http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/us/17MENTAL.html?_r=1&hp Great, but really long, article on what can happen when governments cut back too much on mental health care services. I know a lot of you are anti government, take care of yourself, go get a job types but there are people who truly cannot take care of themselves and as such can become a danger to others. Also a great deal of the homeless population suffers from mental illness. So what do y'all think should be done in these circumstances?
Free up the resources wasted on people who are capable of fending for themselves, and we could literally shower people who are unable to function due to mental illness in money every night.
They don't need showers of money, but they do need very intensive care. I get so frustrated where I am because the need is so vast, and the resources so few. My caseload is absolutely huge, particularly because I have more experience than most of the other counselors. It's like pulling teeth to get these people basic care. They see a psychiatrist for at most 15 minutes once a month. I think a lot of people don't see how caring for these folks affects their life until something horrible happens like the Arizona shooting or this poor girl in Massachusettes. And it drains the system in ways beyond personal safety, many of these folks end up in and out of hospitals driving up costs for everyone. And then because they are in crisis, the care that they do receive is the most expensive treatment because it is inpatient.
Honestly, I'm surprised that anyone is willing to do the work for the pay that is offered. You couldn't pay me enough to take that job. $12-$14 an hour??? That's just ridiculous!
12-14 was what I made working at the psychiatric hospital while I was in graduate school. I make significantly more now, but no where near the rate I should be paid and will be paid once I move into private practice. That's how they get people to do the work, most of the workers do it right out of school (usually undergrad) in order to get experience hours for graduate school. Then you become like me, and work for more under supervision to get hours for private licensure. (Sort of like being a resident at a hospital) The problem with this as they explain well in the article is that people with little experience are getting the most difficult part of the work. And there is no incentive to stay once you do get the experience. This really hurts continuity of care, many of my clients have been through 3 or 4 therapists in less than 2 years.
It isnt so much the program but the fraud and incompetence by bureaucrats that run them. Plus we're not only still involved in two huge wars we dont need to be in, we're now involved in a third illegal war. If government spent only what is needed instead of blowing zillions on "favors" buying votes and bailing out companies and banks that should have been allowed to fail and illegal wars, there'd be plenty of money for those who really need it. Dont look to government to solve the problems it caused.
If we stopped giving welfare to every capable child making machine in this country we could do wonders for the mentally I'll.
Sorry if I sound harsh but 15 million people are out of work and almost half the country thinks we are heading for a depression, so be glad you at least have a job.
Ummm, I'm not complaining about my job. I love my job, I'm making decent money right now, and I worked a super long time to get here. However, the system which produces people like me in the end has problems in terms of the level of care that the patients receive. If you want the best people to stay with difficult patients, as well as be around to train the next generation of therapists you have to create financial incentives for the work. Not massive salaries but competitive salaries.
Pretty sure he's talking about the cost of such care and not just giving them money. And he's right. If we didn't waste so much money on people who don't actually need help or on stupid things like the Drug War a lot of money would be freed up to help people who are truly sick. They also end up in jail. I know. I work on the pysch floor with them. The jail I work in is the biggest unplanned mental health facility in the county if not the entire state.
I'm not disagreeing. Things are going to get a lot worse before they ever get better. If it ever gets better.
I would love cutting programs for teen moms, baby mommas and baby daddas transferring funds to vets, people with mental and phsyical health problems and elderly. Too the teen moms and nbaby mommas life is snot a lifetime movie.
A schizophrenic and a slain worker go into a bar. The schizophrenic says "I'll have what the dead guy's having." The schizophrenic says "So will I."
And the Troubling Question staggers out of the back room covered in blood, claw marks, and bite wounds, and he says, "That's two down. Now where's that old bitch with the loose tooth?"
I think it really has to do with a natural calling than the money. Some people like Vandy for instance, recognize that there are those among us that need help and need looked after. She may not make an ideal wage (who does?) but rest assured, she's providing a vital service to those who need it and should be commended for that.
What happens if your girlfriend queefs after you stick pop-rocks up in there? How many licks does it take to get to the center of Mr. Owl? How would you take a crap if you had no bones? If you fall asleep hanging upside down, would you drool up your nose and drown? There. Now this thread contains troubling questions. You're welcome.
It looks as though you might have had a sense of humor failure. Here's what ya do: Get yourself a piece of plywood, two mason jars and a mime, then go into a dark room and lock the door. That's it. In fact, you know what? You could just go with that very last part.
