We have been struggling for years to have persons with mental health illnesses to get treatment as persons with other illnesses would receive. Recent events compelled me to write this Letter to the Editor of our newspaper.
May 10, 2013
In the last few days family friends have told us of severely ill adult sons who hospitals would not accept. These young men were not involved in car accidents or had stokes or heart attacks. In those cases 911 could have been called and they would be taken to hospitals. These two young men suffer from brain diseases and thus, unlike other acute illnesses, need to consent to hospitalization. Brain diseases, mental illnesses, are not treated the same as other diseases like cancer or heart disease.
Kathleen Eilers, the former and present administrator of the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division of Milwaukee County, calls for in a MJS opt-ed piece a “community-based system of services for people with mental illnesses” where people with acute hospitalization needs would be getting services in community hospitals. A community based system of services sounds great just like it did in the 80’s where thousands of personal with mental illnesses were released from institutions. However, without sufficient community funding many of the ill ended up in jails, prisons or homeless shelters. The country jail and House of Correction house are the largest institutions for peopele sick with brain diseases. Does anyone really think that in this day and age of “no more taxes” we can build a good community recovery system?
Also what will happen to person very sick like the sons of my two friends? Part of mental illnesses often is that people do not realize they are sick; yet hospitals will not accept them unless they voluntary agree to treatment. What are loved ones to do? A ‘three party commitment’, which is difficult, usually results in a temporary fix and jails and prison only makes the illness worst.
What are parents to do? Wait for a tragedy like the Kuester family in Waukesha did as reported in today’s MJS. Wait for the adult to take his own life as my son did at the age of 39. All ill persons have rights to health care despite their delusions or types of mental illnesses. Let us start a new civil rights movement for persons with mental illnesses and their loved ones.
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