Heard in the Halls is an email service of NAMI North Carolina to provide updates on state legislative and policy issues. Heard in the Halls is produced for community advocates at least monthly and more frequently during sessions of the General Assembly. To be added to the Heard in the Halls list send a message to heard@naminc.org with just "subscribe" (no quotes) in the subject header. Because of the variety of e-mail servers, Heard in the Halls is sent in plain text and as a formatted attachment. Previous issues of Heard in the Halls can be viewed a www.naminc.org

4-4-03

The joint House and Senate Human Resources Appropriations Sub-Committees have completed their review of programs within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Because the House has been unable to find support for any tax measure (including delaying implementation of the sales tax reduction) the committee has been charged with finding an additional $115 million in cuts to DHHS. Among the options being considered are an additional $24 million reduction to MH/DD/SA on top of the $20 million already proposed by the Governor for a whopping $44 million reduction.

• Stop any cuts to the MH/DD/SA service system. Cuts to a system that already has long waiting lists for services and is in the midst of a major reform effort makes no sense and will have catastrophic results. Tell legislators how cuts will affect you.

• Support the Coalition 2001 funding request. HB 803/S667 request $25 million for community MH/DD/SA services and $25 million for the MH/DD/SA Trust Fund.

Click on a name below to get contact information or go to: http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/issues/alert/?alertid=1843061&type=CU

Several bills have been introduced that are on the NAMI North Carolina policy agenda, including bills on Special Assistance, Mental Health/Chemical Dependency Parity, and funding (see above). As these bills are considered we will send out information and alerts. To learn more about these bills and their status go to the NAMI North Carolina web site Public Policy page here.

Coalition 2001 will hold its Rally at the Legislative Building on April 29^th. More information will follow. For now, hold that date and plan to attend.

The 2003 NAMI North Carolina Annual Spring Conference "Building a System for Recovery" will be held April 25-26 at the North Raleigh Hilton. For program and registration information go to:

http://www.naminc.org/conference3.htm

The Schizophrenia Treatment & Evaluation Program (STEP) Symposium "Looking Forward: New Theories and New Treatments" will be held Saturday, May 10^th, 2003 at the Carolina Club at UNC at Chapel Hill. For more information contact Ellen Rothman, UNC Dept. of Psychiatry at 919-966-5628 or erothman@med.unc.edu

The North Carolina Client Rights Conference "Building a Partnership for Rights Protection and Advocacy" will be held May 9-10 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park. For program information and registration go to: http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/mhddsas/advocacy/client-rights-conf-br03.pdf