attached Resolution

Illinois
NAMI Illinois Board Resolution WHEREAS, mental illness touches every Illinoisan; mental health is physical health. The two are inseparable;  1 in 4 adults experience a mental health problem in any given year  1 in 17 adults lives with a serious mental illness like major depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia  1 in 10 youth lives with a mental health condition that interferes with their day‐to day lives WHEREAS, mental illness is a leading cause of disability in the US; 
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Half of all serious mental illness begins by age 14; three‐quarters by age 24 Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year Mood disorders such as depression are the third most common cause of hospitalization for youth and for adults ages 18‐44 Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US and the third leading cause of death for ages 15 to 24 years. More than 90 percent of those who die by suicide had one or more mental disorders Adults living with serious mental illness die on the average 25 years earlier than other Americans largely due to treatable medical conditions WHEREAS, treatment works and recovery is possible, but more than ½ of adults and children go without the mental health care they need; 
Mental health and addiction treatment services improve access to care, medical services and improve the health of millions of Illinoisans WHEREAS, public mental health services are essential to the health and well‐being of Illinoisans, cuts to public mental health threaten services that keep families and communities safe and intact; 
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Disproportionate numbers of youth and adults living with serious mental illness are in jails and juvenile facilities, often as a result of untreated mental illness, Supportive housing improves the quality of life and saves taxpayer funds; it’s far less expensive than hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes, mental health facilities, jails or prison WHEREAS, 60% of all mental health care is publicly funded; Medicaid provides mental health care to keep low‐income and disabled Americans healthy;  Medicaid is the primary payer of mental health services; it is a lifeline for literally thousands of Illinoisans affected by mental illness  Medicaid covers important early detection and treatment of mental health conditions in low‐
income children  Mental health care is important to the whole health of Medicaid enrollees. WHEREAS, community mental health treatment services are fiscally smart, avoiding repeated hospitalizations and utilization of high cost services (emergency room care, hospitalization, nursing home care, jails, prisons and homelessness); WHEREAS, repeated cuts to Illinois’ mental health care budget have already created a weak and fragmented system of care that cannot bear additional cuts;  Between 2009 and 2012, the Illinois General Assembly imposed a 31.7% decrease in funding for mental health services  Eligibility and access to services have already been severely restricted, devastating thousands of individuals and families who live with mental illnesses  The current budget crisis and the proposed budget cuts threaten to further slash budgets and eliminate entire categories of service delivery throughout Illinois WHEREAS, for the thousands of Illinoisans and their families who live with mental illnesses, access to mental health services and supports ARE essential services, be it therefore RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF NAMI ILLINOIS: The General Assembly and Governor Rauner must find revenue solutions that prevent any cuts to mental health and addiction treatment services and Medicaid services. Be it further resolved:  there shall be no reduction in mental health or addiction treatment funding;  that there shall be no changes to Medicaid eligibility groups that leave currently covered people without access to comprehensive, affordable health coverage and health care;  there shall be no reduction in Medicaid covered services that leave beneficiaries without access to medically necessary health care;  there shall be no reductions to plan or provider rates that reduce the access that eligible Medicaid beneficiaries have to medically necessary services; and  there shall be no procedures implemented that would result in the erroneous denial or termination of eligibility or services to eligible Medicaid beneficiaries. In witness whereof, the undersigned, being a duly sworn officer of the corporation, has adopted this Resolution of the Board of Directors, as of this 23rd day of April, 2015. NAMI Illinois Board President