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MEDIA ADVISORY
Tuesday, March 29 2005

CONTACT: Katrina Gay
615-545-2548

Nami Ohio’s New Report On Ohio’s Mental Health Care Crisis Launches Statewide "Campaign For The Mind Of America"

WHEN: Tuesday, April 5, 2005, 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: Southeast Passageway of the State Capitol, Columbus, Ohio

WHAT: Release of new report, To Lift The Burden: Reducing The Costs of Untreated Mental Illness in Ohio, While Improving Care; Launch of the NAMI Ohio’s Campaign for the Mind of America

WHO: Representing Special Education Resource Centers, Rhonda Dickson
Representing Sheriffs of Ohio, Sheriff Gene Kelly, Clark County
Representing Schools, Mary Ascierno, Former Principal and Educator
Representing the Faith Community, Tracee Black, Director of TOVA’s N.E.S.T.
Representing Children’s Services Boards, John Saros, Executive Director,Franklin County Children’s Services
Representing County Commissioners, Bob Hackett, Madison County Commissioner
Representing Families, Jim Maurro, Columbus Attorney
Representing Judges, The Honorable Jennifer Vrunner, Franklin County Common Pleas Court
Representing the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. John Duby, M.D.
Representing Ohio Psychiatrists, Janet Shaw
Representing programs serving troubled youth, Angela Cornelius, Executive Director, Project Linden

WHY YOU SHOULD BE THERE:

NAMI Ohio -- the Ohio chapter of NAMI, the Nation’s Voice on Mental Illness -- will release a new report, To Lift The Burden, which provides a vivid snapshot of the costs to individuals, families, and taxpayers in Ohio of untreated mental illness. The report also lays out a fiscally-sound, step-by-step plan for reducing these costs and improving mental care. Featured speakers from the law enforcement, medical, education and social service communities will describe their day-to-day experience coping with the challenges of untreated mental illness, and the need for change.

This event also marks the state launch of the "Campaign for the Mind of America," a multi-year national and state-level initiative to increase access to mental health treatment and services and show the effects of untreated mental illness on every community. The Campaign works to create unique partnerships between those acting as the front line in the current mental health treatment system crisis – education, law enforcement, health care, and business.

NAMI leaders and partners will use findings from this report to meet with administration officials and legislators to urge them to make economically sound evidence-based decisions.

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