(cross-posted from Beyond Vermont State Hospital blog, here)
If Governor Peter Shumlin insists on replacing the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) and, the State of Vermont ends up building a new version of same old thing in order to do so, the new institution should be named Shumlin State Hospital or, Shumlinville for short.
However, it is hoped if enough people make themselves heard on these crucial matters, this might have a chance of changing the Governor’s mind as well as the minds of others within his administration on the subject or, if not, then the minds of state legislators, so the state can avoid making the mistake of going in this direction.
If you have not already done so, please consider signing onto the petition urging the Governor to build a more robust community mental health system, not a new state hospital, here.
In addition, please also urge others you know to consider signing onto the petition as well, particularly anyone living or working within Vermont.
In the meantime, as is sadly apparent from recent news articles concerning VSH, here (via vtdigger; September 15, 2011), here (ibid; September 16, 2011) and, here (via Waterbury Record; October 6, 2011), it appears the Department of Mental Health (DMH) is heavily leaning toward deciding to return patients and staff to the upper two floors of the state hospital, which is where they were before the flood occurred after Tropical Storm Irene hit in late August and patients were evacuated across the state.
Although the letter did not delve into specific details concerning what the state should consider doing down the road, various advocates from across the mental health and disability advocacy community as well as their allies signed onto a letter recently sent to Governor Peter Shumlin urging him to not reopen VSH. Read the letter (via vtdigger), here.
This is an extremely crucial step, being among the next of many vital steps that have to be taken, which include not replacing the state hospital with what would merely prove to be a new version of the same old thing, but rather to do what the aforementioned petition urges: i.e.,
… support the building of a more robust community-based mental health services system, including a major increase in peer run alternative services and supports as well as more affordable housing opportunities, in order to foster a holistic and healing, cross-disabilities, independent living, recovery-based and trauma-informed model, rather than building a new Vermont State Hospital (VSH).
Make sure your voice is heard on these matters as soon as possible, since, it is definitely now or never!
Although there is a good chance it will not work out for a number of reasons, assuming they are successful in negotiations with the bank that owns the property, the state appears to be seriously exploring whether the former Pine Ridge School is feasible to use for a location for at least the next two or three years or so.
However, a return to the upper two floors of the now idle Vermont State Hospital i snot yet ruled out either.
Read about it, here (via VPR News) and, here (via vtdigger).
In other news, while shopping at the local downtown supermarket this evening, Vermont Press Bureau chief Peter Hirschfeld came over and struck up a conversation with me, during which he also mentioned how he has written an article concerning the crisis emergency rooms are experiencing as reported to him by DMH Commissioner Christine Oliver as well as some emergency room doctors and the like.
If I recall correctly, I think Peter stated it would be in Sunday’s Times Argus and Rutland Herald, more than likely behind the paywall of course.
For my part, although I conceded there is certainly a crisis and it might not get better anytime soon, I also provided the context of how this has in fact been a real bad problem for a long while now anytime the census was running near or at its maximum and the rest of the community system was deep in stress and continually under funded and overworked, long before the flood and displacement of VSH patients and staff, etc.
What is called for is an entirely new and different, more humane and holistic, healing, person-centered and driven approach, not more of the same old thing we already well know does not work and only ends up failing those we are seeking to assist and serve, oftentimes when it way too late, when people are usually given up on and forgetting, then thrown away in some dumpster we term a “state hospital”, prison, homeless shelter or the streets, etc., which bring about the worse of outcomes.
We can and sorely need to do better as well as differently, sooner rather than later and, guess what(?), there are many other options available to do so that not only truly work in vastly improving outcomes and quality of life, but they are also much more affordable to boot.
There is no good reason or excuse not to do so either, save deliberate indifference.
End of rant.
http://www.reformer.com/localn…