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Concerns:The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act

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Guest#1 Jun 16, 2015, 21:16
Just when services in the community have ben developed and peer-aided and delivered services have been studied and found to be effective, this bill ignores those advances and takes us back to the 1960s.
Guest#2 Jun 16, 2015, 22:05
We need solutions, we need not fall back on archaic practices changed only in name. AOT=forced treatment=civil rights violations
Guest#3 Jun 16, 2015, 22:21
People who benefit from forced treatment are statistical outliers.
Guest#4 Jun 16, 2015, 23:10
This proposal is very short sighted and ill informed even if the writer means well. The research for his part has not nearly considered what is working here and in other countries where RECOVERY is the valued outcome and where the use of forced treatment is seen as archaic. It does not respect those who have mental health challenges as full citizens and presumes violent antisocial behavior way beyond what the data actually reflects about violence. It misleads, it spends money on approaches that do not reflect a culture of healing and help. The principles underlying this effort are insulting and sad.
Guest#5 Jun 16, 2015, 23:13
I have been accused of mental illness and was subjected to forced psychiatric drugging and ElectroConvulsiveTreatment.
Guest#6 Jun 16, 2015, 23:22
Because my family and I are effected everyday by these misconceptions that seem so harmless,but are in fact a threat to our health and our freedom. There is so much to say. The worst could happen to anyone. How would you want to be treated? This is about our lives. Our hope,our recovery, our compassion for each other.
Guest#7 Jun 16, 2015, 23:55
It is in response to the introduction of offensive legislation that directly impacts my life.
Guest#8 Jun 17, 2015, 03:22
Yes! Our rights are as important as any other individual that is sick. I say this over and over. An Illness is an illness whether is physical or mental.
#endstigma!
Guest#9 Jun 17, 2015, 10:16
Because I have witnessed the harm done by psychiatric "treatment" and it's disregard for the patients it treats. I don't think anyone should be forced to submit to such "treatment".
Guest#10 Jun 17, 2015, 11:37
As a family member, I know that what made my sister's recovery possible was choice. Years ago I had tried to mentally prepare myself for her funeral. Once she finally got a say in her own treatment, things changed rapidly. Today she's working a full time job and is engaged to be married, no one forced that to happen but her.
Guest#11 Jun 17, 2015, 12:29

This legislation is based on misconceptions that have been relayed to individuals, families, senators, representatives, and the public.  The results of the misguided statements and language will significantly drive up costs effecting taxpayers and at the same time, erode privacy & protection of all americans. 

Guest#12 Jun 17, 2015, 13:32

Further scrutiny & restriction for those suffering only perpetuates a problematic probability for symptom elevation. Though I have read H.R. 2646 and agree with some of the intentions; the resulting recourse could initiate an already negative stigma that limits and restricts those suffering along with their families. It may offer a freeway to commit anyone with a diagnosis to federal scrutiny. I agree with 'enforcing' mental health care & care giver programs, but 'forcing' & 'subjecting' individuals is a violation of life and liberty.

Guest#13 Jun 17, 2015, 14:02
I believe that it is vitally important that those who use services have a say in how those services are given. Civil rights will be violated and personal liberties will be violated under this bill. Choice which is vital to society will be taken away by those who mean well, but have not journeyed the path that many of us have.
Todd M. Kuikka#14 Jun 17, 2015, 14:21

Re:

#4: -  

 I agree with your statement.  While reviewing H.R. 2646; I found that much of it has positive intention.  But the ignorance and arrogance of law and bureaucracies muddies water that is already dirty.  Reflecting and empathizing with those directly affected must be the considered.  No body chooses nor likes dealing with mental illness.  But forcing care only magnifies the issues that families are subjected too.  If they need representatives to rewrite this....ask a combat veterans and their family, who is suffering from invisible wounds.  They fought for their rights and the rights of other, only to have them stripped by the scrutiny of a "greatful nation."  Just my thoughts, respectfully.

 

Guest#15 Jun 17, 2015, 17:27

"...The Special Rapporteur on Torture (United Nations) recently called for an absolute ban on all forced and non-consensual medical interventions against persons with disabilities, including the non-consensual administration of psychosurgery, electroshock and mind-altering drugs such as neuroleptics, the use of restraint and solitary confinement, for both long- and short- term application.

