Overview

This well-researched and highly critical examination of the state of our mental health system by the industry's most relentless critic presents a new and controversial explanation as to why--in spite of spending $147 billion annually--140,000 seriously mentally ill are homeless, 365,000 are incarcerated, and even educated, tenacious, and caring people can't get treatment for their mentally ill loved ones. D. J. Jaffe blames the mental health industry and government for shunning the 10 million adults who are the most seriously mentally ill--mainly those who suffer from schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder--and, instead, working to improve ""mental wellness"" in 43 million others, many of whom are barely symptomatic. Using industry and government documents, scientific journals, and anecdotes from his thirty years of advocacy, he documents the insane consequences of these industry-driven policies- psychiatric hospitals that once served the seriously ill have been closed; involuntary commitment criteria have been narrowed to the point where laws now require violence rather than prevent it; the public is endangered; and the mentally ill and their families are forced to suffer. Insane Consequences proposes smart, compassionate, affordable, and sweeping reforms designed to send the most seriously ill to the head of the line for services rather than to jails, shelters, prisons, and morgues. It lays out a roadmap to replace mission-creep with mission control and return the mental health system to a focus on the most seriously mentally ill. It is not money that is lacking; it's leadership. This book is a must read for anyone who works in the mental health industry or cares about the mentally ill, violence, homelessness, incarceration, or public policy.

Full Product Details

9781633882911

Table of Contents

Reviews

DJ is one of our go-to writers on issues touching on mental illness, and I often rely on him for information for my own writing. He is absolutely first rate. --Rich Lowry, Editor, <i>National Review</i> In the complicated and often crazy world of mental illness, DJ Jaffe provides important guidance to journalists seeking a sound bite while conveying controversial information. --Eleanor Clift, Washington Correspondent, <i>Daily Beast</i> DJ Jaffe is one of the most important, knowledgeable truth-tellers on the subject of serious mental illness. He has been a tireless advocate for sensible government policies and for compassion and understanding of the real issues at stake for this vulnerable, abused population. --Susan Adams, Senior Editor, <i>Forbes DJ Jaffe is the ultimate insider when it comes to understanding the consumer perspective on health care for people with severe and persistent illness. He is well equipped to comment on the state of our mental health care system as well as the needs (both met and unmet) of mentally ill patients. In addition, his prolific writing and blogging has demonstrated his impressive literary and journalistic abilities. I look forward to reading his next work. --Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Immediate Past President, American Psychiatric Association (APA), and author of<i>Shrinks: The Untold Story of Psychiatry DJ Jaffe buttresses his often controversial and always illuminating writings with scholarly research. He's a mental health advocate who policymakers depend on when they want to get a better understanding of how badly our mental health system is broken and how to fix it. --Pete Earley, <i>New York Times</i>bestselling author, 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist for<i>CRAZY: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness DJ Jaffe is the most articulate and impassioned defender of the otherwise defenseless multitudes who suffer from severe mental illness. --Dr. Allen Frances, Chairman, DSM-IV Task Force and author of<i>Saving Normal No one does a better job of explaining the impact of the failed mental health system on the criminal justice system than DJ. Some people with mental illness put officers at risk and some officers put people with mental illness at risk. DJ understands how to stop both from happening. The criminal justice community listens to DJ. --Chief (Ret.) Michael Biasotti, author of the International Association Chiefs of Police policy on handling of the mentally ill, and Fellow, U.S. Department of Homeland Security DJ Jaffe is the consummate public advocate and<i> Insane Consequences</i> will likely be one of the most important books on how to reform the system. When a government agency issues a report, DJ reads all 128 pages, plus the Appendix while the rest of us wait for his summary. He fishes out those small but damaging facts that the agency retrospectively wishes it had not released. Because DJ has studied the mental illness-mental health field so thoroughly, his ideas for reforming it deserve careful attention. DJ Jaffe represents the very best principals of democracy one man really can make a difference. -- Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, Researcher and author of multiple studies and books including <i>Surviving Schizophrenia</i>. DJ is a true advocate for the most severely mentally ill, in every sense of the word. Our nation is greatly benefited by his ferocious devotion to those with few other champions, and his fearlessness in speaking truth to power. -- John Snook, Executive Director, Treatment Advocacy Center

