Thoughts on organizing to improve care for persons with serious mental illness Following is a DRAFT, preliminary, document of thoughts on one person only on a new org (this one or perhaps another) merely presented to start a discussion. I just think by having something on paper (or FB) that people can react to will help jell our thoughts and help us focus our efforts STATEMENT OF NEED There are many grass-roots mental health organizations. There are some grass roots mental illness orgs that provide support and comfort to those with mental illness and their families (ex. Local NAMI) There are no grass roots serious mental illness organizations that are focused on changing laws and policies that effect the most seriously ill. The policies and laws that improve care for people with the most serious mental illnesses are often ignored and usually opposed by those who advocate for the higher functioning. Only by organizing a grass-roots effort focused on the most seriously ill can we improve care for the most seriously ill. Names TBD One option: National Alliance on Serious Mental Illness (NASMI) This would allow rapid growth by attracting membership from an org that no longer focuses on SMI Potential Mission Statements Improve laws and policies to guarantee care for the 5-9% of people with the most serious mental illnesses (primarily schizophrenia and treatment resistant bipolar). Reduce criminalization of people with serious mentally illness. Strategy Build a grass-roots effort in support of laws and policies that improve treatment for people with serious mental illness (Initial?) Areas of Focus to accomplish our strategy • Assure more money and a greater percentage of mental health budget goes to serious mental illness rather than mental health. o Reform involuntary commitment laws so they prevent violence, rather than require it. o Ensure Assisted Outpatient Treatment is available to those with a history of violence dangerousness or multiple rehospitalizations due to noncompliance who could live safely in the community o Preserve sufficient psychiatric hospitals to serve those who need them (eliminate the IMD Exclusion) o Increase ability of parents to inform care for their seriously mentally ill loved ones (HIPPA, Guardianship, Capacity Decisions) Tactics Mobilize grass roots to get media and political attention (letters, op-eds, demonstrations, etc) Propose legislation Hold a microscope to officials, politicians, mental health advocates who obstruct us Law suits (I find it hard to see how we would ever be able to do that, but at least one group member thinks it should be only tactic) Some differences between the New Org and MHA/NAMI/NEC and other grass roots organizations. Mental Health Orgs vs. the New Org Focus resources on the 25-50% of public that experiences a “mental health” issue vs Focus on the 5-9% who are “seriously mentally ill” Psychiatric hospitals are largely not needed vs. Hospitals need to be available for those who need them Everyone recovers vs. Not everyone recovers Everyone should make own choice vs Some are too ill (anosognosia) to make a rational choice No one should be required to accept treatment until after they become ‘danger to self or others’ vs Laws should prevent violence not require it Rehabilitation and skills training is most important vs Symptom amelioration is most important Recovery Model vs Medical Model Assisted Outpatient Treatment infringes on rights vs AOT reduces hospitalization, incarceration, sucide and violence and helps consumers exercise free will ECT should rarely be used vs ECT should be a readily available treatment Biggest impediment to care is stigma vs Biggest impediment to care is that we fail to treat the most seriously ill. Tactics of Mental Health Orgs vs Tactics of MOMI Fight Stigma vs Reduce violence that causes stigma Pretend serious mental illness doesn’t exist vs Increase awareness of serious mental illness (Highlight pictures, movies of severely ill being severely ill) Pretend untreated serious mental illness is not associated with violence vs acknowledging violence is associated with lack of treatment of serioius mental illness Direct mental health funds to highest functioning vs Direct mental health funds to most seriously ill Support SAMHSA vs Eliminate parts of SAMHSA that impede treatment of the most seriously ill and divert funds from the most seriously ill. Hope mental illness and violence stories go away vs Use instances of violence to show how policies to prioritize the most seriously ill reduces violence. Improve services for people once incarcerated vs Reduce the lack of treatment that causes incarceration Support all Research vs Support research likely to help those with serious mental illness Claim everyone with mental illness can become high functioning vs Recognize that some people are seriously ill and will not become high functioining productive members of society Accept money from Government Mental Health Agencies; Pharmaceutical companies; and Providers of Mental Health/Illness services vs Maintain independence from Government, providers, and pharmaceutical companies
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:53:42 +0000
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