Annual Membership Meeting and Awards Dinner on May 11th

Our members are invited to our Annual Membership Meeting and Awards Dinner

Date: Wednesday May 11, 2016

Location: Maggiano’s Little Italy

King of Prussia

Time: 6:30 PM

Keynote: Dennis Marion

Assistant Secretary, OMHSAS

Awards

Maryella Hitt Advocacy Award: Neen Davis

Peg Cochran Volunteer Award: Marianne Donahue

Glenn Koons Recovery Award: JB Brooks

Criminal Justice Award: Michelle Monzo

The event is free to our members; however, a reservation by May 4 is required. Call 215-361-7784 to RSVP.

For non-members, a $35.00 membership fee is requested, and an RSVP by May 4 is required.

montco memo Montgomery County, PA May 2016 Volume XXXV Issue 9

5K GREATER PHILADELPHIA NAMIWalks Saturday, May 14th, 2016

Check in: 8:00 am Start time: 10:00 am

STRUT AT THE START WITH THE MUMMERS

Kids Activities and Parade before Walk Sing and Dance with Elle Gyandoh

Special Guest: Commissioner Joe Gale Walk in Place Option

Family & Dog Friendly event

Refreshments and more

Behind College Hall, Quad area, at

Montgomery County Community College 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422

REGISTER TODAY

http://www.namiwalks.org/greaterphiladelphia

For more information, contact Danielle: 215.361.7784 dblanchard@namimontcopa.org

Also in This Issue

Calendar 2

Message from Our Executive Director

3

Responses to Hollywood Beauty Salon

3

Integrating Fitness with MH Services

4

Carol Caruso’s Testimony before PA House Human Services Committee

5

MONTCO Peer Support Groups 6

9th Annual NAMIWalks 7

Tributes and Donations 7

May 2016 Page 2

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

the montco memo is published monthly by

NAMI of PENNSYLVANIA

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Board of Directors

President Beth Milton First Vice-President Dawn Hogan Second Vice President Dave Davis Secretary Lauren Centola Treasurer Past President Neen Davis

Victoria Bright Armand DiYenno Rhea Fernandes Precious Graham Laura Longstreet Tricia Malott Donna McNelis Jerry Rudakevich Mike Solomon

Executive Director Carol Caruso Editor Beulah Saideman Co-Editor Mary Schuck Editor Emeritus Maryella D. Hitt Office Manager Debra Herbut Bookkeeper Jane Polto Walk Manager Danielle Blanchard

Support Group Facilitators Coordinator Carol Caruso

Abington Presbyterian Church Joan Kozlowski Corinne Smith

Lansdale Rich Kelble Anne Magowan

Lower Providence Presbyterian Church Neen Davis Sue Soriano

Pottstown Nina & Alan McDaniel

NAMI of PA Montgomery County

100 W. Main Street Suite 204

Lansdale, PA 19446 Phone: 215-361-7784 FAX: 215-361-7786

Email: name: nami-montcopa@verizon.net Web page: www.nami-montcopa.org

Letters to the Editor and other articles and contributions are welcome. Send them

to the NAMI Office or by Email to brsaideman@comcast.net

by the 15th of the preceding month.

NAMI of Pennsylvania Montgomery County is an approved Donor Choice Agency of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and

Southern New Jersey

United Way Agency Code # 5076

Calendar

Peer Support

May 12/26 June 9/23

Hearing Voices Support Groups are for people who hear, see or sense things that other people don’t and want to learn and grow together. They are run by CIC (Creating Increased Connec-tions). See schedule on Page 6 or for more information call Berta Britz at 484-681-9432, Ext. 203.

Support, Study and Skype Hearing Voices Groups are for people who hear, see, or sense things that other people don’t and want to learn and grow together. Also run by CIC, they offer mutu-al support on the 2nd Thursday (6-7:30 PM) using books and workbooks, and Skype with Ron Coleman on the 4th Saturday of every month (9-10:30 AM) at CIC, 18 East 4th St., Bridgeport, PA. For more information call Berta Britz at 484-681-9432, Ext. 203.

