Mental Illness Policy Org

Mental Illness Policy Org. provides unbiased, easy-to-access information to the media and policy-makers about care and treatment of people with serious mental illness. The issues facing these individuals are different from those with mental ‘health’ issues. Their needs often get lost in the larger “Prozac Nation” mental health dialogue. Being honest about this population requires addressing difficult issues like violence and involuntary treatment, issues many organizations prefer to avoid. Mental Illness Policy Org focuses on serious mental illness, not mental ‘health’. I,e, the 5-8% who are most seriously ill, mainly suffering from schizophrenia and treatment-resistant forms of bipolar disorder. Other organizations focus on the 50% of people they claim will have a diagnosable mental illness during their lifetime. Rather than dismissing 'difficult' issues, this site attempts to address them. They include:* Kendra's Law * Failed Federal Practices * Failed State Mental Health Systems * Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)* Violence and mental illness * Involuntary Commitment * Involuntary Treatment * Court Practices * Incarceration of mentally ill * Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity * Unfit to stand trial * Psychiatric Hospitals * Deinstitutionalization * Role of Medicaid * IMD Exclusion * Differences between mental health and mental illness