Canadian Mutt Yowls With Pain of Not Being Heard.

What it is like to live with a family member who has a mental illness.

Many of you can well imagine what life is like to live with someone as sick as my daughter, but I doubt you can full understand the strain it places on a family. Below is a letter I wrote to the victims representative for RCMP May 12. My daughter left her predator boyfriend at the end of April, and has been living back home under our protection. Sadly there are no laws to protect my daughter.

Dear Tina,

Our Daughter, isn't doing great, she is having fits of laughter, crying and doesn't know why, she paces floor all day, can't focus on school stuff, and can't processes the simplest conversation. Her mind is totally occupied. Her eating has declined, we have to give her 2 clausipam to get her to settle down enough to sleep by 10. We now have her sleeping, but deterioration is getting worse by the day. My mother intutiation, has me shadowing her every moment, why I don't know, I just have this feeling I need to check her all the time.I can't get her to shower or change clothes, sit down and watch her favourite decorating shows, the only thing we can do to get her out of house is drive up in mountains.

She no longer can keep track of time, she can't even remember which events happened yesterday, she seems to think it is today. She even gets distracted while we are eating, she will take a few bits, then zone out. Her Father and I are like reminding her with clues she is to eat now because supper time. It is so weird to see this.

In my opinion she needs to be in hospital, We have Doctor appointment early next week, so if you can keep THUG away until then very cool and will help a lot. IFY....he called last night at around 7 from pay-phone....ask to talk to Her, I said no. Then I disconnected the phone. Because I need NO contact from Thug, when She is so incoherent. If the police see our Daughter they need to contact us immediately, as she is an endangerment to herself out side of the house.

Carrie-Ann

Now to clarify some generalized statement I make in the email.

Confusion..... When I say confusion, I mean everything is foggy, like looking through a pain of broken window glass. Little bits of information here, missing pieces lost and the whole world of information is servilely fragmented. That is her state of mind. Yes she does have clear moments of the day, but they are very short lived. In this clear moments she is mad at us, because we replete statements, ask her to voice back what we just said, but it is the only way to evaluate her comprehension.

Walking on eggshells of motional eww.... This is never knowing how she will react to any given statement or situation. This is overall negative symptoms and unstableness. She is totally agitated ,think of an addict without a fix, that is her level of anxiety. She doesn't understand why she is feeling so keyed up, so she paces, rambles, jumping from task to task to find comfort. I don't know about you but I can't imagine a day like this.My daughter will have to suffer 6 mons like this. Now emotions, sudden burst of emotion usually the wrong emotion for the situation. Aggression is the other emotion, many people see this and just say Bad KID, but that isn't the case. Imagine if you couldn't communicate, no one understood what you saw in your head, or everyone tell you NO that happen yesterday. You want to believe them but then that would be admitting very sick, and in your mind your 100% your right and they are wrong. How long before frustration gave way to aggression, then add strain of anxiety and agitation. Aggression of some form seems like normal response.

Now our seniors have these days, we call it dementia. We place them in care, and a family member as guardian. But do we do this with mentally ill no!

We have to start from beginning with medication. When I wrote this letter she was on 1/12 the amount of medication as before summer 2009, we increase by 50 ml a week. So in about 6-9 mons she will be stabilized -we hope. Can you imagine living everyday with this kind of drama? Well it is my life and I don't begrudge it, but I would like some changes.

I want to place mentally in care while unstable with state of confusion, until they are stabilized

I want laws to protect mentally ill from all predators, if a persons action are endangering mentally ill health , then charge and arrest immediately.

I want all mentally ill to have a legalized agreement that is like living will, can grow and be changed as see fit, and human rights are only taken away if serious deterioration occurs.

I want the legislation mental act law....the clarify endangerment to themselves and others.

No More Trimming This Canadian Mutt Is Raw to the Bone!

Who is paying the price for another Liberal cut (No - trimming of fat)? Children! The Liberals are placing vulnerable children with a serious mental illness at risk.

My daughter currently has the only Children's Psychiatrist, serving clients in Penticton. This Doctor travels down from Kelowna, but that will come to an end. The Children and Youth Mental Health has discontinued the Doctor's gas expense. I personally feel my daughter and other children's health and wellbeing is worth paying this expense.

Now parents will have to suffer another expense of not only gas to travel a 2 hr trip one way to see a Doctor in Kelowna, but many parents will have to take a day off work. This on top of the average cost to support mentally ill child is $10,000.00 per year.

The Stats currently state --- 1 out of 5 children receive treatment.

How will driving 4 hrs-- to and from Kelowna , effect that stat? Less parents will be able to meet this added hardship of 2-4 trips per month, to Kelowna. With preventative care, evidences state that early treatment has the greatest success rate. If the Liberals cared about Children and families with mental illness you would not impose any added burden, as they already are their child's 24/7 caregiver.

Liberal's say, "they want to do preventative treatment and that no cuts will directly effect clients access to services."

Well Mr Kevin Falcon, you've failed twice ! I now have no confidence in anything the Liberals say !

