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Mendo Mental Health Meeting

The Future Of Mental Health In Mendocino County — A Community Meeting

On Wednesday, October 28, 2015, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) in Mendocino will host a public meeting addressing mental health challenges. The guest speaker will be Sheriff Tom Allman. The program will be held at the Ukiah Valley Medical Center Glenn Miller conference room, 275 Hospital Drive, Ukiah from 6:30 to 8pm.

The challenges of mental health are complex. A mental health challenge can be a disease or condition affecting the brain that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and/or relates to others and to his or her surroundings. Although the exact cause of most conditions is not known it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of genetic, biological, psychological and environmental factors. One thing is for sure — they are not the result of personal weakness, a character defect or poor upbringing, and recovery from a mental challenge is not simply a matter of will and self-discipline. However, providing mental health services to those in need can also be a challenge.

Too often prejudice and stigma hamper the development of mental health policies and these are reflected in a lack of respect for the human rights of mentally ill people, the low status of the services provided and a lack of support given to work for mental health. Yet one in four individuals will be affected by mental health issues in their lifetime. People are constantly exposed to harmful stress that leads to an increase in anxiety and depression, alcohol and other substance abuse disorders, violent and suicidal behavior. These social causes of mental health problems are manifold and can be induced or reinforced in many different settings. Marginalized and vulnerable groups — such as victimized populations, the unemployed, those with disabilities or who are already experiencing mental health problems — can be at particular risk.

Unfortunately there are very few resources to address these issues and too many times our jails inadvertently become the default mental institutions in our communities.

Many residents of Mendocino County can attest to the tragedy of this lack of services.

Sheriff Tom Allman has had personal as well as professional experience with the challenges of mental health issues. He can speak well to the hope of advancing our county out of the darkness of limited services to the light of a caring, supportive community.

All people interested in the future of mental health services in Mendocino County are invited to attend. For more information call Jan McGourty at 468-8632 or Donna Moschetti at 391-6867.

4 Comments

  1. BB Grace October 27, 2015

    I would be going to this meeting but I am not going to drive HWY 20 in the rain at night. I’d like to know what NAMI and Allman are doing about Stepping Up Inniative. I “fear” the meeting is going to be a Laura’s Law rally by NAMI to Allman.

    I’m sorry I can’t be there to express my opinion of Laura’s Law. In short, two thumbs down.

  2. james marmon October 28, 2015

    Sheriff Tom Allman is a peace officer. This is probably nothing more than crowd control on his part. He has pretty much been supportive of Ortner throughout, at least publically.

    The room will be packed with mind guards whose purpose will be nothing more that to have everyone leave the meeting feeling good about things. “Everything is under control.” “Nothing to worry about.”

    I wish I could be there too, and would be if it wasn’t for the damn restraining order. I’m sure Stacey Cryer will be there defending her job.

    On a positive note, Sheriff Tom posted on facebook a picture of him and DA Eyster with their arms around Susana Wilson, the former HHSA director before Cryer. Could she be considering a comeback? I seriously doubt it, she brings in $102,000.00 a year in retirement pay.

    I would be rallying for Laura’s Law, BB Grace. Its not so much the heavy hand of Laura’s Law that I am impressed with, but the services that comes with it. Laura’s law demands certain services be provided for its clientele.

    • BB Grace October 28, 2015

      My unsolicited suggestion Mr. Marmon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura%27s_Law
      Please take note on the wiki link at the opposition’s position (These represent my arguments against Laura’s Law, besides my personal observations of manipulation of others freedom through mental health and a legal system failing to replace a hospital system), and the study results of the affectiveness of Laura’s Law. 44% isn’t good.

      Mendocino can do better with Stepping Up Inniative by taking what it likes (what actually works) about Laura’s Law and customize to suit Mendocino’s cultures.

      Since mental health became behavior control through pharmecueticals, which is far more cheaper than REBT, or numberous therepy’s, Social Workers and Families have teamed up against Consumers in the name of helping Consumers, and some Family members go so far as to call themselves Consumers, after all they’re dealing with it, eh? NO. Family is Family, Consumer is Consumer!

      These folks want the force of law to control their adult child.

      Aaron Bassler for example. Unless Aaron Bassler was taking phamecueticals or stopped taking phamecueticals his actions were not mental. They were criminal.

      For those called “Consumers”, which is a cold cruel lable, many who come from disfunctional families, had no support system, have no privacy, are victims of themselves and society, struggling to survive even with subsidized housing, never able to afford the social events of the non profits who serve them, Laura’s Law says, “You’re community FEARS you are violent and we must have the right to FORCE you to do what we believe is right or good for you. Now take these meds or else.”

      Please don’t let the bad apples turn mental health care into forced management for all in the name of Laura’s Law.

  3. james marmon November 3, 2015

    “But, with all the challenges Mendocino County has been dealing with the subject of local mental health, Allman said he wasn’t interested in pointing fingers at the county’s two mental health contractors, Ortner Management Group and Redwood Quality Management Co.”

    “I’ve been told not to say that law enforcement is a defacto mental health crisis response team in this county, and that I’ve been told not to say the sheriff is the defacto mental health director from 5 o’clock Friday to Monday at 8 o’clock,” Allman said.

    http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/general-news/20151030/mendocino-county-sheriff-allman-gives-mental-health-talk-in-ukiah

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