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plans) is a way to plan and monitor what you need to do to stay both mentally and physically healthy. Also run by CIC. See schedule on Page 6. For more in-formation call 484-681-9432.

NAMI Connection Groups are peer run support groups for individuals living with mental illness. See Page 6 for schedule.

New Directions Bipolar & Depression Support Group, 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10:00 AM, Giant Food Store, 315 York Rd, Willow Grove

May 2 June 6

Pottstown Family Support Group, 1st Monday at Creative Health Services, Consumers Library, 11 Robinson Street, 7-8:30PM.

May 2 June 6

Lower Providence Family Support Group, Lower Providence Presbyterian Church, 3050 Ridge Pike, Eagleville, Room 205. 7 PM. First Monday except on holidays.

May canceled! June 7

Lansdale Family Support Group at St. John’s United Church of Christ, Main Street and Richardson Avenue, Lansdale. First Tuesday, 7:00 PM. May Support Group is canceled.

May 3/17 June 7/21

New Directions Bipolar & Depression Support Groups (2) one for Consumers & one for Family/Caregivers — 1st & 3rd Tuesday, Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Road, Abington — 7:30 PM. Call 215-659-2366.

May 12 June 9

Glenside Family Support Group, Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Road, Abington — 2nd Thursday, 7:30 PM.

May 19 June 16

Montgomery County CSP (Community Support Program), 3rd Thursday,12-2 PM, Montgomery County Library, 1001 Powell St., Norristown.

June 16 * Board of Director’s Meeting, 3rd Thursday, Lansdale Office, 6:30 PM. * No meeting in May.

A Note About Our Meetings

Although some of our meetings are held at religious institutions, they are non-denominational and open to people of all beliefs.

May 2016 Page 3

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

Responses to HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY SALON

Message from Our Executive Director

Many of you, our NAMI members, remember our 20 year

battle for mental health parity—that is, legalization for cover-

age for mental health treatment equal to physical health treat-

ment. That advocacy fight succeeded in 2008 with the passing

of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity

Act. There was great celebration and the promise of (finally)

having equal coverage for mental health treatment.

However, despite the federal law, more often than not, in-

surance companies (including Medical Assistance) still restrict

coverage for mental health to the number of out-patient visits,

the number of in-patient days, and medications. Pennsylvania is

finally taking steps (with the help of former US Representative

Patrick Kennedy) to correct this. Please see my testimony be-

fore the PA Human Services Committee on page 5 and on our

website at http://www.namimontcopa.org/advocacy/.

We are collaborating with other mental health advocacy groups

across the state to introduce and pass legislation that will en-

force compliance with the parity law here in Pennsylvania.

Lots happening this month—Mental Health Month. Our

members are invited to our Annual Membership Meeting and

Awards Dinner (see front page headline – non-members may

attend for the cost of a one-year membership- $35.00) as well

as our 9th Annual Greater Philadelphia NAMIWalk. We hope to

see many of you at both events!

Thanks to those of you who took the time to vote for our

bylaws proposals and for our Board candidates. Your participa-

tion helps us to truly be a grassroots organization, deriving our

energy from the roots up (rather than from the top down). Our

new Board will be seated in June, and officers will be elected.

We appreciate your being part of this process.

Carol Caruso

On March 30th we presented the documentary “Hollywood Beau-ty Salon” at Montgomery County Community College. The 100 or so viewers in attendance were enthralled with its honesty and true depiction of what mental health and substance use recovery involves and looks like. Below are some comments about the film:

This moving, important film explores issues too often ignored:

minority communities and mental healthcare, trauma and its

intersection with mental illness, and the nature of recovery. It

does it all it all with humor and delight... a joy to watch!

Liz Spikol

Senior Writer, Philadelphia Magazine

A truly beautiful film about mental health recovery and hope.

It's an uplifting testament to the strength, creativity, and capaci-

ty for healing that each of us possesses...a vibrant and touching

celebration of the recovery movement. Recovery is possible...

Hollywood Beauty Salon is proof.

Arthur Evans, Ph. D.

