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During 2007, Pete spoke to 75 different mental health,
consumer, and law enforcement groups, traveling to 26 states. If you are
interested in having Pete speak to your group about his book and why we
need to stop imprisoning persons who have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia
and major depression, please contact him through this site’s
guestpage. Upcoming appearances during 2008: •April 18th, Momentum for Mental Health, San Jose, CA •April 30th, California Housing, Sacramento, CA •May 1st, Ken Awards, NAMI, New York, NY •May 2-3, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Boston, Mass. •May 4th, Oregon Circuit Judges Association, Sunriver, OR •May 5th, American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, Washington DC •May 6th, Cincinnati Behavior Health Services, Cincinnati, Oh. •May 8th, Corporation for Supportive House, Columbus, OH •May 12th, Minding Your Mind, Ardmore, PA •May 15th, NAMI Northern Va. Fairfax. County, VA •May 21st, Mid-Short Mental Health Systems, Easton, MD •May 27th, Housing CA, San Francisco CA •May 29th, Mentah Health America, Martinsville - Henry County, VA •June 6th, NAMI Virginia state convention, Fredericksburg, VA •June 8th, NAMI FAMILYA of Rockland Co., NY •June 18th, Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children With Disabilities, Columbus, OH •June 19th, Minnesota Supportive Housing Conference, Minneapolis, MN •Aug. 13th, Ted and Roberta Mann Foundation Symposium, Minneapolis, MN •Aug. 14th, ISAC Case Management Services, Des Moines, IA •Aug. 16th, NAMI Albuquerque, NM •Sept. 23/24, U of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE •Oct. 3rd, Trumbull County Probate, Warren, OH •Oct. 6/ 7, NAMI Louisiana •Oct. 9th, Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare, Orlando, FL •Oct. 16th, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA •Oct. 18th, Guide Program, Laurel, MD •Oct. 23rd, NAMI PSI CHI, Edwardsville, IL •Oct. 28th, CA Housing, San Diego, CA •Nov. 1st, NAMI/CCNS Northfield, IL •Nov. 6th, NAMI Concord NH •Nov. 8th, NAMI Vermont Conference, Montpelier, VT •Nov. 10th, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida (non mental health speech) •Dec. 4th, The Adanta Group, Somerset, KY From The Miami Herald Saturday, April 12, 2008 Excerpts: The U.S. Department of Justice this month announced a sweeping civil rights investigation into conditions at Miami-Dade County's six main jail facilities. At the center of the probe are long-standing complaints over alleged excessive force, the suicides of inmates and breakdowns in mental health care on the infamous ninth floor. The Justice investigation was sparked, in part, by a book about the jail and a separate case involving a man who family members say died because jail officials failed to give him insulin for diabetes. The 2006 book, CRAZY: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health System, was written by former Washington Post reporter Pete Earley. It offers an unflattering look into the mental health wing on the ninth floor of the main pretrial detention center west of downtown Miami. Earley describes how dozens of delusional inmates, some kept naked for their safety, were packed into tiny, spartan cells and how correctional officers roughed up inmates. Earley said County Judge Steve Leifman secured him access to normally private areas of the jail, giving him a rare peek into a hidden corner of the system. GLAD FOR PROBE ''The situation in Miami was pretty barbaric when I was there,'' said Earley, who believes jailers have made some strides. ``I'm glad the feds are coming in to put more pressure on, but they're coming in a little late.'' Jailing the mentally ill is a national issue, he said. ''You should also look at Rikers [Island] and the L.A. County jail and the other jails across the country,'' he said... The Pulitzer Prize board announced its 91st annual
awards for 2007 and CRAZY: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental
Health Madness was named as a finalist for the general nonfiction
prize. Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq was the
other finalist. The winner was The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road
to 911. The Pulitzer Prize is considered one of the nation’s most
prestigious writing awards. Pete also was given the Outstanding Media Award for Advocacy by the National Alliance on Mental Illness at its 2007 annual convention. NAMI described CRAZY as “a book that is making a difference.” CRAZY received the Ken Book Award from NAMI-NYC Chapter for “an outstanding literary contribution to a better understanding of mental illness.” Mental Health America also selected an except from CRAZY, originally published by The Washingtonian Magazine, for the MHA’s 2007 Media Award given in the magazine category. The Washington Psychiatric Society named CRAZY a 2007 advocacy award winner for excellence in coverage of mental health issues. Eli Lilly chose CRAZY as a 2007 Lilly Reintegration Award for Public Service winner and donated $5,000 to the NAMI chapter of Miami Dade County in Pete’s name. The Mental Health Association of Rhode Island presented an 2007 advocacy award to CRAZY. NARSAD – the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression – asked Pete to be an honorary committee member for its 2007 Mission Possible Event. In addition, Pete was appointed to serve on a criminal justice task force created by Virginia Supreme Court Justice Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr. to review and make recommendations about the state’s mental health laws. He also was invited to join the Returning Home Advisory Commission of the Corporation for Supportive Housing which assists re-entry by persons from jails and prisons to reduce recidivism. After reading a copy of Pete's book, investigative
reporter Michele Gillen took her cameras into The Forgotten Floor of the
Miami County jail. If you would like to see shocking footage of where Pete
spent nine months observing inmates for his book, click on these links.
