Think it's too early to dole out awards for 2008? Then read the below fabulousness from Joe, reacting to NAMI's 2008 conference theme of Tomorrowland Today.

So much optimism, so much systemic anosognosia. While organizations are free to make different representations to different audiences, it is difficult to accept NAMI's bold assertion that "Tomorrow has arrived!" After all, NAMI gave our nation's mental health system a grade of D in 2006. The idea that "Tomorrow has arrived!" might only be true in Fantasy Land. (It seems appropriate that NAMI's 2008 conference is being held in Orlando, the home of Disneyland and in the state which ranks 48th (2006) in per capita public mental health spending.)

Tomorrow has arrived!

"Improved treatments; new social supports for employment, housing, and a host of other services needed to sustain recovery; significant progress in the realm of criminal justice; widespread education efforts and a strong and vital consumer movement - these and other innovations are making possible what just a few years ago seemed unattainable for many persons will mental illness - recovery!"

I guess I should go down to our county psychiatric hospital and tell the 300+ inpatients that they are no longer being discharged to the shelters but are actually being housed. Then I'll go over to the county jail and tell those on the psychiatric pods that they are receiving treatment beyond medication alone. Then I'll go stop by but one of our community mental health centers where eighty percent of the 2500 consumers in its outpatient division receive no treatment other than medication and tell them that that they are receiving improved treatments. Then I'll go down to the sheltered workshop which receives three hundred referrals a year yet but could only relate one individual's post program outcome and tell them that they are receiving new social supports for employment. Then I'll go national and call those who comprised the 34% increase in the number of individuals on SSI by virtue mental illness in the five years ending 2006 and tell them they might well be on the path to recovery. I guess I could but my peers and I have to live in the real world of Today Land.

Joe, you kick butt.