NAMI Ramsey County Priorities

• Better resources for mental health treatment, including more hospital beds.

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• Funding for Engagement in Services: 2020 legislation called for early intervention for people heading into a mental health crisis by working to engage the person in treatment voluntarily. The goal is to engage someone to accept treatment, services and supports early on, when symptoms are appearing and to prevent someone from being hospitalized, committed, or going to jail. Under current law, counties can opt-in to providing engagement services, but there is no financial support to do so. Due to our advocacy, Ramsey County has opted in, but may be the only county. NAMI Minnesota supports using federal ARP dollars to pilot engagement in services programs and track outcomes.

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• Decriminalization of Mental Illness/Increase Investment in Diversion Programs: Diversion can happen before an arrest, after booking, during court appearances, and even after conviction by sentencing to treatment or by using a mental health court. Only four counties have mental health courts and those have limited spots.

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• More shelters/affordable housing. Along with BIPOC people, people with mental illnesses are much more likely to experience housing instability or homelessness. Stable housing prevents repeated hospitalizations, homelessness, and even entering the criminal justice system.

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• Employment/Individual Placements and Supports: Individual Placements and Supports (IPS) is an evidence-based program that supports people with serious mental illnesses find and keep a job. Unlike other job programs, IPS provides ongoing support to the person with a mental illness to ensure that they can succeed.

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• Concern about Marijuana impact on people with mental illnesses (if legalized). Research has tied cannabis use to negative outcomes for people with mental illnesses including increased risk of experiencing psychosis in some people.

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• Funding for Friends Program, e.g., International Clubhouse. People with serious mental illnesses usually lose their friends and need help making new ones.

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Author: Mindy Greiling, board president

Mindy was a state representative for 20 years, served on state and national NAMI boards, and is the author of Fix What You Can, a book about her legislative work and her family's story about her son's schizo-affective disorder.