Carrie-Ann Dambrowitz

15 Lambert Crt

Osoyoos, BC

V0H 1V2

250 495 6610

Bark-out-Loud!!! What a Joke BC Liberals Are!!!

BC'S Minister Of Health asked Health authorities to cut 10 % at gross. That is 45 million and where is this trimming to go? Well Minister answered" Other Ministries to prevention of health issues !!!"- But wait Liberals gave increase of 7%…….BUT where did the missing 3% go?? Yes cut -10% , give+ 7% = NO CUTS? Great accounting even grade 1 students can do better. ON the upside for Kevin Falcon, he can enjoy a glass of fine BC wine cheaper!!! HST will make booze cheaper, that is what Kevin call's prevention for Mental Health Addictions. What a joke! This is the Liberal 10 year Health Plan!!

My family racked up expenses from hospital visit and doctor appointments $ 10,000.00 in one year. Times the three years she was unstable and in and out of hospitals. This year our daughter was too sick for employment, but not sick enough to do nothing, her only motivator was interior decorating. There is no grants available for a person with mental illness for schooling. Another $10,000.00 in education and expenses, as the college couldn’t pro-rate the cost of course. Keep in mind this course was an outreach program for her social skills development. Did I get to collect any money on income tax for medical expenses?

I quit my job twice to be 24/7 nurse and support for my daughter, and unemployment has no benefits for this hardship. My husband lost contracts because he couldn’t work weekends. We made these choices for our daughter and focused weekends to her care, so our personal income was too low for deductions. Then CRA tells me to apply for a disability credit because we quality. Three times the Doctor filled out paper work wasn’t enough information for them, so denied. So yes I have made my contribution!

So Honourable Kevin Falcon, when stated “Whatever level of investment being made, the important element here is that individuals can make a difference. Individuals can make a contribution towards a sustainable health care system. I would hope that the public, any of the public that may be watching, will consider that as we go forward”

I was appalled! Kevin Falcon, you definitely didn’t do any research in the cost of a mentally ill child, nor did you investigate into the lack of programming and funds. You didn’t inform yourself as Minister of Health, or even take a personal interest into BC taxpayers, living with a mental illness within their families. May I suggest some reading for the BC Liberal Government, as you haven't read my letters or you would have been informed.

Below article written By Dr Stan Kutcher. Stan is associated with the Canadian Mental Health Commission. http://blog.teenmentalhealth.org/2010/05/21/early-onset-of-mental-disorder-hurts-–-in-your-wallet/

It Is A Canadian Mutt's Right to Drink Beer In Camping Park Sites

We all just recently, enjoyed the long weekend. Many of us camp at provincial and national parks. Camping provides families and friends, a get away from the busy cities, or a weekend to relax.

If you are a Canadian Mutt like me, you’ll enjoy a relaxing beer or two over this weekend, but government will soon place a ban on this. Yes! Government is going to take away our choice to drink responsibly in government parks. Me a person who has a total of 15 drinks for entire year, and who might get drunk enough to make fool of herself- a total of three times a year. Now my choice to drink reasonable in public park , within my paid campsite with by-laws I signed to obey, will be taken away by LAW.

Government is mandating these laws, by-laws and legislation to protect the public from the few who don’t know how to do anything responsibly. Texting and driving, putting make-up on while driving, or drinking too much and becoming a problem to others.

But what really gets my undies in a bunch–the normal population, who doesn’t have a mental issue need this laws to govern everyday common sense, than why doesn’t government place the simplest legislation upon the mentally ill. Does anyone see the double standard in this?

A mentally ill person, who is non compliant, has a choice to take medicine even if not taking medicate makes them aggressive towards others, or has the choice to drink even when it affects medicines ability to work. I have actively asked government to impose legislation around these issues.

The answer I received,” We can’t take people’s rights away.”

What a crock of bull! Government takes rights to choice away everyday with laws, policies and legislation,but the government won’t protect the mentally ill from making choices that ultimately harm their mental health.

Isn’t protecting the mentally ill from self harm ,worth government legislation?

Is it a Bark or a Bite??--Stigma

“Stigma!”" News and movie media are always portraying the violent side of mental illness.” ”Less than 5% commit a violent act!”

Personally don’t agree that the media is to blame. Now I’m about to piss off a very large community of people. I think the real reason these negative stigma won’t go away until some serious issues are addressed, in Canadian law, mental health acts, human rights and privacy laws. Only then can we begin to protect the mentally ill that have a potential to create harm to themselves and others. Which is less than 5%!

My child falls into that 5%, I speak from personal experience, when I answer this question. If my child was to suffer harm in anyway or cause harm in anyway, I would run to the media. The media is the only way to get heard. I have ranted about the changes that need to occur to protect lives, but does governments listen. NO! I think the most heartening for me is that the mental health community doesn’t listen either.

I can’t really blame them, fear of– the dark, lock you, crazy away days–, still haunt many. Is there a common ground we can all stand on?

