Alaska has an $8.3 million top-down approach to preventing suicide; in total, tens of millions have been spent on suicide prevention. Since 2005, suicide rates have increased, even if slightly. A change in direction is needed. A bottom-up approach to preventing suicide would be a better alternative and more productive. And that would start with giving improved rights to the disabled (Mental Health Trust beneficiaries).
We can point to a hundred judges/courts that have done more over the years to improve the quality of care for the disabled than a hundred thousand doctors. The courts take a bottom-up approach, giving rights to the disabled so the disabled can protect themselves and take more control of their lives. The doctors take a top-down approach, creating new programs, but there has never been a group of doctors or providers that sat around and discussed how to improve the rights of the disabled. And make no mistake, improving rights means improved quality of care.
Lack of rights for the disabled (Trust beneficiaries) contributes to many deaths, but that fact rarely gets covered by the media. There is no glamor in the struggle of the disabled -- no sales appeal and very little news coverage.
As an example, a number of years ago, a gentleman went to the psychiatric ER requesting/begging for help. He was turned down. He walked out the door, stole a taxi, went to the waterfront and committed suicide. The newspaper covered the incident in a small article, but never delved into why he committed suicide. A reasonable person would conclude a strong contributing factor to the suicide was that he had no access to a timely grievance process; he was left with desperation and hospital employees who had already made up their minds.
Being disabled is a way of life. Helping the disabled can be a noble calling, but it is not the same circumstances for both parties. When the question is asked, "Should Alaska improve the rights for the disabled?" there are two totally different answers. Of course, our answer is that improving rights is necessary and will save lives.
Two of the most important rights that need to be improved: Guarantee all of the disabled timely assistance in the protection of their rights, and consolidate state offices responsible for protecting the disabled (Mental Health Trust beneficiaries).
Other rights that need to be improved: Improve the grievance procedure law for the disabled, inform the disabled of their rights, create a single state office to investigate complaints of the disabled, change how the disabled are detained and transported for mandatory psychiatric evaluation, require recognition and treatment of institutional trauma, require the state to keep statistics on the number and type of complaints by the disabled, do not allow institutions to remove rights of the disabled for minor infractions of psychiatric hospital rules.
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent on suicide prevention in Alaska, and the rate of suicide has increased. That past performance is a good predictor of the future. There would be a fiscal note attached to improving rights for the disabled legislatively -- "a bottom-up approach" -- improving rights for the disabled, in the long run, would save lives and save money for the state. Improving rights for the disabled needs to happen.
Faith Myers and Dorrance Collins have volunteered as mental health advocates for 10 years in Alaska. They helped pass legislation providing patients with gender choice of staff for intimate care, which was signed into law in 2008.
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@alaskadispatch.com.