Furthermore the U.S. National Council on Disability recommended, 'Laws that allow the use of involuntary treatments such as forced drugging and inpatient and outpatient commitment should be viewed as inherently suspect, because they are incompatible with the principle of self-determination. Public policy needs to move in the direction of a totally voluntary community-based mental health system that safeguards human dignity and respects individual autonomy.' "-Tina Minkowitz, Esq.

I hope Tina M does not mind my sharing this relevant quote.- Jim Keiser

Guest#16 Jun 17, 2015, 17:43
There are so many aspects of the mental health system that this bill doesn't address. Really, it is regressing back to a failed history of institutional psychiatric treatment based on confinement and control using 19th and 20th century ideas and concepts instead of assisting and accommodating the needs of people with innovation and respecting and promoting our human rights as valued members of American communities.
Guest#17 Jun 17, 2015, 22:49

Considering Senator Murphy is a psychiatrist with a big conflict of interest in his bill. Senator Murphy should not even be allowed to vote on such a bill let own author such a bill. The name he gives his is bill is deceptive. The “Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act” would be a honey of a bill for the mental health industry. But would do nothing for family members of the mentally ill.  Enough families have suffered from overzealous mental health systems already! What part of conflict of interests does conges does not understand?

Guest#18 Jun 17, 2015, 22:57
Our mental health care system has a number of serious flaws, a major one is the fact psychiatrists use the DSM5 with what they refer to as a "Chinese Menu" approach.

My concern is especially for individuals who suffer a psychotic episode. The British Medical Journal has published guidelines for Best Practice Assessment of psychosis to help rule out underlying causes of symptoms that are clinically indistinguishable from paranoid schizophrenia.

A unified advocacy agenda must include a Functional Medicine approach, so that patients will receive individualized treatment and not a one-size-fits-all medication management regime that attempts to treat symptoms and not the underlying cause.
Guest#19 Jun 18, 2015, 23:01
We have a son who is missing, put out homeless by our county behavioral health system and local hospital...psychotic , suffering from scizoaffective disorder and anisognia. He didn't realize he was so ill, suffering from a very serious mental illness, not a bad behavior.
The Mental Health system in our state of il not only closed the psychiatric state hospital that would /could treat his disease but deserted him and now he will die with his rights on, as this broken system hides behind the HIPAA law and refuses to honor his right to be treated, not thrown out homeless.
We need this law that would give others treatment, even though the system is killing our son...
Guest#20 Jun 19, 2015, 11:17
The Murphy Bill will take us back to the dark ages.
Guest#21 Jun 19, 2015, 16:24
My rights regarding my choice whether to seek mental health care have been violated in the past. This was traumatic and wrong. I signed this petition so that this kind of thing doesn't happen to others.
Guest#22 Jun 19, 2015, 21:01
As I am a carer of a loved one who has a mental health issue and who has achieved a great recovery with the help and support from I the main carer and family. I am passionate about the rights of carer / family in the said information. While the service user is being cared for there is very little supports for carer/ family needs. I would love to see carers rights discussed. Kind regards Evelyn
Guest#23 Jun 20, 2015, 00:04

I truly believe that the 'Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act,' is noble in its intentions, however, I can also see clearly that this act could threaten the civil liberties of individuals who are labeled as mentally ill. In addition, I further believe that the 'Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act,' could very well be detrimental to 'our society' as a whole.

Guest#24 Jun 20, 2015, 08:58

I see many Providers missing the integrated and Co - Occuring, Dual Diagnosis piece when Case Management, environment and Psychiatric history is amiss.

Michael Dowling CSW

Secretary / Treasurer 

MHA of New Mexico

18664257030

Jo#25 Jun 20, 2015, 15:35

Re:

#19: -   Having been lost in the public mental health system myself, I grieve for your son and you.  But the answer is mental health systems that DON'T kick people out for "bad behavior" that they can't really control!  I've seen this "zero tolerance" garbage too many times.  I remember the man who lost his home for one episode of yelling at the landlady and calling her a b--ch.  Not a nice thing to do ... but millions of normal guys have done worse under stress.  We CAN do better, with mental health centers that respect what patients are going through, and include staff who have been there themselves.  Forced drugging is not the answer.  Families are promised this will "transform" their loved one and restore him to sanity.  In most cases, IT WON'T -- and the burden of side effects is terrible.  Many patients who are at least in touch with the system now will disappear onto the streets to avoid the next injection.  And many of our best programs will be de-funded by this bill!  Please take a look at the full-text letter before you support this tragically wrong-headed bill.