Mother to Legislators: Do Not Deny Mental Health Services to Most ...

Editor's Note: This speech was presented at a legislative breakfast to local legislators because nonprofit mental health services in Connecticut have been cut dramatically with the most recent budget cuts.?

I?m Fran, and I?m the parent of two wonderful children: a 22-year-old daughter and a 24-year-old son, Josh.? Josh is funny, he?s smart, he?s very affectionate, we love him to death ... and he lives with developmental disabilities and mental illness. He operates within a pretty small world and does best when there is a lot of predictability in his routine and in his environment. He faces enormous obstacles in his life, but has the same needs for dignity and a satisfying quality of life that you and I share.?

He is fortunate to qualify for support through the state Department of Mental Health and Human Services, and extremely fortunate to receive that support through Gilead Community Services.?

I also have the privilege of serving on Gilead?s board of directors. This gives me the rare opportunity to see the delivery of services not only from Josh?s perspective, but also from an administrative point of view. What I see is an organization with enlightened administrators, and an extremely dedicated staff that has done heroic work to find creative ways to stretch dollars without compromising client services.?

But because of chronic underfunding, Gilead has reached the point where the dollars available simply won?t stretch any further. With the governor?s latest recissions, (see attached pdf) Gilead will have to cut four staff and 40 clients.? As a parent I worry.? Will Josh be one of those?? If so, where will he go???

Even if he?s one of the lucky ones who isn?t cut, his program staff?already stretched too thin?will be reduced again.? This will inevitably reduce the number of case managers who are available to maintain the security and predictability of his world, and respond to crises when they occur.? He will experience more stress, which increases his anxiety.?

If the source of his anxiety isn?t addressed, his behavior escalates, which often leads to threats and aggressive behavior. This sets in motion a whole cascade of events:? Mobile Crisis has to be called, police are involved, an ambulance is sent, he?s taken to the ER, and may be admitted to a psych ward for several days.? This is not only traumatic for Josh and for us, but it all takes place at great expense to the state.? I can guarantee you that as community supports continue to crumble, a similar scenario will be playing out with increasing frequency for many of Gilead?s clients.

I know that you will be leaving here to go make some very difficult budget decisions. As a parent, a Gilead board member, and a member of this community, I?m asking you to do three things:

• Find your heart:?There is a children?s book called The Little Prince, in which a wise fox tells the Little Prince that ?It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.?? Our hearts tell us the truth.? When we look at any situation with our hearts, we know what needs to be done.?
• Find your courage:?Have the courage to stand up and say ?We are better than this.? We do not turn our backs on our most vulnerable constituents because they do not have a voice, or a powerful lobby.??
• Find a way:?Find a way to make our agencies whole.? Adequate funding creates jobs, it saves money, it saves lives, and it preserves our human dignity ? and Josh?s.? Find a way.? We can?t afford not to.?

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Source: http://middletown-ct.patch.com/articles/three-gifts-for-josh

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