A Mental Health Nightmare in ConnecticutA Mental Health Nightmare in ConnecticutThis is a story about a Mental Health Care Nightmare that has been going on over the last year. This story involves a family that has been struggling and battling mental illness issues with the State of Connecticut and various associated agencies. Articles
5th Letter to Governor Rell and Others in Power in Connecticut
2008-02-27 17:19:00 I guess I was very naive to think that all the people involved in this situation who had worked so hard to affect needed change for our son had actually accomplished their goals. It hasn’t worked so far. Now, I had to write the 5th letter to the Governor and others in the ... More About: Power , Connecticut , Letter
A Letter to the Assistants of Senator Christopher Dodd, Senator Len Fasano,
2008-02-20 22:29:00 This is a letter I wrote today to the assistants of Senator s Dodd and Fasano and Representative Mary Fritz. These women are FANTASTIC advocates and have been extremely helpful to me and my family while we navigate the murky waters of the mental health system in CT and at the Federal level for SSI. ... More About: Christopher Dodd , Letter , Assistants
Testimony Before The Appropriations Committee on February 15, 2008
2008-02-16 16:24:00 This is my actual testimony to the Appropriations Committee on the 15th of February , 2008 . This is the 2nd time I have testified, and I was more nervous than the first time! After I post my testimony here, I will do other posts on the descriptions of what took place during and after the hearings. ... More About: Testimony
Testimony Before The Appropriations Committee on February 13, 2008
2008-02-16 16:17:00 What follows is my actual testimony to the Appropriations Committee in Hartford on 2/13/08. This is the first time I ever testified like this, and although it was certainly scary and intimidating, it also was invigorating and everyone involved were wonderfully helpful and supportive. The Staff at NAMI CT walked me through everything and could ... More About: Testimony , February , 2008
Updates Since I Returned in January
2008-02-16 15:45:00 Well, now that I have been back in Connecticut since early January , I finally have gotten to a place where I can share updates since I got home: I had to come back to CT when I did, or our son’s Social Security Benefits would have expired, and we would have had to go through all ... More About: Updates , Parents
Going Home At Last!
2008-01-09 00:30:00 Well, I am finally ready to go home! I am packed, and my husband and I are so ready for this! Our son’s benefits are all in place, and he has an interview with a good group home next week. We did get the medications our son requires from Rushford, after I had very contentious conversations ... More About: Home
Hopes Dashed Once Again!
2008-01-03 23:22:00 I called our son’s Case Worker at Rushford Behavioral Center today to share the great news of us going home, and while she was very excited and happy, there were a few things she had to check on. This is what I told her I would like to have done before we get home, ... More About: Hopes , Individuals , Bipolar Disorder
We are Finally Going Home!
2008-01-03 23:05:00 Well, we are finally going home to CT! On Saturday, January 13th, 2008, our son and I will make the long drive back to Connecticut after almost three and a half months of waiting and separation. My husband and I are so excited that we can barely stand it! Our son has a scheduled ... More About: Home , Finally , Bipolar Disorder , Goin
A Medical Emergency
2007-12-04 18:30:00 Well, I have learned something very important. If you are receiving SAGA benefits and you are physically out of the State of CT for more than 30 days, then you will automatically lose your benefits. This means that you cannot get the limited health benefits that SAGA provides, and you cannot get any ... More About: Medical , Emergency , Bipolar Disorder
A Miracle!
2007-12-04 18:25:00 Yesterday, we received a call from Senator Dodd’s office that our son’s Social Security appeal had gone through and he was approved for disability benefits! This is a HUGE milestone, and we will never be able to thank Senator Dodd’s office enough for their invaluable support and assistance in getting that accomplished! If it weren’t ... More About: Miracle , Parents , Bipolar Disorder
A True Random Act of Kindness
2007-12-03 02:25:00 Well, after many months of struggles and contentious phone calls and meetings with various agency representatives in CT regarding getting appropriate services for our son, I want to pause and recognize some people who touched our lives in an incredibly kind, generous, and positive way. The people mentioned here did not do this because ... More About: Random , True , Kindness
Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 4: The Attempt at Plan Implementati
2007-11-29 00:53:00 Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 4: The Attempt at Plan Implementation So, after explaining the plan for our son, and after talking with our son and several experts on the matter, we came to a general consensus. Our son should not go to a respite center, even in an interim placement, as it ... More About: Parents , Bipolar Disorder
Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 3
2007-11-29 00:14:00 Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 3: The Plan The caseworker from DMHAS assured me that he had a plan to get our son and I back to CT within the next few weeks. I listened to his plan, but was hesitant from the start. Here it is: The caseworker was going to get a ... More About: Parents , Part 3 , Bipolar Disorder
Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 2
2007-11-28 02:19:00 Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Part 2 Now that I have calmed down a little bit, I can continue my story…. Over the course of the last several weeks, the DMHAS caseworker that I had dealt with last Summer was again assigned to assist me in procuring appropriate services for our son. At first, I did ... More About: Parents
Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member
2007-11-28 00:14:00 Tangling With a DMHAS Staff Member Last Summer, in 2006, when our son was homeless, I called DMHAS looking for help for our son. We needed urgent help and the gentleman I talked to treated me like I was an imbecile. All he could seem to do was recommend that I take the parenting ... More About: Parents