Personally don’t want to lock people away, or force inhuman treatment on people. But I do believe that we are a beastly human race that allows people to suffer in their mental illness. They are so ill, that they refuse treatment, or even harder for a family member to get treatment for a loved one. Why? Because of red tap, bureaucratic policies, human right laws,privacy act and the mental health act, doesn’t adequately cover crisis areas. Most of the time the mental health act isn’t even used correctly, it needs to be rewritten. I have personally asked the BC government to do this? In a letter they told me, is the act is fine and at this point WON”T be rewritten.

So who is listening? A man who falls in this 5% stood up at a conference in Vancouver and beg a lawyer to listen to him. I will never forget this man’s statement, it cut me to the core of how we neglect this small percentage of people.

” Yes, Give me the right to govern my mental illness, but when I’m ill give me the Right to be Healthy and Live.”

The plain simple truth is if the laws worked, or if there were more preventative measures, families won’t have to suffer to loss of a loved one. Families wouldn’t have to watch a loved one, suffer under the torment of an unstable mind that causes tragedy. If it was NOT so hard to get help, or even a bed for the mentally ill, we could prevent so many deaths.It is truly unjust and inhuman treatment. We must address these issues if we want the negative stigma to go away. Deaths will keep happening until we do. The media doesn’t cause these deaths, but government policies do. So only we can change that.

Mutt's Rights VS Human Rights

I recently read an article, which caused me to think. Are we an nation that doesn’t care? I think we care but are we willing to change the ownerships of problems? I hear statement like this all the time, “they want to be homeless so let them be!” What right do we have to interfere?
I have bought into this thinking, but is it really true, or is it just a very colourful and ingenious way to be passive and say.” not my worry– not my care.” When I think of a homeless person living on the street, I now ask myself this question, is that person on the street because of choice or situation? Is this person’s choice ruled by an mental illness that is left untreated? Or is this person so crippled by their drug addition that, all their rational choice are based in their next fix? What if these statement are the case, do we get involved? No, we don’t get involved because we justify ourselves by stating,” it isn’t our right to interfere with others lives.”

Is this a caring nation? We have gone to war for human right issues in the past. We can jump into another countries business but we can’t seem to jump into the business in our own streets.

Domestic violences here is another area we stand by and do nothing. Now I know of personally 3 men that are wife beaters, and children abusers. You know who they are , they live in your town, and we all talk about the tragic mishaps that occurred last weekend. But these abusive men are innocent until proven guilty. These men are placed in jail on a weekly occasion for fighting, for being drunk and disorderly, they might even go to court, but nothing rarely happens.

Now of the three men I personally know, One has never been charged, his victims are children, it is the child word against this very skilled predator. The child is so scared of this adult who seems all powerful, then the mother carries so much guilt that she can’t face the reality. So who helps. Who will stop this. This man was my father, who is in late 50′s and has he ever faced a charge? Sadly no. His victims are usually age 9-12. And he gets away with it, even to this day.

Now on to the other man, for 17 years he beat and tormented his family, everyone in the town knew this to be a fact, many witness it. But the wife had to make the charges. Now given the fact this womans situation, she believes if she was better person or better mom this would all stop. It is her fault, she makes her husband lose it and beat them. She feared her husband so greatly that she couldn’t stand against him. So sad, children to grow up in that environment, and what does this do to their life. Mentally how healthy can one be to be raised by this?

Now the last guy, mister violent,drinks and party every weekend, even though he is 33 years old. He lives on the street, jumping from house to house, wearing out his welcome and moves on. Now he goes to the holding tank almost every weekend, he is known by victims unit, charged for 4 assault in one summer. But is he in jail? Is he in some kind of treatment? To answer you no! Now he is dating my mentally ill daughter, he is preying on her weaken state of mind. This is the perfect person he can control, a little puppet.

We all say how terrible this is, we all say it shouldn’t be allowed to happen. But what is done. Do these peoples rights out way the people they victimize? What about these poor souls that are abused, where are their rights??

The plain simple fact is in Canada, my dear dog is better protected by the law then any human out there. My dog has no rights, so it can be removed from harms way. My dog doesn’t have to prove abuse in court, the signs of trauma and abuse are enough for the owner to be charged and go to jail.

Yes in Canada our pets have more value then humans under the laws.

What Happened to Mutts Caring For the Pack?

Here is something to ponder. About two weeks ago, I was in Wal Mart with a friend. A man ahead of us, who was mumbling to himself walked through the security panels and wouldn’t ya know it– they go off. This man was in 50′s and was clearly agitated over something. After the silly alarm sounded he shows more signs of anxiety. Only to walk out the doors and no taxi, so man walks back in, ask the Greeter why the Taxi isn’t there. The Greeter looks bewildered, and proceeds to ask the man if he needs help.

The Man then gets ever vocal, which causes the Greeter to vocalize too. Now the scene I am forced to endure is just plain ugly. It bothered me and other customers.

Now you and I know this is just everyday life, but as am noticing the mental health side of life, and the basic you have no right to treat me this way ((( selfish monster))). I have to wonder what the shopping day will be like as the population ages, and people grow less tolerant of any behavior.

While I don’t think people should be verbally abused at work. I think that people working within the public community should receive training in dealing with stressed people. People today seem to be in too much of a rush, to busy to take the time, and too lazy to be creative in dealing with these kinds of issues.

