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Mental Health Laws
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When a department that specializes in punishment is given leadership over a medical facility, you get inhumane treatment for our most ill. These people need a healing touch, not a baton. We are in the dark ages in MA, and the disability law center has been reporting the sub par conditions of Bridgewater for years. It’s time they file a law suit so that something changes. No more talks and reports without accountability! The most mentally ill in this state deserve better. There is a huge gap between this population and the care they need, so they deteriorate and fall into tragedy while their families watch helplessly. Gov Healey needs to step up and put action to match her words. The DMH run facility Worcester recovery is a great example of proper leadership. They need to replicate that at Bridgewater. The Severe mental illness population is ignored by this state in its policies, and left to flounder and fail. Then, once they’ve been failed, they’re punished. This is the definition of unfair.
Laura supported: Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital to the Department of Mental Health, the Experts!I sincerely believe that these patients need professionals to take care of them and they should be in a facility run by the department of mental health not the department of corrections .Taking care of someone’s mental health issues should be top priority before anything else. There’s a need for more DMH facilities to treat these patients so they can have a chance at life but if they are in jail setting it would not be beneficial for their well being
Rosemary supported: Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital to the Department of Mental Health, the Experts!The Commonwealth puts money in the budget each year to account for the bi-annual reports written by the Disability Law Center (DLC), a protection and advocacy agency. The DLC has been afforded access to Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) for years. And for YEARS this protection agency has been recommending that BSH be transferred from the Department of Corrections (DOC) to the Department of Mental Health (DMH). Why is the Commonwealth choosing to ignore the recommendation of the protection and advocacy agency they hire year after year? Why is this recommendation falling on deaf ears?
The men at BSH are real people. They have real lives. They may suffer from a no- fault brain disease, but this does not mean they should be cast aside and forgotten about. With proper care/treatment they can live full lives. They deserve proper therapeutic medical treatment, just like anyone else with a no-fault disease. The DOC does not over see people who have been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes or Alzhiemer's disease, so why does MA think it is appropriate for the DOC to over see men who have been diagnosed with a Severe Mental Illness (SMI)? It just does not make sense and MUST change.
The Commonwealth has stood up for women, it has stood up for the LGBTQIA community, it has stood up for immigrants. It is long over due, but the Commonwealth must now stand up for those with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) and transfer oversight of Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Mental Health !
Jessica supported: Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital to the Department of Mental Health, the Experts!Massachusetts has failed and continues to fail those with severe mental illness and their families. Many of these individuals are at BSH because the state failed to provide these individuals the medical care that was needed in the first place. Severe mental illness requires appropriate psychiatric services and treatment in a therapeutic, non-prison environment. Mental illness is not a crime yet Massachusetts continues to treat it that way. Moving oversight of BSH from the DOC to DMH is the first step to help change this!
Ann supported: Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital to the Department of Mental Health, the Experts!As a person who was forced medication at a mental ward because I was showing signs of trauma. I think we need to truly stop further traumatizing/hurting people in order for them to fit normalcy or to act "right". There's so much nuance in healing. Please allow people to keep their bodily autonomy when they're mentally ill. Otherwise you will traumatize them further. There's no humanity in forcing people to fit into boxes because you don't deem them normal. Please share this so no one has to fear people even more after probably living their whole life in fear, because they've seen how monstrous people can be first hand. Don't let these people get away with hurting people even further than they've already been hurt. It generally takes trauma to bring out mental illness. Let people decide their own care!!!! It's a detriment to our society when people that have never gone through something try to negate people who have. None of us our free until ALL OF US ARE FREE!
Alex supported: Support Legislation for Patient-Requested Halt of Court Orders for Shock TherapyAs a volunteer with MindFreedom International, I advocate on a daily basis for survivors of forced shock and I've witnessed the trauma and physical impairment that it so often causes!
Sarah supported: Support Legislation for Patient-Requested Halt of Court Orders for Shock TherapyUnfortunately animals are treated better than our children and loved ones. People have no idea of the reality behind mental illnesses. The governments response to mental wellness is locked up in a jail or prison. Would we put a diabetic, cancer patient, blind, deaf, or any other illnesses into a jail for treatment? NO! That would be a ridiculous! So why then do we do that to our mentally ill? They deserve to be treated with RESPECT and REAL HEALTH CARE! Unless you see mental wellness in its reality you could never understand that prison and homelessness is our countries answer to mental health care.
THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE! NOW!
Julie supported: Christopher’s Law: Giving Families the Power to Help Loved Ones with SchizophreniaMy son, Billy, was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 21. He took his medication but as one doctor put it, he was an unfortunate young man, that the medication did not help. His father died young and his older sister, my daughter, tag team keeping him alive for three years. It was a 24-7 fight. My son voluntarily checked himself into a mental health in-patient facilities in Florida. There was a sign in sheet for friends and family members at the facility. Some times from day to day, no one would sign in except me. The others in the facility were not getting visitors and were lost in the West Palm Beach mental health system. It broke my heart. He tried to work, go to college and church, but the voices wouldn't let him and his medications in 2004 were just not the right ones for him. During the hurricane of that year, in mid September, he got in his car and rammed into a power pole. He was in an induced coma for two weeks. Then he got an infection and God took him home. The last thing I could do for him was to share his story and support families and victims of this insidious brain disease that there is hope, and loved ones need the power and support to speak for their children that are suffering. Suffering. Who knows their child better than their family and loved ones? Please support Christopher's Law. ~ Billy's Mom
April supported: Christopher’s Law: Giving Families the Power to Help Loved Ones with SchizophreniaYou’re not alone — a community of supporters is ready to back you.
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