Bipolar Blog by Liz: Worth Watching

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Worth Watching

This topic is worth watching for several reasons. The ordinance seems similar to the England laws that the care of the mentally ill should be partly the responsibility of the community. The community should take an active role in helping the medicated, diagnosed mentally ill stay on their medicine, if that is what it takes for them to be successful members of society. I will restate that I do not want to return to the dark ages of forced medicine, but I am sure there is a happy medium solution to this dilema. Also for those of you who are Obama supporters, there is rumor that Gov. Richardson may be in consideration for the VP select for Obama. If Gov. Richardson is for this ordinance, then he will be worth watching if he joins the ticket with Obama. I will also state here that this blog will not be a platform for politics, I am just stating some facts for those of us concerned about the mentally ill in our society.

Thanks, Liz

Court strikes down Kendra's Law in New Mexico
Full Story | Topics: civil commitment, courts, legal, Medicaid

After the courts struck down an Albuquerque ordinance requiring forced medication for outpatient treatment, the mayor vowed to return this issue to the legislature. According to the Albuquerque Journal the state has cut back on funding for outpatient programs. According to Nancy Koenigsberg from the advocacy organization, Protection and Advocacy,

The ordinance that was struck (down) acknowledged that for any kind of treatment to achieve its goal, it must be linked to a system of comprehensive care in which state and local authorities work together to ensure outpatients receive case management or special services.

Last year New Mexico ranked last in the nation's states for spending on mental health. StigmaNet has been compiling archives on how the fight over Kendra's Law is played in many of the 42 states that have adopted this law.

The issue pits supporters such as Sen. Pete Dominici, Gov. Richardson, and the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness against organizations such as the New Mexico ACLU and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, D.C.

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Press Release

Press Release
A Bipolar Quandary: New Book Highlights Family's Struggle with Bipolar DisorderARLINGTON, Texas, March 23, 2007 -- Author Liz Janill tells the true story of a woman with bipolar disorder and the painful experiences of her family that cares for her in her new book, "Who Are the Victims? A Bipolar Quandary" (now available through AuthorHouse). Dorothy is medically diagnosed with bipolar disorder, in addition to suffering from delusions. Her husband, Charles, must make the decision to either place her in an asylum or allow her to live at home and help raise their three young children. Ultimately, he decides that the children should have a mother in their lives, no matter what. This begins the family's unforgettable journey of understanding as they work with Dorothy to manage her disorder and delusions. At times, Dorothy is lucid, but most of her time is spent in a hyper-manic and delusional frame of mind. The story is told through the eyes of Liz, Dorothy's daughter, beginning when she is 5 years old. Dorothy and Liz are very close and spend a great deal of time together. Liz expresses many of her thoughts and feelings regarding her mother and recounts the amazing obstacles that the family overcomes due to the disorder. "It is a love story in some ways about a family who loved Dorothy extremely and how they protected and took care of her for 48 years," says Janill. Through her story, Janill walks readers through the painful decisions that must be made every day on behalf of someone who is bipolar. "Bipolar disorder is an emotional rollercoaster ride that involves not only the bipolar person, but the whole family itself," she says. Janill wrote this book to share the very personal story of her now deceased mother. She hopes to reach other families in similar situations by providing a source of comfort and support in the knowledge that they are not alone. AuthorHouse is the premier publishing house for emerging authors and new voices in literature. For more information, please visit http://www.authorhouse.com.