NAMI Names Mary Giliberti as New Executive Director

Barriers to Care for Those with Serious Mental Illness

By Timothy Clement    tclement@scattergoodfoundation.org

In June, the organization I work for, The Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation, hosted a conference in Philadelphia called Opening Closed Doors. Prominent thought leaders in mental health and advocates for family members of those living with mental illness assembled for two days to address the obstacles that interfere with positive outcomes for those with serious mental illness (SMI). Two of the largest barriers identified were well-intentioned privacy laws that sometimes prevent families from participating in the recovery process and involuntary commitment laws that require the presence of imminent danger to self or others.In addition to these challenges, we at the Scattergood Foundation recognize that there are other, societal impediments that hinder wellness for those with SMI: stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.

The project on which I work seeks to remedy the stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination encountered by people with mental illness. Endorsement of stereotypes leads to prejudicial attitudes, which in turn can lead to discriminatory behaviors. This is the process of stigmatization.

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My parents, Jean and Elmer, 94 and 93, respectively, live with us and this week celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.  Having them here was another reason for us to be grateful on Thanksgiving!  I hope that you and your family also have had a wonderful week.

I’ve written in past blogs about how my parents have had their photograph taken each year on their anniversary. I need to update their album but you can view most of it.

Click here to see all of them on one page.

Click here to see a slide show.

I’m still getting calls from the media about the stabbing last week of Virginia state senator Creigh Deeds by his son, Gus, who later committed suicide. The emphasis has changed from outrage about a shortage of treatment beds to questions about family violence. Talking about violence always gets tricky. No one wants to increase stigma so I’m careful to point out that individuals with mental disorders are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.

Still, violence inside families is a reality.  A poll of National Alliance on Mental Illness family members found that 39% had been threatened by an ill family member or had their property destroyed. A similar poll of NAMI members in Massachusetts found that 50% of families had to cope with violent behavior. In 80 percent of cases where someone became violent, it was the parent who was the victim.

I was happy to hear over the weekend an interview on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition with Gary Mihelish about his adult son who lives with a schizophrenia. I first met Gary when he invited me to speak in Helena at a NAMI convention. It was one of my first speeches and Gary was kind enough to treat me during my visit to a historical tour followed by a buffalo steak! Gary did a fantastic job in the NPR interview, not sensationalizing violence but discussing it candidly and also talking about his son’s recovery. It is easy to understand why Gary was awarded NAMI’s highest honor for his years of service locally in Montana and also nationally by serving on the NAMI board.

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The stabbing of Virginia state senator Creigh Deeds by his son, Austin, who later killed himself, ignited national headlines this week.  Early reports said “Gus” Deeds was released from a mental health center untreated because there were no crisis care beds available. Officials later blamed a Virginia rule that says the state must either hospitalize or discharge individuals within six hours after picking them up for observation. After he was freed, Gus attacked his father and then  turned a rifle on himself.

I was overwhelmed with calls from reporters because I had written an editorial in 2010 for The Washington Post about how Virginia was backsliding on its promises to improve mental health services after the Virginia Tech massacre. The Post tweeted links to it shortly after the Deeds’ tragedy. It also reminded readers about another Op Ed that I’d penned that described how Virginia hospitals were “streeting” patients — turning them away from emergency rooms — because there were no beds available. That revelation had come from a damning report by VA Inspector General G. Douglas Bevelacqua who has been a lone and relentless voice in Virginia when it comes to spotlighting holes in our state’s system.

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