Commissioner, Philadelphia Dept. of Behavioral Health and

Intellectual DisAbilities Services

Awesome! This film is a paean to human resilience.

Lawrence A. Real, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual

DisAbility Services

Hollywood Beauty Salon epitomizes what we all want -- which

is to have a life, go through happiness and sorrows with our

friends, and be with family and those we love. It also gives peo-

ple the opportunity to fulfill a dream. How cool is that?

Joan Erney, J.D.

CEO, Community Behavioral Health

Inspiring!! A brave and creative endeavor to portray what real

recovery looks like – taking people from trauma and bringing

their dreams to life.

Edie Mannion, LMFT

Director and Co-Founder, Training and Education Center, Men-

tal Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania

There’s a lot of joy, there’s a lot of laughter in the film. People

are connected to things they love.

Maiken Scott

Behavioral Health Reporter, WHYY-91FM

We see in this movie an entirely different way of thinking about

interactions and empowerment… encouraging individuals to be

the people they really are, beyond illness and diagnosis.

Audience member

Hollywood Beauty Salon filmmaker Glenn Holsten (L) fields questions from the audience with a participant from the film.

May 2016 Page 4

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

By David F. Brand, HuffPost Blog, April 4, 2016

When I began working as a case manager at a supportive

housing site for formerly homeless adults with mental illness in

East Harlem, I quickly noticed that the large majority of tenants

experienced a preventable physical health problem related to obe-

sity. I later learned that their endemic deconditioning reflects

broader social trends. In fact, individuals with serious mental ill-

ness die, on average, 25 years earlier than the general population.

These premature deaths do not result from some quirk of brain

chemistry. Instead, the majority stem from preventable health

conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory

problems. Poor nutrition, cigarette smoking, obesity and lack of

exercise — risk factors associated with poverty — contribute to

and exacerbate those maladies.

Gradually, I noticed a frequent gap in my clients’ treatment.

Although physicians would instruct obese individuals to “lose

weight,” the directive often fell flat when the individual lacked

exercise education or experience. At times, the warning created

an additional stressor that exacerbated anxiety and other mental

health issues.

See the pattern? Poverty, mental illness and poor physical

health weave a lethal web that can ensnare an individual and

prompt premature death (not to mention exorbitant medical

spending). Individuals like my clients deserve integrated pro-

grams that empower them to set specific health goals and then

achieve those goals through supervised, tailored exercise pro-

grams in collaboration with traditional clinical service providers

like social workers and case managers.

In New York City, where roughly 20 percent of residents ex-

perience mental illness and where nearly 2 million people live in

poverty, a few social service agencies have confronted the chal-

lenge by committing to programs that fuse fitness with mental

health. Last summer, I began working as a fitness consultant for

Lantern Community Services, a supportive housing organization

for formerly homeless adults with sites throughout New York

City. In this capacity, I facilitate fitness programs and train ten-

ants at gyms that Lantern built within its residences. Fountain

House, an agency that follows the clubhouse model, empowers

its individuals with mental illness by partnering with them to run

employment, education and wellness programs, which they call

units. Fountain House features a gym and encourages exercise

as part of its comprehensive perspective on health.

Fountain House Wellness Unit Director Joe Shaffer acknowl-

edged that almost all individuals, including people without mental

illness, have issues maintaining healthy lifestyles, but, he ex-

plained, mental illness poses an added burden.

“When you’re working with a population where some of the

negative symptoms of their illnesses are a lack of motivation and

they’re dealing with side effects of the medications that are help-

ing with their mental health [but] stand as an additional obstacle

to leading a physically healthy life, these are things you have to

address and acknowledge and [thus] incorporate more healthy

services into their life,” Shaffer said.

Shaffer explained that research into premature death among

people with mental illness motivated Fountain House to develop

stronger exercise and nutrition initiatives. The mission became

more urgent when several of the organization’s members died of

preventable illnesses, he said.

Crucially, the fitness program enables individuals to practice

skills and healthy behaviors that they translate into broader socie-

ty. “Our goal is not to keep members within this safe bubble of

Fountain House and only help them to be well here,” Shaffer said.