D.J. is one of our go-to writers on issues touching on mental illness, and I often rely on him for information for my own writing. He is absolutely first rate. --Rich Lowry, Editor, <i>National Review</i> In the complicated and often crazy world of mental illness, DJ Jaffe provides important guidance to journalists seeking a sound bite while conveying controversial information. --Eleanor Clift, Washington Correspondent, <i>Daily Beast</i> DJ Jaffe is one of the most important, knowledgeable truth-tellers on the subject of serious mental illness. He has been a tireless advocate for sensible government policies and for compassion and understanding of the real issues at stake for this vulnerable, abused population. --Susan Adams, Senior Editor, <i>Forbes DJ Jaffe is the ultimate insider when it comes to understanding the consumer perspective on health care for people with severe and persistent illness. He is well equipped to comment on the state of our mental health care system as well as the needs (both met and unmet) of mentally ill patients. In addition, his prolific writing and blogging has demonstrated his impressive literary and journalistic abilities. I look forward to reading his next work. --Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Immediate Past President, American Psychiatric Association (APA), and author of<i>Shrinks: The Untold Story of Psychiatry DJ Jaffe buttresses his often controversial and always illuminating writings with scholarly research. He's a mental health advocate who policymakers depend on when they want to get a better understanding of how badly our mental health system is broken and how to fix it. --Pete Earley, <i>New York Times</i>bestselling author, 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist for<i>CRAZY: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness DJ Jaffe is the most articulate and impassioned defender of the otherwise defenseless multitudes who suffer from severe mental illness. --Dr. Allen Frances, Chairman, DSM-IV Task Force and author of<i>Saving Normal No one does a better job of explaining the impact of the failed mental health system on the criminal justice system than DJ. Some people with mental illness put officers at risk and some officers put people with mental illness at risk. DJ understands how to stop both from happening. The criminal justice community listens to DJ. --Chief (Ret.) Michael Biasotti, author of the International Association Chiefs of Police policy on handling of the mentally ill, and Fellow, U.S. Department of Homeland Security DJ Jaffe is the consummate public advocate and<i> Insane Consequences</i> will likely be one of the most important books on how to reform the system. When a government agency issues a report, DJ reads all 128 pages, plus the Appendix while the rest of us wait for his summary. He fishes out those small but damaging facts that the agency retrospectively wishes it had not released. Because DJ has studied the mental illness-mental health field so thoroughly, his ideas for reforming it deserve careful attention. DJ Jaffe represents the very best principals of democracy one man really can make a difference. -- Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, Researcher and author of multiple studies and books including <i>Surviving Schizophrenia</i>. DJ is a true advocate for the most severely mentally ill, in every sense of the word. Our nation is greatly benefited by his ferocious devotion to those with few other champions, and his fearlessness in speaking truth to power. -- John Snook, Executive Director, Treatment Advocacy Center

Essential reading for anyone concerned about America's most vulnerable. --Sally Satel, MD, Yale University School of Medicine One of the most important books written on how to reform the mental health system. --E. Fuller Torrey, MD, author of <i>Surviving Schizophrenia</i> A timely and thoughtful analysis of a broken system that needs replacing. --Pete Earley, bestselling author of <i>Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness</i> A slashing, comprehensive, highly readable call to awareness and action. --Ron Powers, Pulitzer prizewinner and author of <i>No One Cares about Crazy People</i> This book will break your heart, make you furious, and ultimately give you hope when you read Jaffe's smart ideas for reform. --Susan Adams, senior editor, <i>Forbes</i> A must-read for laypersons interested in mental disorders, family members of mentally ill persons, and patients themselves. --Robert Paul Liberman, MD, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, UCLA School of Medicine, and director of the UCLA Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program DJ Jaffe calls us back to common sense and basic decency in this deeply felt, important book. --Rich Lowry, editor, <i>National Review</i> A smart and compassionate call to action. --Allen Frances, former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Duke and of the DSM-IV Task Force, and author of <i>Saving Normal</i>

Author Information

D. J. Jaffe is executive director of MentalIllnessPolicy.org, a nonpartisan think tank, which creates detailed policy analysis for legislators, the media, and advocates. He regularly appears on television and has written op-eds for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and articles for National Review and Huffington Post. He has served with numerous nonprofits including the Treatment Advocacy Center and National Alliance on Mental Illness. He has a seriously mentally ill relative and lives in Harlem.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available