I believe that if we could all brush aside that ((((( me Monster)))) and stop to think about the person in front of us, maybe these little public scenes could be avoided. Think of this for a second, parents have been crying for years the TV and Games have demoralized our children. I say this, is it not us who are teaching our children the very same thing, when we ignore a person in need,or comfort. What message do we honestly say to our children and the world, when we treat so many people with indifference??

How hard is it to say the a man, gee I am sorry the alarm rang on you. I know they are loud and can hurt your ears. Are you looking for a taxi. Would you like me to call one. I am sorry one wasn’t waiting for you, as you expected, but I will call on now. And we can talk while we wait. There done! Situation changed, and just maybe in the process you will learn that his man has just placed his wife in hospital, and she maybe dying of cancer.

Some-days I wish for my magical wand that would take all negative scenes of my day and change them around. Well that magical wand may never come, so I will have to make the change one step at a time. Here is hoping some of you out there will be brave enough to do the same

Mutt Tries To Aid The Homeless Pack

So today I am going to blog about something that everyone is really at a loss to deal with, because it is a very complex problem.

I am talking about the homeless that are very resistant to treatment and of help of any kind. Now I will describe some of the issues surrounding these people.

They resist going to shelters because of a couple of reason: they are unable to deal with crowds,and they feel that shelters are unsafe environment. Most of the homeless people have complex and concurrent mental health problems. Concurrent health problem such as addictions, non treated mental health, education and little job skills. Many people would be surprised to know many homeless don’t use social assistance, so in my opinion they are very skillful in gaining resources. So here is an idea, what if various non-profit organizations ran a government-funded street fair. This street fair would provide products to the public, such as food, flowers, news stands– ect. So now the money aspect of this fair, the non-profit organization would be responsible for the money, but the person manning the booth could gain tokens that later after money management skill, money for the hours they worked, which they could use to buy food with or shelter. Now this program could have available treatment attached such as job coaches, training and education, support with consoling,and lastly a network of peer support. Now I am not silly enough to say this won’t be without problems, first of all Government has to pour out money into this program. Secondly the public has to support such a program and thirdly downtown business would have to support this plan of action too. Lastly a very committed well-informed (trained) non-profit has to be will to take it on.

Now just imagine this idea for a moment, what problems will be attached with it, and what areas of beneficial outcomes could arise.

First,I want to do benefits.

People could gain valuable job skills,education, and treatment at low level. These few skills could enrich a person’s life enough that they have the courage to become an independent member of society with little social support. People could go from managing tokens to managing money. People could go from living on streets to affordable housing. They would gain respect and pride within themselves again, that is an asset that has no price.

Now for the problems, the biggest problem I see is no public or government support. Second problem I see if how to get homeless to participate. The homeless that already provide a service for cash, will be the easiest to jump on board, so why not start there. If the homeless people saw a plan in motion, and began to trust the organization running program maybe they would be willing to engage. Just so everyone knows this isn’t an over the night magical fix.

Now where is the money going to come from? I ask you this, because basically it is your choice. Will you support government spending in this area? Are you willing as business people, as tax payers to support such a cause? Is lowering crime and getting people in affordable housing valuable to you? Or would you like to see a National fundraising campaign? But if that is your choice who would pay to advertise, would all the news media advertise for free? The simple fact is this National problem of homeless is going to cost and a lot!!! But are you personally ready to aid, is your company will to donate, as Canadian do we care enough to open our wallets? I would love comments.

Calling All Mutts- Yap Away! These Are Our Country's Stats

Canadian Stats Quoted

• 70% of mental health problem and illness have their onset during childhood or adolescence
• 18% of the 30 % people who will have a mental illness are aged 15-25.
• over 50% of the population with mental illness are children, youth or young college adults
• age group with highest depression symptoms is UNDER 20.

Hope Dashed

• ONLY 1 of 3 will receive treatment!
• With early diagnosis a full recovery is now expected in most mental illness
• Mental illness is just as preventative as heart disease
• In most cases mental illness can be treated with medication and peer therapy
• Only 3% of the mental illness are non-curable but it is expected to have a full healthy life.
• mental illnesses constitute more than 15% of the burden of disease in Canada
• only 5.5% of health care dollars on spent on Mental health

The nations and governments passiveness to ignore mental health, is a clear message that the public is hugely misinformed and uneducated about Mental Health Facts. Who is suffering? Our children and College students. These are the Facts to how we accept our mentally ill.

Average Acceptance Stats

• Just 50% of Canadians would share that they have a family member with a mental illness, compared to 72% who would share about a family member with cancer
• Only 12% of Canadians said they would hire a lawyer who has a mental illness
• Only 49% said they would socialize with a friend who had a serious mental illness
• 46% of Canadians think people use the term mental illness as an excuse for bad behaviour
• 27% are fearful of being around people who suffer from serious mental illness.

Given the facts the 50 % of the mentally ill, are children. How can we stand in silence anymore? Government passiveness CAN’T be accepted.