“It’s to provide them with support, structure, framework, confi-

dence and a knowledge-base to be able to put that into practice

within the greater community.

La Palestra, a company that operates several premium gyms

around New York City, champions a similarly integrated ap-

proach to mental and physical health for wealthier individuals.

The company, founded by trainer Pat Manocchia in 1993, serves

as a model for holistic, preventive health care because its mem-

bers meet with an in-house team of personal trainers, specialized

physicians, nutritionists, psychiatrists and social workers who

work together to coordinate care.

“When you’re creating a health program for someone, you

have to deal with the entire individual specifically because your

health is in behavior,” Manocchia said. “[Health] is not something

that just happens to you. Your diet is behavior. Your exercise pat-

terns are behaviors. Lifestyle is behavior.”

Manocchia said he was inspired to address the intersection of

mental and physical health when one of his clients refused to look

at herself in a mirror despite her significant postural imbalance.

He said he reached out to a psychiatrist, whom he also trained, for

advice on engaging the woman.

In 2009, Manocchia and his wife Deborah, a licensed social

worker, developed a non-profit organization called La Palestra

Kids based on their holistic health approach. The organization

serves children and their parents in East Harlem and stands out in

its effort to translate integrative health programs to low-income

individuals at high risk for developing preventable illnesses.

Fortunately, policymakers have begun paying attention to the

interconnectivity among physical health, mental health and social

risk factors. In March, the Obama Administration announced a

proposal to fund “lifestyle change programs” for the tens of mil-

lions of individuals most at risk for developing diabetes.

As the New York Times reported:

“[T]rained counselors would coach consumers on healthier eating

habits and increased physical activity as ways to prevent Type 2

diabetes ... Such programs have been found effective in people

with a condition known as prediabetes, meaning that they have

blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high

enough to be considered diabetes.”

According to the Times, a YMCA pilot program has already

proven successful for significantly improving health and reducing

medical spending:

Integrating Fitness with MH Services Provides Holistic Care for Individuals With Mental Illness

May 2016 Page 5

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

Representative DiGirolamo, Representative Murt, Committee

members, Representative Kennedy, members of the Insurance

Commission, guests:

Thank you for this opportunity to address you this morning

on the very critical issue of parity for mental health and sub-

stance use coverage.

I am Carol Caruso, Executive Director of NAMI PA Mont-

gomery County. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Ill-

ness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health advocacy

organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected

by mental illness. We do this by providing support, education

and advocacy services to all in need at no cost. Although I rep-

resent a local NAMI affiliate, I have also served for six (6) years

on our state Board (five as president) and a total of nine (9) years

on our national Board of Directors. I have been a NAMI member

since 1990, and, with other NAMI and peer advocates, went

through most of the twenty (20) year fight to make mental health

parity the law. I am here with friends and colleagues not only

from NAMI but also other mental health advocacy groups. I

thank them for their support and collaboration on many initia-

tives, including this one.

Although I have had several family members with mental

health challenges, my direct experience as a caretaker of such an

individual was with a foster son. That experience was not suc-

cessful and he unfortunately is serving a life sentence at a Penn-

sylvania state correctional facility. This unsuccessful experience

only further committed me to helping those who fell through the

cracks in the mental health and substance use systems.

In addition to advocacy I also spent many years working in

the mental health field, as a case manager, residential program

director and day program staff. From these experiences I worked

with many individuals and families with private insurance who

soon ran out of mental health and substance use coverage from

their insurance carriers. Many paid for services out of pocket,

draining financial resources while not only not achieving suc-

cessful treatment outcomes but also needing to look elsewhere,

and often to Medical Assistance, for continued and on-going

treatment coverage. This of course drains our state match, and

puts people on “the Welfare rolls”, not a way to promote recov-

ery nor the hope of a return to or the fulfillment of living a pro-

ductive life.

Yet in order to treat their illness, to stay out of the hospital,

or out of jail or off the streets, continued treatment is absolutely

necessary, and limits of numbers of sessions or to medication

formularies just don’t work.

