

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