NJAMHAA-70th-anniversary-publication

15 1999 - In Olmstead v. L.C. , the United States Supreme Court determined that unjusti ed segregation of individuals with disabilities is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. - Gov. Whitman signed into law the mental health parity bill, which went further than the federal law by requiring coverage for biologically based mental illnesses and autism. - President Bill Clinton held the rst White House Conference on Mental Health. - For the rst time, the U.S. Surgeon General’s report focused on mental health. 2000 - NJAMHAA established the New Jersey Mental Health Institute (NJMHI) to promote quality mental health services and battle stigma. - NJAMHAA conceptualized the plan outlined in the Safe Schools and Communities Violence Prevention and Response Act, which the Legislature passed and was implemented as a pilot program. - The IT Council was created. 1999 - The MIS Project held its rst conference. 2000 - DHS launched the state’s Children’s System of Care Initiative. - The federal Children’s Health Act of 2000 reauthorized the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra- tion (SAMHSA) programs to improve mental health and SUD services for children and adolescents. Highlights of NJAMHAA’s Impact throughout the history of behavioral health care I n the 1950s, psychotropic and antipsychotic medications were developed, making it possible to dramatically reduce the number of patients in state psychiatric hospitals. During the same decade, the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Man- ual was published; the American Medical Association recognized alcoholism as a disease and the Veterans’ Administration began to create alcoholism treatment units; Synanon, the first self-directed therapeutic community, was founded; and Congress created the Commission on Mental Illness and Mental Health. In addition, New Jersey legislators enacted a law to fund community mental health services. Additional significant advances occurred in the 1960s, including the introduction of treatment communities; recognition of methadonemaintenance as a viable treatment concept; opening of outpatient clinics across the country; and the AmericanMedical Association (AMA) and American Bar Association calling for com- munity-based treatment programs. Most notablewas President John F. Kennedy’s signing into law theMental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act in 1963. “The lawopened the door to a newera of recovery and hope for individuals withmental illnesses tomove back into their communi- ties, which has proven to be ameaningful contributor to progress. This has been demonstrated not only in health improvements, but also in the achievement of other important personal goals, such as pursuing education and careers and building relationships with families and friends,” Dr. Wentz said. Later in that decade, methadone therapy was in- troduced; insurance payments led to a dramatic increase in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment; Medicaid and Medicare were established, along with the groundwork for funding of community mental health care; and the AMA adopted the position that alcoholism is a complex disease.