We have a federal law to prevent this. However it is not en-

forced, and more often than not individuals either do not know

that they can challenge service limitations or the provider makes

it so difficult to file a grievance that they give up, walk away,

and either pay out of pocket or leave treatment until a crisis hits,

and possibly a hospitalization, or an arrest, making it much more

costly overall.

We know that there is a high coincidence of mental illness

along with sub-

stance use. In

order for treat-

ment to be suc-

cessful, integrated

care is a must.

However, this is

not always the

case.

As Repre-

sentative Kenne-

dy so correctly

states, the stigma

associated with

mental illness and

substance use is

nothing more than

discrimination.

We find this dis-

crimination in our

communities, in

our places of em-

ployment, within

our system of care

and even within

ourselves. Is it

any wonder that

despite the 2008

parity law, our

insurance provid-

ers continue to

offer limited

mental health and

substance use

coverage? This

and the possibil-

ity that many

subscribers are not aware of parity, nor if they do, do they know

how to file a grievance about it or to whom to file such a griev-

ance? Is their insurance provider, who will ultimately reject fur-

ther coverage, the absolute end to which they can have this ad-

dressed? We need to do a much better job at educating not only

about mental illness and substance use disorders as legitimate

disorders that are treatable, but we also need to educate on the

law and on treatment parity.

Some examples of calls from our NAMI members into our

office on parity:

A gentleman, I will call him Bill, retired from a Fortune 500

company. Both he and his wife required mental health treatment

for depression while he was working as well as in retirement.

They were covered by the same insurance provider both while

working as well as in retirement. They were denied adequate on-

going coverage and had to pay out of pocket. This became very

expensive, for office visits as well as for medications, and one of (continued on page 6)

Testimony before the PA House Human Services Committee, April 13, 2016 By Carol Caruso, Executive Director, NAMI PA Montgomery County

(L to R): Christine Michaels, Executive Direc-

tor of NAMI PA SW; former US Representa-tive Patrick Kennedy; Debbie Ference, Ass’t Director of NAMI PA SW, at April 13th Human Services Committee meeting in Harrisburg at which NAMI PA Montgomery County Execu-tive Director Carol Caruso testified.

Research News You Can Use

Montgomery County Peer Support Groups

NAMI Connection

1st Monday at 6:15 PM at William Jeanes Memor ial Library,

4051 Joshua Rd, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444

Monday

WRAP – Lower Merion Area 12:00 – 1:30 PM, Ludington

Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr

VOICES – Pottstown 12:00 – 1:30 PM, Trinity Reformed

Church of Christ, 60 N. Hanover Street, Pottstown

WRAP – Abington Area 3:00 – 4:30 PM, Faith Community

Church, 1200 Easton Rd, Roslyn

VOICES – Norristown 3:00 – 4:30 PM, Friends Meeting, 20

E. Jacoby St, Norristown

Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA) – Norristown 6:00 – 7:00

PM, Friends Meeting House, 20 E. Jacoby St (corner of Swede St

and Jacoby St), Norristown

VOICES – Willow Grove 7:00 – 8:30 PM, Giant Food Store,

2nd Floor Meeting Room, 315 York Rd, Willow Grove

Tuesday

WRAP – Pottstown 3:00 to 4:30 PM, Trinity Reformed

Church of Christ, 60 N. Hanover St, Pottstown

VOICES Young Adults – Hatboro 7:00 – 8:30 PM, Braccia

Building, 2935 Byberry Rd, 1st Floor (across from Dance Arts),

Hatboro

Wednesday

WRAP – Lansdale 1:30 – 3:00 PM, Public Library, 301 Vine

Street, Lansdale

VOICES – Lower Merion Area 3:30 – 5:00 PM, The

Middleton Center, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Room 203,

625 Montgomery Ave, Bryn Mawr

WRAP – Norristown 6:00 – 7:30 PM, HopeWorx, 1210

Stanbridge St, Suite 300, Norristown

WRAP – Montgomery County Prison (closed to the public)

12:30 – 2:00 PM

May 2016 Page 6

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

Testimony before the PA House Human Services Committee

them, usually Bill, has to stop treatment for a while to save on

costs. Bill did not know that he could challenge this, and when

told, felt it would do no good and would mean endless appeals.