Canadian Mutts Rights to Healthly Life VS Choice to be Sick

The onset of mental illness most often occurs in the age group 15-25. While the child is under the age of 19 parents have guardianship and if this child was hospitalized, parents can request a ‘condition of release.’ This document is a very powerful tool , giving parents and Doctors the right to admit to hospital of intervene if negative symptoms appear or if non compliant issues arise.

Now this ‘condition of release’, or some call it ’extended hospitalization conditions’, this is like a probation clause. The problem is this information isn’t explained or given to loved ones, who care for mentally ill after release from hospital, nor is it used in very case. My daughter was under age— so not needed, because we had guardianship.

For over three years, our daughter was compliant and did everything required to support a positive healthy healing life style. Before she turned 19 no one discussed the other clause which is a legalized document, that basically stated ‘if said person is showing signs of stress and negative symptom, caregivers have the right to step in and demand treatment’. Baring in mind doctor approval is still required, which is harder than it seems.

The reason the legalized Guardianship wasn’t discussed– basically no one, even myself thought this would be an issue, and secondly she was NEVER consider to have a sane mind for this document to stand up in court. So we were left without any rights, to kept her healthy and on the road to recovery. When all else has failed, then hospitalization is considered. Seeking hospitalization for a person with mental illness is a very desperate act and the last resource.

19 – 25 Children – because for many their mind broke down in adolescence, so how can a healing mind mature into adulthood? But Canadian Law states, 19 is adult ,and a person can decide to do things even if it places a person in endangerment. Canadian Law states, that a 19-year-old ,who professionals consider not sane enough to give over guardianship legally, can under the Canadian law make adult decisions? Does this make sense? Is there not a serious lapses of government legislation here?

Today in Canada, we don’t have the human right to decide to ride a bike without helmet this law made to protect from injury. We don’t have the human right to smoke in public places or now outside in front of businesses this law made to protect health issue. We don’t have the human right to talk on cell phones while driving – law made to protect from unnecessary accidents. So why can’t the government make laws to protect the mentally ill’s right to be a healthy person?

I’m only asking Government to make policies, procedures, and legislation changes that will save us money. Legalizing ” The Ulysses Agreement” could protect our mentally ill, while maintaining human rights. Pro active treatment, preventative treatment, to protect and save lives. Write your local MLA’s, to bring this issue to BC government. Without action we are harming young lives with future potential.

Mutt Wants To Take a Bite Out of Government Cruelty

I wrote the BC Minister of Housing, Mr Rich Coleman, in April 19 2010. To complain about the policies implemented to maintain social obedience in the housing projects.

Social behaviour, non compliance and criminal activity. While I agree with minister that no one should have to live with these issues. But many families live with it everyday. Turning a blind eye to the problem doesn’t fix it, and policies only add burden of discrimination to the chronic mentally ill people of our society.

There is two reasons why the chronic mentally ill have social behaviour issue. Negative symptoms, are behavioural issues: mood swings, anti-sociable,odd behaviour, hygiene, and dress, mumbling to themselves, even yelling, then lastly aggressive reactions. Medication even taken regularly can’t remove some of these symptoms. Medication, proper sleep, food and adequate housing all used in combination with doctor and clinician’s supervision will dramatically reduce these negative symptoms along with time. Think of a person with cancer, they need surgery, medication, chemo therapy, radiation and proper personal care, but even with all this some cases take years of treatment. This same treatment is needed with chronic mentally ill or major psychosis.

Negative symptoms create a spiral effect lets just use one example, person with anxiety. Anxiety causes a person to have an overactive mind, that is very noisy and impossible to shut off. So you had a stressful day, go to bed and can’t sleep, so tomorrow your day is foggy and you have a hard time processing things. But what if in your foggy mind you forget to take your pills, which help you clam down, moods and help you sleep, so now for two nights you haven’t got any sleep. Can you see the downward spiral, never ending spin until you crash.

Now imagine if a sever chronic mental illness in this downward spin. No it isn’t pretty and it takes months to correct with supervision, now add that person is aggressive and non-compliant. There are no laws regarding this non-complaint. Then this person is label aggressive, violent or maybe even charged with assault. Who’s fault is this? The mentally ill? As a family member I know how hard it is to seek medical treatment, or hospitalization for this deterioration.

A family in Kamloops, had their son placed in foster care at a young age because of mental illness related problems. This boy remained in care until 19, then found himself homeless. His parents agreed he could stay until they found a place for him. Now what this poor family didn’t know was his past violent behavior would disqualify him for any social housing. During the process of finding housing for their mentally ill son, Children’s Ministry came in and removed 3 younger children from house.

Government’s double standard, you are unsafe to younger children in home, but won’t hospitalize you? You are dangerous for my workers so I have to place policies to protect them, but we won’t place you in care?

Government can see the Mental Health Law not working , or why else the need for these policies and action. Government’s passiveness to correct a flawed Mental Health Act Law, that is largely outdated, and not pro-active, is a very cruel unjust way of treating stuffing families with mentally illness.

