I stand before you as a grieving parent, forced to face an unnatural order of life events – the passing of my child, Joshua. Joshua suffered from severe mental illness for most of his life.  Up until he turned 18, I was able to have involvement and a say in his mental health care and stabilize him. 

Once Joshua turned 18, the aspects of his severe mental illness that impaired his ability to make rational decisions also impaired my ability to intervene in his care.

Despite my deepest, heartfelt attempts - including four strenuous endeavors to invoke Pennsylvania’s 302 involuntary commitment process - during a severe psychotic episode due to Schizophrenia, hospitals refused to register his history or acknowledge the intensity of his condition. Hospitals ignored my calls or told me that due to HIPPA they could not speak to me.  (Untrue, they could listen had they cared). 

In February 2025, my worst nightmares came to life. Joshua, 35 had been living homeless and disoriented, refusing our help with the development of a very intense personality and was found lifeless in the Schuylkill River, gunshot wounds marking his struggle.  I will never know the exact date my child was taken from this world.

Joshua’s story, heartbreaking as it is, is not unique. Current laws deny the involvement of those who know these individuals best - their families – once they reach adulthood. Parents, spouses, and close relatives are often ignored, resulting in isolated individuals waging personal wars against their mental health. Without their families' involvement, scores of people with severe mental illnesses end up homeless, incarcerated, or caught in an oppressive cycle of repeated hospitalizations and premature discharges.

We must step in for these unheard, lost voices and advocate for change.  We urge our lawmakers to suitably amend legislation and introduce more compassionate, flexible frameworks for adult mental health care, allowing for legal familial involvement where patient well-being stands at risk. We seek a change that could potentially save the lives of those who, like my son Joshua, are battling severe mental illnesses. 

Please, sign our petition. Champion this change. Help ensure that no more lives are prematurely ended, and no more families are ruthlessly torn apart.