The conditions on the ninth floor in Miami are horrific, but they are,
sadly, also typical of how persons with mental illnesses are being housed
in our jails and prisons.   Part One: http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_261173455.html Part Two: http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_262171504.html To Listen to the interview with Pete, Please click the play button below or right click "save as" on the MP3 File to save this audio to your computer. MP3 File In testimony delivered before a U.S. House
subcommittee, Pete called on every police department in America to begin
teaching its officers Crisis Intervention Training (CIT.) Developed in
Memphis, CIT programs train officers how to handle suspects who have
severe mental disorders without either the officer or the disturbed person
being serious injured or killed. Pete told members of the Subcommittee on
Health, part of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, that CIT saved
lives, reduced injuries, and paid for itself. He said CIT programs were
just as important as other specialized squads, such as Hostage Rescue
Teams and S.W.A.T. Pete gave his testimony at a hearing entitled Mental
Illness and Brain Disease: Dispelling Myths Promoting Recovery Through
Awareness and Treatment. Link to hearing: http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/06282006hearing1963/hearing.htm The Miami chapter of the National Alliance on Mental
Illness launched Pete's book at a reading and signing inside the famed
Books and Books store in Coral Gables. More than 200 people jammed into
the bookstore for Pete's reading and refreshments. Pete was introduced by
Judy Robinson, a well-known Miami NAMI leader whose tireless efforts are
profiled in Pete's book. Judge Steven Leifman, Rachel Diaz, Dr. Joseph
Poitier, Tom Mullen and several other key Miami advocates, also cited in
the book, attended the reading. (Left to right: Judge Leifman, Judy
Robinson, Pete and his wife, Patti.)  Pete answered questions and discussed the findings in
his book during a two hour session at the national NAMI convention in
Washington D.C. "People with severe mental disorders should not have to
become criminals in order to get meaningful treatment," Pete declared. He
warned the audience that 300,000 persons with severe mental disorders are
currently being held in jails and prisons, another 500,000 are on
probation, and 700,000 go through the court system each year. He called on
NAMI members to help demand reforms that would stop jails and prisons from
being used as our new mental asylums. Link to his speech: Here. Note: You must have Wordperfect to view this file. Here is what others are writing and saying about Pete's book. Interview published by Salon.com Interview on Fresh Air on National Public Radio National Alliance on Mental Illness book review Review by Treatment Advocacy Center Editorial Written by Pete for USA Today National Alliance on Mental Illness http://www.nami.org/ Treatment Advocacy Center http://www.psychlaws.org/ Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law http://www.bazelon.org/ Schizophrenia.com http://www.schizophrenia.com/ McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web http://www.mcmanweb.com/ A number of readers have sent me letters asking for
help in finding an agent or a publisher for a book that they would like to
get printed. While I want to encourage readers to write their personal
stories, especially consumers, I am not able to assist anyone when it
comes to securing an agent or editor. Nor can I read unsolicited proposals
or manuscripts. My suggestion to writers would be to read Follow The
Story: How to Write Successful NonFiction by James B. Stewart and then to
consult writer's guides in your local library for advice about how to
contact agents and publishers. But please do not send your materials to
me. Thank you and good luck! -- Pete Earley Mail to Pete Earley about his books can be addressed to: Post Office Box 221171 Chantilly, Virginia 20153. Unsolicited manuscripts will be returned unopened. Want an autographed copy of CRAZY: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness? The cost is $25 per book, which includes handling & postage. Please make check out to Pete Earley Inc., Post Office Box, 221171, Chantilly, Virginia 20153 Also, include your name, address, and telephone number
– in case there are any problems with the order. This information will not
be used for any other purpose. Please print the name of the person who is
receiving the book and any special instructions for Pete. |