After Thanksgiving 2007
2007-11-27 19:50:00 Well, I had a vicious migraine during my entire Thanksgiving away from Connecticut. I am not surprised, as the overall stress of this situation is adding up over time. I thought alot about being with my Mother for Thanksgiving, which I was very thankful for, since it has been 12 years since I ... More About: Hank
Current Breast Cancer Drug Looks Promising for Mania re Bipolar Disorder
2007-11-16 17:12:00 Here is another article I received via a news feed. This looks promising! A current drug for breast cancer may have promising results for people suffering from bipolar disorder when they are in a manic state. Check out this article: Channel 8 Drug Article Commentary is welcome! More About: Cancer , Current , Breast Cancer , Breast , Bipolar
Another Tragic Mental Health Casualty in Connecticut
2007-11-16 17:02:00 I learned about this mental health tragedy this morning, when I received a feed about a news article regarding the death of a young woman being cared for in the Connecticut mental health system. This is a HORRIBLE story — and our hearts go out to this family and the young woman’s friends and ... More About: Health , Mental , Tragic , Mental Health
The Thanksgiving I Won?t Spend With My Family in CT
2007-11-13 20:28:00 Well, I am coming to the realization that I will not be spending Thanksgiving in CT with my husband, son, and daughter. I cannot describe the profound disillusionment, sadness, and anger that are all welling up inside me. This is so unfair and unbelievable! Why can’t I go back to CT for ... More About: Family , My Family , Hank
Contact Matrix for Mental Health Related Staff in Connecticut
2007-11-12 03:35:00 This is a table of all of the mental health related agencies and pertinent staff people I can find in the State of Connecticut . I will update this table as time goes on. I hope this helps finding the resource you need easier. Table of Mental Health Contact s in Connecticut More About: Mental Health
My Thoughts on Where We Have Come to This Point
2007-11-11 19:51:00 Today is November 11, 2007. I have now been in NC at my Mother’s, with our son, for over 5 weeks now. I am completely desperate to go home to my husband, my dogs, and my home. I have battled with depression myself for many, many years. For the most part, ... More About: My Thoughts , Thoughts , Point
4th Letter to Governor Rell and Others in Power in Connecticut
2007-11-08 23:50:00 Here is the 4th letter I sent today to Governor Rell and others in positions of authority in CT. This letter was prompted by a call from our son’s case worker at Rushford Behavioral Center to me this afternoon. Just another example of the pitiful turns this situation takes as time goes on. ... More About: Power , Connecticut , Letter
3rd Letter to Governor Rell and Others in Power in CT
2007-11-08 00:44:00 This is the 3rd letter I sent to several people in CT today, 11/07/07: The emails remain intact, and the names have been changed where necessary: To: governor.rell@po.state.ct.us (Governor Rell), attorney.general@po.state.ct.us (Richard Blumenthal), szanger@clrp.org (Sally Zanger), gwaterhouse@cacil.net (Gary Waterhouse), jwalter@rushford.org (Jeffrey Walter), rick@vintagecycles.net (Rick Tomer), RMHB2@aol.com (Wayne Starkey), DPerch@Courant.com (Daryl Perch), connbhealth@aol.com (Jon Pedro), mary.mushinsky@cga.ct.gov (Representative Mushinsky), ... More About: Power , Letter
2nd Letter to Governor Rell, Attorney General Blumenthal, DMHAS, and Others
2007-10-28 02:23:00 This is the 2nd letter to Governor Rell of CT, Attorney General Blumenthal, DMHAS Staff, and others in Connecticut to update them on the situation with our son. This is the actual text. The email addresses are in tact, but some names have been changed. “From: XXXXXX@XXXXX.XXX Subject: Update on Our Son Date: September ... More About: Letter , Attorney General
Physical Brain Differences in Bipolar Adults/Adolescents
2007-10-27 20:05:00 This is a very informative research article about the differences in the physical characteristics in some areas of the brain in people with Bipolar Disorder. Brain Differences in Bipolar Adolescents & Adults More About: Physical , Individuals
1st Letter to Governor, Attorney General, DMHAS Staff, and Others: August 6
2007-10-27 18:04:00 This is the 1st actual letter I sent to many government officials, advocates, and others in CT recently to try and appeal for help for our son. The email addresses have been left in tact, but some names have been changed for privacy reasons: “From: XXXXXXXX <XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX> Date: August 6, 2007 5:02:33 PM EDT To: Governor Jodi ... More About: General , Attorney , Letter , Attorney General
A Letter to the CT Insurance Commissioner: 12/10/1999
2007-10-25 03:31:00 This is the actual text in a letter I wrote to the Insurance Commissioner in CT, asking for his help in dealing with insurance companies that would drop our son’s medical coverage for apparently no reason at all. This was a very frightening and horribly stressful time for my husband and I, because ... More About: Letter , Foster Care , Missi
Letter to Our Attorney: May 3, 2000
2007-10-25 03:13:00 This is the actual text of a letter we wrote to our attorney in May 2000. It was to share my thoughts about various thing going on at the time. As always, individual names have been changed. “May 3, 2000 Dear Attorney : I hope this letter finds you well. Enclosed in this fax you ... More About: Letter
DCF Meeting Preparation Questions: April 26, 2000.
2007-10-24 21:34:00 These are the actual questions my husband and I drafted to ask the Social Worker and other DCF Staff while we were preparing to meet and argue against sending our son to High Meadows. We wanted him to go to The Devereaux-Glenholme School, because it was the most appropriate placement for him at the ... More About: Questions , April , Connecticut , Bipolar , Preparation
Letter Written on May 1, 2000
2007-10-24 21:10:00 This was a letter written to appeal for a proper placement for our son as he was to move out of a psychiatric hospitalization placement to a residential treatment facility. Our son was in high school at the time. The verbiage is exact except for individual names that have been changed. “My son has ... More About: Connecticut , Letter , Bipolar Disorder , Written |
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