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erieangel -> RE: The conversation we ought to have, instead of guns is (12/15/2012 10:54:54 AM)
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quote:
What this suggests to me is not that we ought to pour trillions into the pockets and coffers of the mental health industry, but that maybe we need a more rational baseline of normal.
Nobody wants "trillions" as you claim, poured into the mental health industry. But consider this, Heretic, every year for the past 20 or so years the amount of money that has poured into the system of health and human services has been slashed. In PA alone, funding has been slashed so much that programs, effective programs have had to be cut or eliminated. For a year, I did respite care. I had a kid suffering from aspergers once a month, so that he could get away from family, do some quiet activities and not be bothered by his older brother who has autism and is a constant screamer. The boy thrived while in respite. His depression lifted for weeks at a time after spending time away from the home, his grades improved and he was learning how to use a computer. We went to movies, bowling, the beach, to dinners, shopping and to a haunted Flag ship Niagara at Halloween. The ship was a non-starter as the kid refused to go below decks where all the truly fun stuff was. We went all over the county for free activities and even to ones that cost me a lot. I was paid $100 for a weekend and usually spent between $90 and $125 each weekend. I spent $150 one weekend for 4 of us to go to an amusement park and the kid refused to go any rides except the marry go round and the train. That was just admission. Food, games, gas all came out of my pocket. But he always to have had some fun at least, and they were activities his parents were going to take him on because they couldn't take his brother out in public at all. Anyway, I don't do respite any longer because funding for that program has ended. And btw, I have to pay taxes on that $100 a month and can not claim any of the expense.
When I was in treatment, I was in a theater troop operated by the same agency I work for now. That theater troop no longer exists. Being involved with that little troop helped me to recovery from my mental illness. It gave me the confidence to try new things, to not be afraid of failure, told me it was OK to make mistakes and helped me to improve my short term memory. And the cost was for that of 2 staff people, limited costumes and sets. Most of our staging came from a local college that donated their own theater and sets for our use once a year so that we could perform our play. When the theater troop closed, it was because the agency closed down the entire arts program, except for the little 8 member chorus they continued. You see, one of the board directors has a daughter and the absolute only thing they could get her to do was be involved in that chorus, so the board member pulled all of the strings he needed to keep it. He didn't care about the people who were solely about the theater troop, or the larger number who all they did was pottery, or paint, or jewelry-making.
Today, private, for-profit insurance companies are making things so much worse. The majority of human services money now goes directly to an insurance company and the community care agencies have to meet strict guidelines, have their paperwork in order, do billing properly and follow all protocols the insurance company has in place. I spend more time on my job figuring out what is "billable" than truly helping my guys.
Not only does money for human services--treatment for mental health and mental retardation--need to be increased, it needs to be given back 100% to the counties. This is allow counties to determine what their population needs and how to deliver the services. It will allow agencies such as mine to do what it is does best--help people recover.
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