---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 18:13:25 -0500

Subject: NAMI E-News    NAMI Summary on Restraints Abuse

___________________________________________________________________
NAMI E-News            March 23, 1999          Vol. 99-104
___________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release               Contact: Bob Corolla
March 23, 1999                               703-524-7600

NAMI TO RELEASE SUMMARY OF
RESTRAINTS & SECLUSION ABUSE REPORTS
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SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION:
NEWS CONFERENCE, THURSDAY, MARCH 25TH
U.S CAPITOL (SC-4) AT 11:30 A.M.

On Thursday March 25th Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Christopher Dodd
(D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and
Pete Stark (D-CA) will introduce legislation to regulate and monitor the use of
restraints and seclusion in psychiatric facilities.  A news conference on the
legislation will be held at 11:30 a.m. in Room SC-4 of the Capitol.

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) also will release separately a
summary of abuse reports it has compiled since publication of the investigative
series "Deadly Restraint" by The Hartford Courant in October 1998.  The series
surveyed 142 deaths around the country over the past decade that occurred during
or shortly after restraints or seclusion were used.  An estimate by the Harvard
Center for Risk Analysis commissioned by the Courant indicated further that
between 50 and 150 such deaths occur every year.

"Every report received represents a cry of anguish," declared NAMI Executive
Director Laurie Flynn. "People are dying--including children.  Unnecessary use
and abuse of restraints and seclusion on persons with mental illnesses is a
problem that will not go away.  It is an urgent crisis.  National standards must
be adopted in order to prevent future tragedies."

NAMIs summary includes five deaths over the past five months in California,
Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.  Other states in which incidents have
been reported include Arizona, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New
Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and {*filter*}ia.

###

Copies of the NAMI summary will be available at the March 25th news conference
or upon request.

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Thanks.

> perhaps using less {*filter*} and using technologly would help.....apply
> electrodes to gentials if patient moves zap her/him after a while they will
> get the message