Gov. Christie commits to ‘fully implementing’ mental health treatment law
What is this law you may ask? Well, it’s a law that can force you to take medication, attend therapy and if you do not comply then you will be forcibly put in the hospital. Do you feel safe yet?
Gov. Christie commits to ‘fully implementing’ mental health treatment law
By Susan K. Livio and Brent Johnson/The Star-Ledger
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie tonight committed to “fully implementing” a mental health treatment law that he said has gotten off to a sluggish start because of a lack of interest by treatment providers and court officials, according to his spokesman.
Earlier this week, it wasn’t clear when the Christie administration would roll out the “involuntary outpatient commitment” law, which gives judges discretion to demand people take medication and go to therapy if they pose a danger to themselves or others in the “foreseeable future.” If they fail to comply, they can be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital.
The law is getting extra attention because of the rash of mass shootings involving people who are diagnosed or speculated to have a mental illness.
“If the governor really does believe that mental health is an issue of importance, as he has stated on numerous national news programs, he should put his money where his mouth is,” Codey said.
At a press conference today to announce a task force to reduce gun violence, Christie blasted Codey for getting his facts wrong.
“I fully funded it my first year in my budget,” the governor said. “It was the toughest budget I had to deal with, and I fully funded it because of my commitment to the program. But I’ve been informed by my administration since then that we can’t find enough people to fully phase this thing in who want to do it.”
Christie’s remarks, however, contradict statements made by his state Human Services Commissioner, Jennifer Velez, and a letter to treatment agencies from then-Deputy Commissioner Kevin Martone in August 2010. Velez and Martone’s letter announced the law would be indefinitely delayed because it had been approved by the previous administration without any money to expand treatment programs. The state’s finances were stretched too thin to afford it that year.
When asked for clarification after today’s press conference, Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts offered a different interpretation of the governor’s remarks, and a pledge that “the Department can now credibly plan for full implementation, given the governor’s commitment, as outlined today.”
The legislation estimated the program would cost $10 million a year for treatment and training for judges in every county. Roberts declined to say whether the remaining $8 million or any of those funds would be included in the upcoming budget Christie will introduce on Feb. 26th.
Roberts stressed how after “emerging from a historically difficult budget year, Governor Christie made it a priority to provide $2 million in resources to get this program finally started after it was signed into law and left completely unfunded by the Legislature and prior Administration.”
Essex, Warren, Union, Burlington and Hudson counties launched their programs and began enrolling chronically ill patients in late summer. Ocean County expected to begin enrolling patients in the spring, according to information from the department earlier this week.
As of late fall, about 25 patients had been enrolled from the five counties — evidence of a “tepid” response from the community, Roberts added.
Posted on January 18, 2013, in Articles/Video/Campaigns/Photos, Madness, Mental Health, Stigma/Discrimination and tagged Chris Christie, discrimination, fear, forced treatment, human rights, law, mental health, mental illness, New Jersey, stigma, treatment, USA. Bookmark the permalink. 11 Comments.
I am kind of surprised New Jersey didn’t already have some sort of law on the books regarding this. I know in some states if you are a danger to yourself or others and refuse treatment, a doctor or judge (judge is needed for longer term) can commit you to a hospital.
I was certified a couple times in BC and once in Ontario where I was forced into the hospital and had to comply with medication and treatment.
I am not sure if I am reading NJ’s law correctly or not…
I’m interpreting it the same way as you are. It’s not a new idea I guess it’s just becoming more of a thing that needs to happen or I guess it wasn’t already in place.
So rather than monitoring people with guns, we are going to further police people with mental illness and increase stigma and ignore self-determination. OY!
YES!……
Ugh. I hate this shit so much I can’t even think straight or write a coherent response. It was already stunningly easy to commit people. So many trauma issues for me. The whole think is a civil liberties clusterfuck, but groups like the ACLU won’t touch it with a ten-foot poke because OMG DANGEROUS NUTBAGS!
Okay. I need to calm down before I try to respond to this.
I understand that anger! I’ve done my best to avoid this whole issue because it is SO OFFENSIVE and gives me chest pain but it’s become unavoidable especially if parts of it are being law!
As an outsider, I find the Governor’s stance totally horrific. Th rest of the world views USA’s gun laws as illogical at the best and even sociopathic.
Now the gun lobby, as represented by Christie. seek to divert focus from the vast problem they cause and cast the blame of the most vulnerable people in society.
It is no wonder that many outsiders like myself view American society as disfunctional.
I am also an outsider. I live in Canada so I don’t understand. I try and remind myself, whenever I get upset over this, that I don’t live there.
He’s yet another one of those creepy Republican assholes, who now needs to get back in good graces with the other creepy Republican assholes who turned on him after he…accepted help from Obama for the damage in NJ after Hurricane Sandy. So he’s found a new scapegoat in the mentally ill.
Good point. Ugh…
I just get upset. Period !