In the last 50 years Mental Health Patients/Clients or as we are usually called today, consumers, have fought defiance of tyranny of state run hospitals/asylums/ psych wards.It is estimated over Ten Thousand patients had the Transorbital Lobotomies. With another 50,000 lobotomies using a drill in the procedure were performed until it was outlawed as a barbaric procedure. Most notably, Freeman and his neurosurgeon partner Dr. James Watts performed Transorbital lobotomy on President Kennedy’s older sister *Rosemary Kennedy in 1941. She was a “vegetable” after the procedure and needed constant care at 22 years old. It didn’t help her and made her situation 1000 times worse.
In past years we had a spike in Psychedelic lobotomy – or use of medication to effectively lobotomized some patients. While this practice of just taking care of the daily needs of patients by locking them up and drugging them to the point where they don’t know what day or even year it is took place in the late 50s and 60s. The early 70s was the onset of the Recovery model/treatment era. In the belief that with treatment recovery is possible. Now we live in a time of scientific discovery, a time of wonderment, a time of technology, a time that still isn’t good if you can’t get any services!
We started off this blog post series talking about mental health services being provided within the Mental Health and the jail systems and of being taxed and overwhelmed. When it comes to mental health services – some is better than none, a little can go a long way!
FAST FACTS
A day at our CSU costs $391 per patient. If that same patient with a mental illness that does not get treatment visits the ER, the cost is $2,887. If the patient then goes to a state prison, the cost increases to $52,117. From there if that same patient with an untreated mental illness goes to a State Mental Hospital, the amount soars to $112,000. Treatment for mental health in our community is necessary and it works.
I know there is no money. I know there are many cutbacks. I also know there’s a lot of red tape and there are a lot of people in our community suffering needlessly, silently with depression, bipolar disorder schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, many anxiety disorders. Some don’t know what to do, others are afraid to talk, others believe they cannot afford the high cost of services. Charlotte Behavioral Health Care does not turn people away. This week five years ago, I was in crisis. They did not turn me away when I needed help. For this I will be forever grateful!
Consumer Ambassador
Chato Stewart
*Ever wonder why Rosemary Kennedy had to get out of Lobotomy? Look for a future blog post coming soon.