Canadian Mutt Wants Government To Clean Up Their Waste Pile

Has the BC Government heard we are in very critical times? Yes, they know! I hear them babble ” lets cut this, trim the fat here and there”. What I want to know is did they trim the fat in personal expenditures. I will be the first to admit that administration costs for ministries are expensive, but I do take exception to excessive spending—- luxury spending.

My husband and I have run a family business for a number of years, and if we had to trim the fat, you can be assured he wouldn’t be dining clients, he wouldn’t make clients wait in line ups outside his doors, and he respond to clients in a timely matter with personal contact and care. All of this requires him to put an extra effort in, more work and less personal perk – socializing. The bottom line is he has to provide food and housing for us.

I would love to see the Liberal BC government’s personal perk tab, to see if they trimmed the fat there, before I accept cuts to some of the most needed programs- education, social assistance, housing for poor, mental health, and children. When spending in these programs have been trimmed to the point there is lean meat only. Crime increases, and health cost rise, do to the simple fact people can’t feed and house themselves properly.

The Liberal Government has been in power for how long now, but I still don’t see the 10 year health plan. I ‘ve wrote, Kevin Falcon, Minister of Health , numerous times since August 2009, ( 7 Months), but he has yet to personally email me, write nor call me on the phone. Then considering that the other ministers within his government have all done so in a timely and personal nature. Why haven’t you, Kevin Falcon? I can only assume that my concerns of mental health have no value to the BC Liberal government.

I would like to caution the Liberal Government of Canada, I remember how the people of Canada responded to the PC Party when they held the federal government and didn’t listen to the people. It’s the tax payers of BC that have you in Office and it is the tax payers that you are accountable to. So trim the fat if you must, just remember you can’t trim fat when the meat is already lean and raw.

A Mutt Idea- Medical Data Base For Mental Health

Apparently my idea isn’t a new one. The Canadian Mental Health Association, has it as their mandate - called the collaborative health plan. A Dr. Nick Kates of Ontario already implements half these idea with medical professionals. This solution has been idealized for half a decade, but where has it gone?

It isn’t a hard of a concept to understand and everyone sees the need, but the blockers are just superficial government, provincial, and bureaucrat garbage. I was told Doctors and clinicians need to be trained in this idealization. I for one believe that Doctors and clinicians are smart enough to understand this concept without training. Then the other point was privacy laws, consider we have same system known as BC provincial medical data base, then where is the issue to have same data base for mental health. As for the Case Worker: overseer of case, all you need is a person with great organization skills that can take all government services and agencies and community services and apply them to the needs of an individual. I feel a wedding planner could do this position justice– crude statement, but very true.

When I think of all the money wasted within the health care system, and the government money wasted to develop ideas— it makes me sick. The bottom line is people within the mental health community believe there is no way get these ideas implemented into government. I hear it all the time, ” hey, Carrie-Ann good luck with that!” or ” you don’t have a snowballs chance in HELL”

We just kept spinning our wheels. We knew what the problem was in 2002 with the Kirby Report on Reform – Mental health care was too fragmented. 2012 will mark the Kirby Report a decade old- what has it done, besides waste money. The Vancouver Report-lost in transition(2008-2009)states the problem. Just look at the 2009 mental health stats, look at all the reports.Without a positive plan of action Mental Health issues will place such a burden on all areas of government and societies- it will bankrupt us. Basically we are placing a band-aid on a wound that needs medical attention. These little band-aid fixers will not heal the problem.

I want to see a real plan of action by the BC government in way of mental health. I will be willing to work with Mr Kevin Falcon for free. The idea of a collaborative mental health system is a sound concept. It will save us money, it will stop duplication,and it will meet a persons needs before the costs sky-rocket to excessive amount. So like a teenage girl waits for the popular boy to call, I will wait for my phone call too

Canadian Webb Of Doubleness-- TOO Costly For This Mutt

Social Assistance for the Mentally Ill. What a web of bureaucracy. At 16 my daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia. A mental illness that isn’t curable, will not go away over time, needs to be medicated for life, and it will often be a very disabling mental illness.

Given these facts about schizophrenia I find the pathways to getting a Disability income for my daughter- ludicrous. The government plainly shows his lack of education, understanding, and compassion for these mentally ill people. The severe mentally ill people such as my daughter’s, will never be able to sustain an independent income; in other words she will have to depend on the government income. Did you know that in BC the school districts must fill out and complete proper documentation for persons with sever learning difficulties and handi-caps so that at age 18 they can receive a disability pension, but NOT for the server mentally ill??? What did the government forget about these poor souls?

My daughter must first apply for welfare, before she will ever be considered for disability pension. My daughter has had two comprehensive psychological tests, one done by Dr. Wally, part of District 53 school board, and the other one performed by Penticton mental health. These two tests showed that our daughter had severe learning difficulties and had difficulty doing every day’s tasks. Both professionals stated that that our daughter would more than likely qualify for long-term disability. All of the four Doctors that worked with my daughter stated she would be unable to hold a normal job to support herself.

