Mental health needs get passed around
The mental health reform plan of 2002 was intended to make services for those with mental illness easier and more accessible, but the opposite has occurred. The Guilford Center, which was the guru for mental health services, has now divested its services into the community and is now the LME (Local Management Entity) for Guilford County.
Many case managers at the Guilford Center have lost their jobs. Area community service providers, which must be approved by the Guilford Center, contract with the center to provide services to the mentally ill. These community services providers are now taking the service orders and doing the assessments. Guilford Center now gives referrals to clients to agencies that provide mental health services. Instead of going to one place to obtain help, those with mental illness must search out their own help through referrals. Who follows up on these individuals to ensure that services have been provided?
Has this reform made it easier for those experiencing mental illness? Has the buck been passed once again to those who are stigmatized by a society that is afraid to try to understand mental illness and the devastation it can bring to an individual and/or family?
Debbie York
High Point
Comments (5)
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We have a miserable system for helping the mentally ill and yet our county commissioners can hand $800,000. out to companies making a hefty profit, and another $800,000. per year to maintain a golf course for the better off. It needs people, lots of them, to demand a change before anything is done. You took the first step with a letter now go the next mile and form a group to demand help for the mentally ill. It only takes one person to do a whole lot of good.
Posted on March 16, 2006 10:59 AM
Brenda Bee,
According to some of the folks who post here, the mentally ill should pull themselves up by the bootstraps,shake off their protracted sleep, and lead productive lives. They will argue that "my tax dollars" should not go to help some crazy person. You think I jest? Read some other threads and you will see what I mean.
Waste? Sure there is waste, but that should not deter us from doing what is right, should it? I am with you on this one.
Posted on March 16, 2006 8:00 PM
DemonDeacon,
You seem to have misunderstood my position. I'm not against helping the mentally ill financially; I'm just against robbing people in order to help the mentally ill financially.
Posted on March 16, 2006 10:42 PM
Paul, So you don't mind being robbed to finance well off private companies? You don't mind being robbed to the extend of $14,000. a year to feed our county commissioners? You don't mind being robbed to have our children spend a good portion of their day riding a school bus all over the city and county just to fit some made up socio-economic-racial ideal? Since this is the case and you don't mind being robbed for frivolities perhaps I could rob you of a little more because I really and truly need a cruise to settle my nerves and get away from life for a while.
Posted on March 17, 2006 10:31 AM
"Paul, So you don't mind being robbed to finance well off private companies?"
Yes, I do.
"You don't mind being robbed to the extend of $14,000. a year to feed our county commissioners?"
Yes, I do.
"You don't mind being robbed to have our children spend a good portion of their day riding a school bus all over the city and county just to fit some made up socio-economic-racial ideal?"
Yes, I do.
Why do you suppose otherwise?
Hey, I'd like to go on that cruise with you, especially if you're single. ;-)
Posted on March 19, 2006 5:12 AM