Grading the States 2009: Overviewhttp://www.nami.org/gtsTemplate09.cfm?Section=Overview1&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=75106<Our national mental health care system is in crisis. Long fragile, fragmented, and inadequate, it is now in serious peril. In 2003, the presidential New Freedom Commission presented a vision for a life-saving, recovery-oriented, cost-effective, evidence-based system of care. States have been working to improve the system, but progress is minimal.Today, even those states that have worked the hardest stand to see their gains wiped out. As the country faces the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression, state budget shortfalls mean budget cuts to mental health services.The budget cuts are coming at a time when mental health services are even more urgently needed. It is a vicious cycle that destroys lives and creates more significant financial troubles for states and the federal government in the long run.One in four Americans experience mental illness at some point in their lives. The most serious conditions affect 10.6 million people. Mental illness is the greatest cause of disability in the nation, and twice as many Americans live with schizophrenia than with HIV/AIDS.We know what works to save lives and help people recover. In the face of crisis, America needs to move forward, not retreat. We cannot leave our most vulnerable citizens behind.Letter from the NAMI Executive DirectorRead the letter from NAMI's Executive Director, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, which opens the NAMI Grading the States 2009 report.Executive SummaryRead the executive summary of Grading the States 2009 report.Authors and AcknowledgementsNAMI wishes to thank these people for their hard work and dedication on Grading the States 2009.United States Report CardRead about how the United States rates overall and see the national scorecard.presented by:Brain Injury Association of AmericaJune 15, 2009In this MegaVote for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District:Recent Congressional Votes -* Senate: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act* House: Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011* House: Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement (PEACE) Act* House: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control ActUpcoming Congressional Bills -* Senate: Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009* House: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010* House: Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010Recent Senate VotesFamily Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - Vote Passed (79-17, 3 Not Voting)The Senate passed this bill that would give the FDA regulatory authority over tobacco, but would not allow the agency to ban cigarettes or other tobacco products.Sen. Thad Cochran voted YES......send e-mail or see bioSen. Roger Wicker voted YES......send e-mail or see bioRecent House VotesForeign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 - Vote Passed (235-187, 11 Not Voting)The House passed this bill that would authorize funding for the Department of State and the Peace Corps through fiscal year 2011.Rep. Gregg Harper voted NO......send e-mail or see bioPakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement (PEACE) Act - Vote Passed (234-185, 14 Not Voting)The House approved this bill to authorize democratic, economic and security assistance to Pakistan.Rep. Gregg Harper voted NO......send e-mail or see bioFamily Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - Vote Passed (307-97, 30 Not Voting)The House gave final passage to this bill granting the FDA regulatory authority over tobacco, sending it to the President.Rep. Gregg Harper voted YES......send e-mail or see bioUpcoming VotesSupplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 - H.R.2346The Senate and House are both expected to vote on final approval of this war supplemental bill.Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 - H.R.2847The House is scheduled to vote on this bill to fund the Departments of Commerce and Justice, science agencies, and other related agencies for Fiscal Year 2010.Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 - H.R.___The House is also scheduled to vote on this bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2010.From the Desk of:David Martin, Executive Vice PresidentMEDIA RESEARCH CENTER6/15/2009METRIC,Tomorrow morning, the Media Research Center will be delivering hundreds of thousands of petitions on your behalf to the Senate Commerce Committee prior to their FCC confirmation hearing! The petitions call on the government to “reject any and all efforts to censor, limit, or restrain conservative or Christian talk radio.”As we mentioned earlier, President Obama’s pick for FCC Chairmain, Julius Genachowski, is a strong proponent of “diversity” in the media—code for promoting liberalism and liberal views. Confirmation of Obama’s pick could throw open the door to regulation and control of conservative talk radio!That’s why we are writing you today, METRIC.Ahead of our massive petition delivery on the morning of the hearing, we are asking ALL members of the MRC Action team to call each member of the Senate Commerce Committee and urge them to make sure that no FCC nominee will regulate or control radio content.That means… NO to the “Fairness Doctrine”… NO to forced “diversity” in media ownership… NO to serving the government’s flawed idea of “local” or “public” interest.Leave radio content alone!! Radio content should be driven by the free market. Let the consumer decide!We must have any and all nominees on the record supporting Free Speech in advance of their confirmation, and we are counting on you to help make that happen.++ Call Members of the Senate Commerce Committee TodayHelp the MRC by calling EVERY member of the committee today and tomorrow!Below are the members and their contact information:DemocratsJohn D. Rockefeller, WV – 202-224-6472Daniel K. Inouye, HI – 202-224-3934John Kerry, MA – 202-224-2742Byron Dorgan, ND – 202-224-2551Barbara Boxer, CA – 202-224-3553Bill Nelson, FL – 202-224-5274Maria Cantwell, WA – 202-224-3441Frank Lautenberg, NJ – 202-224-3224Mark Pryor, AR – 202-224-2353Clair McCaskill, MO – 202-224-6154Amy Klobuchar, MN – 202-224-3244Tom Udall, NM – 202-224-6621Mark Warner, VA – 202-224-2023Mark Begich, AK – 202-224-3004RepublicansKay Bailey Hutchison, TX – 202-224-5922Olympia Snowe, ME – 202-224-5344John Ensign, NV – 202-224-6244Jim DeMint, SC – 202-224-6121John Thune, SD – 202-224-2321Roger Wicker, MS – 202-224-6253Johnny Isakson, GA – 202-224-3643David Vitter, LA – 202-224-4623Sam Brownback, KS – 202-224-6521Mel Martinez, FL – 202-224-3041Mike Johanns, NE – 202-224-4224METRIC, when calling, be sure to urge EVERY member of the committee to stand first and foremost for the preservation of our Free Speech Rights by opposing ANY regulation or control of radio content.++ Alert Your FriendsAfter placing your calls, please forward this message to 20-30 friends, urging them to take action with you, first by signing their name to our Free Speech petition and then by making phone calls to members of the Senate Commerce Committee.These past two weeks have been among the most proactive and exciting in MRC Action team history as we heroically stepped up with petitions, faxes, and phone calls demanding an end to the looming threat against our Free Speech Rights.Now it’s all come down to these confirmation hearings…Your petitions will be there, now we need tens of thousands of MRC Action team members to strike a blow for Free Speech Rights by calling every member of the Senate Commerce committee and inviting your friends to do the same!Thanks again for your outstanding support of the MRC!DavidP.S: We must impress on every member of that committee the importance of our Free Speech Rights. We need them to ask the tough questions to ensure that our First Amendment Rights are never regulated into silence. Call today!
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