NAMI News

As many Americans know, it is incredibly painful to watch someone you love struggle with an illness that affects their mind and their feelings and their relationships with others. We heard stories today in a roundtable discussion about that -- what the struggle means for family.

On Sunday, April 21, 2002, CBS News' 60 Minutes broadcast a segment, "Dr. Torrey's War," spotlighting sweeping criticism of the National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH's) scientific research priorities offered by Dr. E. Fuller E. Torrey, a leading expert on schizophrenia.

You may have already read the award-winning biography by Sylvia Nasar or seen the Oscar-winning movie produced by Ron Howard. But now it's time to watch the PBS documentary as part of the American Experience history series: A Brilliant Madness: The Story of John Nash.

Two weeks ago, the movie A Beautiful Mind won the Oscar for "Best Picture." Today, the Los Angeles Times won the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing for its leadership in addressing issues affecting people with mental illness.

Barring any unexpected world crisis, NAMI national board member Moe Armstrong and Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, author of Surviving Schizophrenia, are scheduled to be interviewed on ABC's NIGHTLINE on Friday, March 22nd about the movie A Beautiful Mind.

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) has established the NAMI Policy Research Institute (NPRI) as part of its campaign to drive national, state, and local debates on reforms and investments in the nation's mental health care system. 

"NAMI will be proud to give this award to each of them, for making a difference both with the movie and the dialogue that has followed."

NAMI opposes the death penalty for anyone with severe mental illness, and we hope that the jury will be persuaded not to compound further the profound tragedies that occurred in this case.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has opened a breach in the artificial wall that has long separated coverage of physical and mental illnesses in insurance policies.

 In a letter to Secretary Tommy Thompson of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) this week, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) praised broad aspects of President George W. Bush's budget for FY2003, but outlined specific concerns that still need to be addressed during the Congressional budget and appropriations process.