In the wake of the horrific and heartbreaking shootings in Newtown, Conn., there has been a lot of talk about mental health. Other stories that have emerged have also been distressing: a mother who is fearful of her 13-year-old son; a psychiatrist who could not get services for his boy until the police came in, hogtied his son and took him away.
What is striking about the discussion in recent days is how often the worlds of mental illness and criminal justice intersect. But surely a police station, court or prison is not the appropriate place for our children to be evaluated and treated for mental health.
Comments
The attitude of the social workers is still to turf the child home, because that is still the least costly for the state. The attitude of the hospitals is 'treat 'em and street 'em,' regardless of age, again because that's cheapest. We need more facilities and/or means to treat those who are a medium risk rather than let it escalate until they become high risks. That takes tax dollars and/or insurance dollars, and no one wants to pay for that.
This comment has been removed.
Karen, as a parent of a child who has benefitted from the CHINS program I am disgusted at the changes you have made. You have no clue what you've done. The social workers and probation officers all agree that what you've done has hurt much more than it has helped. Oh, and I am a voter in your district. I will not vote for you again and I will urge all my neighbors to vote for anyone but you.
I couldn't even get my daughter into the CHINS program three years ago, despite an existing diagnosis of bipolar and schizo-affective disorders, because she was 17 when we moved here. I could not get her any other services because she was still a minor. I had to send her to her mother in Maine, where she still didn't get the treatment she needed but at least could be hospitalized and medicated while at her most delusional. Of course, as soon as she's well enough to promise to take meds they release her with no follow-up at all. So now she gets to be a frequent flyer with the hospital up there. The Portland PD at least knows her well enough to take her there automatically.
I don't see how the reform of CHINS has helped at all with the difficult problem of obtaining mental health evaluation or treatment for a troubled child or teen. CHINS has no framework or resource list to link families to community based mental health resources. Most of the "care" available consists of an evaluation by telephone, then a denial of services. I speak from personal experience. There are many barriers to care: if you want your child to see a psychiatrist at Children's Hospital, you cannot obtain outpatient treatment unless you switch your child's pediatrician to one at Children's. This may not be convenient or practical and it may interrupt longstanding relationships with caregivers.
I also have lot's of experience with the system. Try the DCF route. If DCF has custody, this doesn't necessarily mean physical custody, your child can obtain MassHealth. MasHealth opens many doors to mental health evaluation and treatment. It sounds ridiculous, I know, I have had a good insurance policy through my employer for over 25 years but as soon as I got my child on MassHealth, she received the evaluation and treatment that my insurance company refused.
Oh, but I forgot to mention that with Spilka's ridiculous legislation, my daughter's CHINS expired and with it her DCF custody and the MassHealth insurance that made such a difference. Now I'm back to square one. Thank God we got a comprehensive psych evaluation while she was on MassHealth. Good luck.
This comment has been removed.