Pubdate: Thu, 28 Mar 2002
Source: Foster's Daily Democrat (NH)
Copyright: 2002 Geo. J. Foster Co.
Contact:  http://www.fosters.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/160
Author: John and Joanne Cameron

PARENTS FACE ORDEAL OF SON'S ADDICTION, MENTAL ILLNESS

By John and Joanne Cameron

Middleton

(An open letter to the community)

We are the parents of a 23-year-old diagnosed with a serious mental health 
problem. We have been involved with both the New Hampshire judicial and 
mental health systems since he was 14 years old.

Unfortunately, he has learned to deal with this debilitating illness 
through self-medication with street drugs. His physical and mental health 
have gradually become even more complicated with this drug addiction. 
Treatment has become a revolving door of short-term evaluations and 
long-term jail sentences. Neither system is working.

We offer the following example for public scrutiny as just one of our many 
exasperating attempts to secure proper services for our family with the 
hope of raising awareness to the dangers inherent within the present 
institutional framework:

We recently brought our son to a local hospital for crisis intervention. He 
had attempted suicide with lacerations to his wrist. He acknowledged an 
addiction to heroin. Strafford Guidance Center was called for an 
assessment. We were hoping to involuntarily commit him to a secure 
treatment facility.

After a four-hour wait, Strafford Guidance evaluated him and informed us 
that he did not meet the legal criteria for commitment. They released him 
to our custody with a prescription for Klonapin, an addictive narcotic that 
is known on the streets as an enhancement for a heroin "high." 
Incidentally, this is the same drug that he was issued during his 
internment in New Hampshire and Maine county jails for previous drug 
convictions.

It is not our wish to disparage any specific mental health or correctional 
facility. We couldn't have survived without their services. We understand 
that the limitations that we are burdened with as parents also regulate 
their own ability to properly serve this population. As a society, we need 
to question the current remedy offered. Clearly, the system is invested in 
offering medication and little support before they bounce him back to us. 
We have no alternative but to watch helplessly as he inevitably ricochets 
back to them.

This has been our life for the past 10 years. All attempts for help have 
repeatedly failed. He has been returned to us after each incarceration and 
unsuccessful drug rehab program without any authoritative powers as 
parents. Our parental responsibility and concern will never diminish, but 
our authority is legally bound. Once a child reaches the age of 18, all 
decision-making is placed in the hands of that individual. When this 
responsibility is securely fastened to someone who is ill and unable to 
recognize his own needs, the needs of the community also become affected.

Our son is being held as a suspect for alleged involvement in the Brooks 
Pharmacy robbery this past weekend. We do not know of his guilt or 
innocence in this crime. We are sure that the potential for something like 
this to happen exists within our family and many others. Whether or not the 
perpetrator is from our home or not, we are truly sorry that this problem 
has crossed the boundaries of any home and into yours. To the employees of 
this pharmacy, we regret that your safety was threatened and will be 
forever grateful that there were no physical injuries.

Legislators need to closely examine our current laws. The rights of one 
individual have been given priority over the rights of a community. There 
is a very fine line between individual liberty as guaranteed in the 
Constitution and the expectation of safety within a community. When one 
threatens the other, it is time for action. The future of our communities 
depends on it.

Do the crime, do the time is indeed necessary for all of our protection. 
But there are plenty of opportunities for intervention before individual 
escalation into more violent and dangerous criminal activities. It is sheer 
desperation and inadequate treatment that propels these individuals into 
further outrageous behavior. Surely our son has repeatedly demonstrated an 
urgent plea for help. Keeping the status quo only promises a hopeless 
outlook for our family and the countless others caught up in this endless 
cycle of failed systems. Please consider our unified plea now.
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MAP posted-by: Alex