MultiVu Video Feed: Nation’s Mental Health Care: A System in Shambles

NEW YORK, March 1 /PRNewswire/ — The National Alliance on Mental Illness — or NAMI — has just released a report card on the nation’s mental health care system … the results show a national average of “D” with nine states receiving an “F” in what President Bush has called “a system in shambles.” These results are especially alarming, as mental illnesses cause more disability than any other class of medical illness in America.

The report card was based on a comprehensive survey — the first of its kind in 15 years. As part of the grading process, NAMI members ran a “test drive” of each state’s web site and telephone system, to see how easy or hard it is for caregivers or sufferers to get help. A staggering 80% of the states scored less than half of the total possible points.

Actress Patty Duke is also speaking out on her experience with mental illness and on the NAMI survey of the current system. For more information and state-by-state results, visit http://www.nami.org/grades.

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NEWS: New Survey Results Reveal U.S. Mental Health Care System is in Dire Need of Improvement

FORMAT: News Package with Extra Soundbites and B-roll.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Video, hard copy requests, downloadable MPEG2, contact information and more available at http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/23757/consumer.shtml

   SOUNDBITES:    * Patty Duke, Actress, Author of A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic      Depressive Illness    * Mike Fitzpatrick, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Executive      Director    * Ken Duckworth, MD, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Medical      Director   

B-ROLL INCLUDES: *Press Conference*Crowd Shots*Homeless Shelter*Medical Settings*Graphics

VIDEO PROVIDED BY: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/23757/press.shtml

National Alliance on Mental Illness

CONTACT: FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR HARD COPY, PLEASE CALL:MultiVu Media Relations, 800-653-5313 EXT. 3

Web site: http://www.nami.org/gradeshttp://www.multivu.com/