I had originally written and planned to post information about my personal experiences of the heartaches and frustrations that I encountered as a family member of a loved one with mental illness who lacked insight and did not take prescribed medications. The process of watching someone you love deteriorate until they reach an acceptable level of dangerousness, as determined by a law, which requires "clear and present danger to self and others" as the law in Pennsylvania does, is the most unbearable experience that anyone could ever live through.
However, I then read an article this morning from a paper in Virginia: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-10-30-0149.html. The incident is tragic enough, but what really drew me to want to write about this terribly sad incident, instead of my own personal experiences, were some of the comments posted under that article, such as:
Posted October 30, 2007 @ 09:55 AM by Anonymous
after reading this man's rap sheet i too am finding compassion a hard sell. i agree the family dropped the ball, this man needed to be under lock and key somewhere and his family should own up to their responcibility.
Posted October 30, 2007 @ 09:07 AM by Anonymous
I find it incredible that the man's sister, and whatever other family members, are blaming the community for their own failure. She knew he was sick and was required to take his medication. She states she was not his guardian, so she is indicating a third party was supposed to be his guardian thereby releasing her from any burdens. His family should be held liable for neglect and endangering the public by not providing the proper supervision and care for their own family member.
Posted October 30, 2007 @ 06:49 AM by OpEd
What's up with this man's sister? Somebody dropped the ball? Where does family responsibility come in? Perhaps I'm jumping the gun here, but it sounds like she was blaming the "system." If the community of family and aquaintances knows about this guy, then they are the first line of defense, not the overburdened mental and social services departments.
I was shocked and appalled by these comments because, as a family member who repeatedly waited and was frustrated by the mental health system when treatment was desperately required for my own daughter, only to be stopped by both lack of enough intensive services and our state's requirement for "clear and present danger to self or others" before she could receive the treatment she needed, it hit me hard to think that others would even consider blaming this family.
As a NAMI advocate, I was able to successfully work for the establishment of more intensive services in our county, and Bucks County was the first Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT, a.k.a. ACT) established in Pennsylvania that follows the national standards set up by the original program.
However, the extreme difficulty of obtaining timely services for family members when they desperately need them is still blocked by our current treatment law, the Mental Health Procedures Act of 1976, that still requires a level of dangerousness that no one should ever have to wait for, before they can receive treatment. I am now working with the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC) to change our law, through the proposed Senate Bill 226.
Blame and pointing a finger at families who try desperately to get help for their loved ones and who often are involved in advocating for the changes needed will not resolve the issue of ensuring that someone with a mental illness receives the treatment they need. Enacting common-sense, timely assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) laws with adequate services and programs, as well as providing sufficient support in a hospital when needed, is what should happen.
As John Snook, Esq. from TAC stated about this tragedy in Virginia, "Unfortunately, the reports we've heard echo what families tell us far too often," Snook said. "Even when an individual has been ordered by a court to maintain their treatment, adequate supervision in the community simply isn't taking place."
I invite you to post your thoughts and comments on this issue. Do you think that the family was to blame? Should we be looking for changes to our mental health systems and laws?
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2 comments:
I have a mentally ill stepson in luzerne county Prison for the past 2 months. He has an 11 year history
of co-occurring illness. He was arrested for burglary. He has had lengthy stays in Institutions prior to his first felony arrest. When you talk about not having the insight to know you are not well is something my wife and I have had to learn thru experience with his disorders. I have been trying to educate myself on system issues regarding incarceration of the mentally ill; it appears to me that the cart was put before the horse concerning the closing of hospitals. Can any honest person tell me that this has not been done by long term design. How can people who claim to advocate for people with severe disorders feel that jail, homelessness or addiction for people who self medicate because of serious brain disorders. We have had an advocate state I guess he just doesn't want to be well. I feel people with such opinion are advocating for the building of prisons when they can ignore that policy does not take precedence over compassion, empathy and understanding. Can someone please help my ill stepson, He is being held awaiting trial in luzerne county of Pa prison. I know he was accused of a crime but is to sick to stand trial. Why cant they have a Psychiatrist evaluate him and have him sent to an institution where proper care can be given. He is not taking meds and We have great fear concerning the length of his most recent psychotic break.
The system is definately responsible, I have a 25 yr. old brother who is mentally ill and refusing his meds. he has been in and out of mental health facilities and they always release him when he signs a release form and lie to them and tell them he will continue his meds when he get out. He never do and he ends right back he has been in the hospital about 4 times in the past three months they need to open their eyes. and court order him to take his meds so he can stay out of trouble and not pose a threat to the community.
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