Becoming discouraged, he gave up on the thought of challenging

his coverage.

Another member, I will call him Art, wanted residential treat-

ment for his son’s substance use disorder. There was also a

strong mental health component. Upon recommendation of his

son’s therapist, Art placed his son in a facility out of state.

The facility offered step-down programs and employment as part

of the course of treatment. Of course this was a very expensive

program, not at all covered by insurance. Figuring his son would

never go to college (how sad is that—giving up on someone’s

future) the son’s college fund was spent on treatment. Unfortu-

nately this scenario is fairly common—sometimes there are good

results; however more often the results are not successful and

precious time and resources have gone by the wayside.

And these are just two examples.

We know that more than 10 million Americans live with co-

occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions,

and proportionately we have Pennsylvanians living with these

conditions. It is imperative for these individuals that they have

access to quality, integrated care that treats both condi-

tions. Mental health parity should help ensure that insurance

coverage is adequate for both conditions.

Last year, NAMI published a report titled The Long Road

Ahead. Over 2700 consumers participated in a survey to assess

their experience with insurance coverage for mental health and

substance use disorders. The following was found:

1. Consumers and families had a great deal of trouble find-

ing mental health providers in their health plan networks.

2. Denials for mental health care were far higher than for

other types of medical care.

3. Health plan coverage of psychiatric medications was inad-

equate.

4. Even when covered, out of pocket costs for medications

posed barriers to care.

5. Out of pocket costs were more onerous for mental health

care than comparable medical specialty care.

6. When selecting plans available through the health insur-

ance marketplaces, consumers did not have enough infor-

mation to make informed decisions.

We also know that:

Here in Pennsylvania, there has been difficulty getting men-

tal health parity enforced. The system is complicated. People

find the system of appealing insurance denials and filing com-

plaints cumbersome and often do not get a good response.

Some recommendations would be:

1. State agencies coordinate and focus on mental health and

substance use parity enforcement.

2. Develop a system that is navigable for people who are

filing complaints, specifying where to go, how to file, and

how soon they will get a response. We need state and

federal officials to be responsive to complaints and bring

about resolutions.

3. We need more transparency and access to information for

insurance consumers.

4. The end goal is that we get people the mental health and

substance use care they need, so they can recover.

We have these opportunities here in Pennsylvania and we are

hoping that we can achieve parity of mental health and substance

use disorders to the full extent of the law. Evidence for the need

for both is seen in next year’s mental health budget, which pro-

vides funding for opioid treatment.

Thank you for listening and for your efforts moving forward.

(Continued from page 5)

May 2016 Page 7

montco memo Volume XXXV Issue 9

The Tribute Fund is a good way to mark anniversaries, weddings and other special occasions, and to express sympathy for the loss

of a loved one. We will send a note of appreciation to anyone you designate. Send your check to NAMI of Pennsylvania, Montgomery

County office, 100 W. Main Street, Suite 204, Lansdale, PA 19446. When designating NAMI in an obituary notice, please specify

NAMI of Pennsylvania Montgomery County.

Tributes In memory of James P McCauley Chris Adams Kevin Berman Carol Caruso

Barbara Caviston Troy Deckebach Ritanne Dewan

Linda & Robert Gallagher William Gemmell, Jr. Charles & Lisa Hagerty

Rosemary & Nile Hall Joan Kozlowski Madeleine Lavelle

Joanne & Jim Linus The Martin Architectural Group

Don Mawson Gloria McCauley Leonard Michaels

Emilie & Bill Quiqley Clare Sipmeier Elizabeth Soltan

Michael Walton Barbara Wentling

Individual Donations Beth Adams Adrienne Gallagher Joanne Hill Richard Kelble Anthony Malloy Jacqueline Megraw Gertrude O’Leary Lena Delphine Onsongo

Angela Vitola-Langtry Diane Wenzel

Tributes and Other Contributions

Billionaire Pledges $275 Million for Free Mental Health Care for Veterans, Families

By Heath Druzin, Stars and Stripes, April 8, 2016

A billionaire hedge-fund manager has pledged $275 million to

build clinics offering free mental health care to veterans and their

families.

