Another Great Post by Pete Earley: Another Loved One Lost. This Has To Stop...Be the Change.

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The heartache of attempting to get help for a loved one suffering is well stated in this letter. God Bless this family and all of you who have walked this path either living with the illness itself or as a family member trying to get help for an adult in your life...decade after decade the story stays the same--as does the stigma and discrimination. It's time. This has to stop.

Visit www.namict.org today and support the FREE programming, education, support and advocacy that it has been offering for 30years in Connecticut.  This story has to change.... 

Please read another very powerful post on Pete Earley's blog today...

 

A Simple Guide: Do No Harm. Words Matter.

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[From Turtles & Lemonade Facebook page in response to Pete Earley's Blog Post.]

Taught in pre-school: 'Words matter' and they do. Why use them to...'foster(ed) prejudice'? We don't need to white wash the world but we don't need to do harm either. Fact: 1:4 Americans are effected by Mental Illness each year. That's a fairly large base to offend. Please visit www.namict.org today, watch and share our video--you never know who needs help & hope today. Pete Earley--well said, thank you.

Please read Pete Earley's blog post

Out Patient Commitment: This is THE Conversation in 2014

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Click here for the DUKE Study on Outpatient Commitment, posted through the NAMI site.

You can checkout our Tweet page for other links to articles and the national discussion happening on this timely topic.  This debate is currently happening in Washington and legislation is expected to be put through this year.  We expect Legislation on this in CT too this year.

There are a few conversations happening on this topic:  The one of the caregiver unable to get a loved one to get care vs. the loved one who wants the 'freedom' to choose to accept or deny care.  A choice the caregiver doesn't have yet has to function through. There is no 'freedom of choice' for a caregiver, other than walking away…which isn't a choice many could make.

The other conversation is that between treatment providers and the government.  This conversation comes down to money. The cost of recidivism is high for those with chronic untreated mental illness and after the closures of hospitals nd the lack of 'beds' currently in our mental health system ( IE hospitals) the costs have been enormous for hospitals, insurance companies and for fed and state insurance. 

When hostels where closed the 'promise' was to fund community based, evidenced based models.  They are not only cost effective, patines buy in to them and thrive.  How so we know?  Houseing first has a success f=rate of 85% vs rule based house at 35% at five years.  Logiclaly 26 clubhouse members supporting each other in grub, job truing, life skills is more effective that the one hr a week one perks hets with a Dr. to talk…once a month.  

Yet, clubhouses can;t address the SMI.  the SMI ioften don;t know they're ill.

Any conversation about stopping Mental Health dialogs in out nation and stopping community based finding is silly.  one., because they work and two because there are ever going to be state hospitals like in the past.  the conversation an either or conversation Mental Health supports vs. serious mental health treatment.

Let's look at numbers 2-3% of the population has a serious MI, 28% of the population has a mental health issue ( sleep depravation, anxiety, treatable bi-polar, etc…).  The argument, whether intended or not is to forget servicing and helping he able employable, families, etc. of the 25% to fund the 2-3%.  Ok, I could  accept that if it were going to happen.  Yet it never will.  

 

Advanced Directives

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Advanced Directives are a great planning tool for our loved ones.  They are used to communicate one's wishes when incapacitated in some way offering insight into the patients wishes if they are unable to communicate with Doctors about their care.  Many people draw these up when they make a Will.

I first heard of Advanced Directives being used for those who suffer from Chronic Mental Illness’ at a Keep the Promise meeting (Link) last year and thought the idea was brilliant! 

These are wonderful tools to have in place for both our loved ones and for caregivers. Our loved ones may not want to be restrained, secluded, have certain medicines used and they may have experience with treatments that work very well for them that they would like the medical community to know of if they are incapacitated or have a medical emergency.

This tool eliminates a lot of the stress and guesswork for the caregiver and the patient in an emergency.  Caregivers are allowed, in a crisis, to just care for their loved ones vs. trying to navigate what the patient says they want while in crisis vs. what they would want when out of crisis.

I urge you to have your loved one contact legal aid in their state and/or a private attorney to have their Advanced Directive drawn-up.  Make sure copies are available and accessible at the attorney’s office, with your loved one (at home) and one on hand for you if you are their emergency contact.

We offer a talk on this topic.  If you’d like information on the next talk please email info@turtlesandlemonade.com or visit this link.