Welcome To Our Normal, Mental Health Matters

After 10 revolving door ineffective hospitalisations within 6 years and lots of heartache and bills for my Mother, I am starting this petition to advocate for caregivers and close supporters of those living with mental health challenges and consumers themselves in the State of Georgia.

I hope to accomplish the following:
1. Revision to Involuntary Order to Commit (1013) to include 2 Guardians/Conservatours/Caregivers/Peer Supporters under penalty of law petitioning Probate/Superior Courts to commit someone for Involuntary Treatment. The statute only currently allows for Physicians, Psychologists, LCSW's, LPC's, APRN's, CNS's in Mental or Psychiatric Health, or PA's to provide commitment. The current format prevented my Dad and I from getting my Mom the help she needed (though we attained Guardianship/Conservatorship) and had a host of medical professionals agreeing longer term hospitalisations would have benefit her. We faced psychotic episodes at all hours of the nite and weekends when the Probate Court was not open and quite frankly mental health professionals were unwilling to effectively go forth with 1013's when imminent dangerous psychotic episodes presented opportunities to attain treatment.  When your loved one living with mental illness will not seek out mental health assistance, it is incumbent upon the caregiver(s) to do so. However, there has to be a way for caregivers to immediately assist a person having a psychotic break/episode without having to await a court order endorsed by a mental health professional.  That could be too late!

2. Creating Jeanne's Alert (in honour of my Mom), which would be similar to Mattie's Call (alert issued by GBI which includes adults with cognitive impairment), would operate proactively by sending the above referenced mental health professionals to the residence or track consumers who miss 2 or more appointments for therapy/medication management or are reported missing prior to a 24 hour time frame. The intent is to negotiate the return of the consumer to normal treatment scheduling which would then avoid acute care revolving door hospitalisations or criminalisation. To attract mental health professionals in this field, loan forgiveness or stipend/grants for study could be offered as part of the balanced budget for the State of Georgia.

Your signature and support for this public health crisis will make a powerful statement while at Mental Health Day at the Capital on 8 February 2019. Thank you in advance. #welcometoournormal #stigmafree #mentalhealthmatters #namiga