Steven Cohen, who heads Point72 Asset Management, will

build 20 to 25 clinics across the country in the next three to five

years, with the first ones opening in July.

The initial clinics will be in New York, Dallas, San Antonio

and Los Angeles, according to a press release from the Cohen

Veterans Network, the nonprofit group overseeing the effort.

The announcement comes as the Department of Veterans Af-

fairs remains under fire for long wait times and inadequate health

care for veterans and is getting increasing criticism for denying

health care to veterans with other than honorable discharges.

Cohen’s clinics would offer free mental health care to all vet-

erans, regardless of discharge status, with priority given to post-

9/11 vets. The clinics promise short wait times and free transpor-

tation to appointments.

“It’s very simple the way we see it: A veteran is someone who

wore the uniform for even one day,” Cohen Veterans Network

Executive Director Dr. Anthony Hassan said in a phone interview

with Stars and Stripes.

Hassan, an Army and Air Force veteran who has spent years

studying military behavioral health, said he picked the initial loca-

tions based on their high concentrations of veterans and long VA

wait times for mental health appointments.

“There are gaps in care, and we’re here to fill those gaps in

care,” he said.

Cohen, whose son, Robert, deployed to Afghanistan in 2010

as a Marine, said in a statement that eliminating stigma was one

goal of the clinics.

“The wounds of war are serious,” Cohen said. “It is not easy

to serve your country in combat overseas and then come back into

society seamlessly, especially if you are suffering. These men and

women have paid an incredible price and it’s important that this

country pays back that debt.”

Patients will have the option of participating in studies con-

nected with Cohen Veterans Bioscience, a nonprofit that aims to

develop better detection and treatment of post traumatic stress

disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Cohen’s $11.1 billion fortune has drawn the attention of the

Securities and Exchange Commission. In January, he was barred

from managing outside investor money for two years by the SEC

for failing to adequately oversee an employee. In 2013, his firm

SAC Capital Advisors pleaded guilty to insider trading charges

and paid a $1.8 billion penalty.

http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/billionaire-pledges-275-

million-for-free-mental-health-care-for-veterans-families-

1.403394

PENNSYLVANIA MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Dues are for one year and are Tax Deductible. Donations are welcome and are also Tax Deductible.

(Please print clearly)

NAME__________________________________________________________________________________

STREET ________________________________________________________________________________

CITY_______________________________________STATE_____ZIP______________________________

PHONE (H)__________________________________(W)_________________________________________

FAX____________________________________E-mail __________________________________________

_____Annual Dues $35.00 _____Open Door $3.00 - 30.00 (Amount $_____) _____Donation $______

What is the best way for us to contact you? Phone ______ Email ______ Snail Mail ______

Make check payable and return to: NAMI of Pennsylvania Montgomery County

100 W. Main Street, Suite 204

Lansdale, PA 19446

Or join or renew on our website: http://www.nami-montcopa.org/joinrenew/

Double or triple the impact of your donation at no additional cost! Please check with your employer’s Human Resources Department to

see if your donation can be matched through a company matching gift program.

NAMI of Pennsylvania Montgomery County is also an approved United Way Donor Choice Agency - Code #5076.

NAMI of Pennsylvania Montgomery County is open to all individuals subscribing to its purpose. All members receive NAMI newsletters and are automatically affiliated with NAMI PA and

the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI is a non-profit organization under Section 501(c)3 and all dues and donations are tax-deductible. Official registration and financial

information of NAMI PA Montgomery County may be obtained from the PA Department of State by calling toll free within PA 1.800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

The official registration and financial information of NAMI PA Montgomery County can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania:

1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

PENNSYLVANIA

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

100 W. Main Street, Suite 204

Lansdale, PA 19446