Now these professionals can determine that a pension plan is applicable, then why must we jumped through bureaucratic hoops. The answer is simply this! There is NO need.. When considering that a monetary income would ensure: adequate housing, verses living on the street, funds in which to go to doctor’s appointments and or clinician appointments verses no health plan to healthy living, income in which to enrich their lives with education or social programs, and lastly to feel like a contributing, independent, individual of society. These are all basic human desires that reaffirm a human’s worth in society.

I am sure now that the BC government has been made aware of this– confusing, massive web of bureaucratic agencies, and the expenses of having two agencies handle one case. In a very tough economic period, we must be accountable to unnecessary spending. I would encourage the BC government to rectify this immediately. Call me, because I have some simple easy solutions.

The Bark of Hope- Pro-Active Treatment Plan

All professionals and research around mental illness and additions agree that early intervention is the best course of treatment, to ensure quicker recovery time, to limit the damage cause and to prevent an chronic mental illness. Despite this evidence there is no proactive health plan of action for a mentally ill patient.

This proactive plan should be legislated in the Mental Illness Act, if not also made into a National policy. A proactive plan, would include all parties surrounding the mentally ill patient; doctors, psychologists, health clinicians, school officials and teachers, police and the primary caregivers. The mentally ill patient would participate in the whole process of developing their personalized Pro active plan. It should be legalized document that all parties should adhere to, and could be amended or rewritten as a patient progresses in recovery.

A proactive plan would ensure that when a patient is deteriorating or in a major crisis, health officials, police and caregivers can have a course of action to follow. This course of action would eliminate many problems the mentally ill face when seeking treatment for a crisis. It would eliminate the police from using the criminal code in order to seek treatment for mentally ill person that has not received adequate treatment from health authorities.

One only has to read it the Vancouver police report lost in transition to see the numerous problems in getting adequate help for the mentally ill. In the case of Cory, from the Vancouver police report, it is clear to see that he fooled his doctors and clinicians into believing everything was all right. But the truth of the matter was totally opposite, only Cory’s mother wasn’t fooled. She like a lot of other caregivers was powerless in seeking out the proper treatment for her son.

In the case of Tyler of BC, a proactive treatment might have saved his life. Tyler went to emergency room complaining he was thinking about killing himself. The Hospital released Tyler 48 hrs later, without calling his family, placed him on a bus. Tyler 23 years old didn’t make it home, sadly he took his own life.

In the case of Nichole my daughter, I desperately need a proactive plan, so that her health care providers, and her father and I , maybe able to avert a second psychotic break down. This second break down, could potentially leave our daughter’s mind in predominate damaged state. Our young 19 year old daughter could be lost to her mental illness

Canadian Mutt Fights For Cubs Mental Health

The BC government has now committed crimes against children. It is inhumane to place children and adults mental wards because the governments have closed children beds in psychiatric wards. There is only 16 beds for children mental health in the interior/Thompson of BC and the Fraser Valley. Now the BC government has closed half off those beds.

At 16 my daughter suffered a major psychotic break. There wasn’t a bed available for her and a children psychiatric ward. She was committed by the BC government under the mental health act and placed in adult ward while we waited for an available bed. During this month wait, she escaped three times. During one of these escapes she was wandering around in a pair of pajamas totally incoherent and unable to perceive the world around her. I’m thankful that she was not abducted and raped– as she excepted a ride from a total stranger in a white car with a blue shirt. When questioned she believed the stranger in a white car and a blue shirt was a police officer. I called the hospital to let know my daughter was at home. I told the hospital that I would be keeping her at home until a bed became available for her in a children unit. The hospital’s reply was, ” you can’t do that she is a ward of the government now!!”.

The government claims that the mental health act adequately protects the mentally ill. If the mentally ill is an endangerment to themselves and others they can be committed. Now considering this, isn’t a person an endangerment to themselves when they live on the streets in freezing temperatures without adequate housing? But yet the government now claims we need Bill 18. Maybe we need Bill 18 because the mental act is not adequate and does not address their needs a mentally ill. Here is another crime against children one third of all homeless people are youth.

Lastly, the leading activist for the mental health, Michael Kirby, calls children mental health, The Forgotten Orphaned Child of mental health. Children mental health is the least funded, the most neglected of all the mental health areas. I feel that Canada should be charged for inhumane, unjust, and neglected care for the mentally ill children of the country. If you are outraged and appalled as much as I am please contact your local MLA , and voice your support for the mentally ill children of our country.

Yappy Mutt Goes Public

I write to you today to bring your attention to some of the serious flaws in Canada’s Health Care regulations which govern the treatment of the mentally ill. I’m currently lobbying government to take immediate steps to make legislate improvements.

My daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 16 and since that time has undergone the process of healing through a structured treatment program. In order for her to heal she must have 12 hours of sleep a night, take her medications, stay away from drugs and alcohol, and regularly see her Councillors and Doctors. Even by following all of her treatments, her road to recovery will take a minimum of 9 years and possibly longer. This means in order to get well my daughter will need to adhere to a structured treatment program until she is at least 25 years old. Any relapse within that time will inevitably lengthen her recovery time.

