Dear supporters, We are grateful to Pete Earley for reporting on our petition in his blog. Pete has provided an update today that can be read here: http://www.peteearley.com/2017/01/27/want-to-influence-a-politician-find-one-walking-down-the-same-path/ I have received additional letters from family members wishing to express their feelings about NAMI's response to our petition. Here is another one from a family member and a member of MOMI of Arizona. Thanks to all who have joined us and for sharing, tweeting and #ShatteringSilence on behalf of the 4%. We are a mighty minority who refuse to settle and will never give up. "To whom it may concern at NAMI headquarters, I am a retired RN, former NAMI member and family to-family instructor. I read your reply to our letter and believe your intent is to be all-inclusive to everyone suffering from serious mental illness; however, my personal experience has not been what was described in your letter. If a person with smi has some awareness and acceptance of their illness, and desired to seek help, NAMI can work well. Those of us with loved ones with anosognosia (complete lack of awareness) do not have the capacity to agree to attend NAMI programs designed to help them. When the area of the prefrontal cortex that allows for this awareness is damaged, their neurological capacity to understand that they are sick is non-existent. My son has lived for over 20 years in and out of psychosis. In 2015 we were finally able to have him court ordered for treatment due to being persistently and acutely disabled. For the first time he has remained mostly stable for over a year. We have begun to see some semblance of our son return. Even though he knows he feels better on his meds, he still does not believe he is ill. We wait in fear for his release from COT. He will probably stop his meds and we’ll lose him to this horrific illness again. He is now 40 years old and has lost a good deal of cognition loss from repeatedly going on and off medications. From a medical standpoint I believe had AOT been a part of his care from the first psychotic break our son could have lived at leas a less chaotic life and at the most a very happy and productive life. AOT should be the first consideration for those unable to understand their illness, not the last resort. I have not felt supported by NAMI concerning the importance of involuntary treatment for ALL people with anosognosia . My son deserved a better life than he’s had and I believe NAMI should help those of us whose loved ones can’t make the proper decision to help themselves."