Results tagged “Recovery” from Read My Story

My name is Sherri and I am a parent  of two children: Brad (13) and  Matthew (11), with severe emotional  disturbance (SED).  My oldest son, Brad, has been diagnosed  with Bipolar Disorder and Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

He required six  psychiatric hospitalizations, had seven assaults,  and three school suspensions before he was 12.  His first hospitalization was at age six, and was  the result of a serious suicide attempt, where he  rode his bike in front of a car and was almost  hit, stating he wanted "...to go live with Jesus so I can be happy."

Some of his hospital stays were  back-to-back, and only for 5-7 days allowed. He  sometimes needed more time to stabilize, but  other times, the 5-7 days was all he needed to  get stabilized and able to maintain at home and school--with community-based services.  All levels of care have been (and will be) needed  for Brad in dealing with his mental illness.

At  different times he has needed different levels of  care. I don't know how he would have made it  through some very difficult times without all  services along the continuum available for him.

 I do know that because of the intense treatment,  care and follow-up services he has received, we have  now gone over two years without a hospitalization,  and he is attending middle school.  Closing state hospital beds would be disastrous  for families needing that acute care, unless  there are regional hospitals that can effectively  treat both long- and short-term needs.

Funding  for the Medicaid SED waiver and community- based services gives the support needed for  children and families to remain in their own  homes and stay out of hospitals as well as out  of the juvenile justice system. the success of community mental health  services is evident in the lives of the youth they  serve.

An example is of my sons, in particular  Brad, who recently received the President's education Award for outstanding Academic  Achievement with the support of treatment  and care he received from the center in our  own community. Additionally, he has been  appointed as the first youth member of the  Kansas Governor's Mental Health Services  Planning Council's Subcommittee on youth  Issues. He is an example of how treatment  allows individuals to remain in their own  homes and communities.

This post is part of The Association of Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Inc. series The Story is Me.

25 years ago, I was at the peak of my career. A teacher at KU with two Master's Degrees, I had just earned a Fulbright scholarship. While working on my dissertation, I was diagnosed with mental illness, which made it impossible for me to continue in the program. I was lost and went to private therapists.

My illness was overcoming me. I felt so isolated. At the time, the "medical" model was widely used, therefore, I was not part of my treatment plan. I took several medications--some to counteract the side effects of others. I was a zombie. I was told I would never live on my own. All I had to look forward to was a nursing home or a state institution.

With much reluctance and warning from my outside treatment staff, who claimed I would fall between the cracks, I entered the program at my Community Mental Health Center. this was the turning point in my life. After a few visits, my case manger asked me to fill out a strengths assessment. This was the first time anyone had asked me what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

I was cautious and a bit bewildered. I thought the course of my life had already been determined. At first, I said that I wanted to continue living on my own. She wrote that down. She then asked me what else I wanted to do, and I said I would like to do some kind of work. Again, she wrote that down. My case manager referred me to my job support specialist at the center.

The Community Support Services gave me an outlet to socialize and I made friends. My new psychiatrist took me off the many medications that I had been taking for years. I began to feel alive again. I became a part of my treatment plan. I was told of possible side effects before I decided to take the medication or not. What was important was that the doctor at Bert Nash listened to me and helped me feel better. All bases were covered.

Today, I work for the School of Social Welfare at Kansas University as an independent contractor. I am a co-trainer for evidence Based Practices. I am on the Board of Directors at Bert Nash, a member of the Consumer Advisory Committee for the State of Kansas and the President of a new Consumer run organization (Cro).

I am enjoying my jobs, and no longer meet the requirements for hospitalization. As a matter of fact, I have not been hospitalized for six years due to the help I get at Bert Nash. I feel much better about myself and my involvement in the local community. With hard work and the help of the staff at Bert Nash, I now have a better quality of life.

This post is part of The Association of Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Inc. series The Story is Me.