If early childhood psychosis is properly treated, it is very possible for people who have schizophrenia to lead productive and healthy lives without suffering any mental illness issues. Because of flaws in the current Health system, which accords the same human rights to mentally ill adults as it does to those who are not, now that my daughter is 19 I am no longer able to legally intervene when my daughter refuses or is unable to maintain the structured care that has until now kept her on the road to recovery.

As a 19 year old the law states that my daughter can reject treatment, medications, advice from doctors and councillors and nothing can be done to impose treatment on her until she becomes a danger to herself and/or others. I believe this to be a very serious lapse in the law. It would make eminently more sense to have a legal mechanism in place that allows caregivers the right to impose a mandatory treatment as soon as the obvious signs of mental digression begin to appear, well before they become dangerous.

According to the law my daughter has never been considered well enough to sign a power of attorney which would give me the right to act on her behalf and in her best interest. Given this scenario how can the law then award this very same daughter full right to her own mental care merely because she has turned 19?

The law gives me the right to protect my daughter’s money from predatory exploitation but I don’t have the ability to keep her away from criminal elements that might sell her drugs or give her alcohol, nor can I impose any kind of curfew on her. Medication for the mentally ill does not work if the patient is stressed, does not get enough sleep or if street drugs and alcohol are used. Currently my daughter is under the influence of a well known, 32 year old local drug dealer who tells her that she acts fine and doesn’t need to take medication. He encourages her to drink and even buys alcohol for her. Under the law I have no way to keep her safe from him by putting a restraining order on him even if he is seriously endangering her health – only my impaired thinking daughter can do this. How can it possibly be that protecting her money is more important under the law than protecting her mental health and wellbeing?

My daughter’s councillors, doctors and entire family have all noted that she has regressed by at least 50% from the period prior to her turning 19 when structured care was constant. All agree that she needs help now to keep her from reaching the danger state. The law which gives my daughter the right to decide her own treatment does not in any way recognize my daughter’s inability to understand when she is digressing and needs care. She cannot even tell you what the signs of digression are! Surely preventing her mental health from deteriorating to a dangerous state should have as equal a status under the law as do her human rights.

I have called 26 blue page services and NOT one could help me. Generally the answer has been that because is she is an adult only she can make decisions about her care.

If my daughter was to smoke a joint it has the potential to send her over the edge -ONE JOINT. That is a bomb just waiting to happen. That is my fear. There is often a rage or violent element to mental illness, but in most cases can be avoided and prevented if the patient is properly adhering to their treatment regimen. Believe me I have already been down this road with my daughter.

At the end of the month if my daughter is still deteriorating I will be forced to pressure the doctor to have my daughter committed. It is inevitable that she will be sent to the Penticton Hospital but this is not a hospital that is safe for her! She has already escaped from there three times. She was 16 the first time she was admitted to Penticton Hospital and she thought her father and I had placed her in jail and the nurses were feeding her poison. After one of her escapes she arrived back home barefoot and in her pajamas from a distance that is 45 minutes by car. This is not acceptable!

I know that if my daughter is committed to this hospital again, that it will be a terrifying experience with the capacity to haunt her for rest of her life. She will hate her parents and the caregivers who are trying to help her. How, I ask you, is this helping her to understand and deal with a mental illness she will have for the rest of her life!!!

Have we not seen enough recently of what can happen when the mentally ill are making health care decisions they are truly incapable of making?

* Aug 18, 2009 Grand Forks BC – 42 year old mentally ill woman stabs and kills 12 year old autistic boy. Her Neighbour stated she was withdrawn and not making eye contact. (This is a danger sign for anyone with mental illness and intervention should have occurred long before she reached this state.)
* July 31, 2008
Man decapitated by mentally ill man on Greyhound bus.

I would like to propose the following solutions that you might consider as one who has power to introduce legislation:

1. There needs to be a mechanism under the law to impose mandatory treatment in cases when patients are not adequately addressing their mental state and signs of deterioration are clear.
2. There needs to be a mechanism under the law to allow caregivers to protect the mentally ill from predators who lure them into criminal activity or other behaviour that works at odds with their medical treatment
3. There needs to be an authoritative body that can monitor a mentally ill child, well before they are turned loose at the age of 19, in order to make an assessment of how well they will be able to make mental health decisions on their own. If the patient is deemed to be incapable of maintaining treatments that will prevent mental digression without supervision then the law could provide for a Power of Attorney to be awarded to a responsible parent or other caregiver to ensure that treatment continues unabated as long as required. With periodic reviews the patient’s rights could be carefully balanced against the need for proper and sustained care.
4. Community centres are desperately needed where mentally ill patients can receive treatment in a more home-like environment close to family and friends. Here in Osoyoos the Sage Brush Building, owned by Interior Health would lend itself perfectly to such a facility.

Please help give me the legislative tools I need to help my adult/child seek and obtain the treatment she desperately needs in a facility close to home. All we want is to care for her and support her through this tragic illness that has already robbed her of 3 years of her life. I want to be able to protect my daughter from criminal activity, drinking on the beach and well away from drug users and dealers. I want her safe from predators. She is ill and cannot protect herself from any of these things and it is breaking my family’s heart.

We cannot have any of this for my child, without changes to government polices