Mental Health System SUCKS!

[Alchemist23]

So Ya'll know about my brother? He finally agreed to go to the hospital after losing his job. They told him he needed help, and to come back once he got it.

But the hospital wouldn't take him...because he didn't threaten anyone or say he was going to kill himself. What????? And now, he has to wait until Feb. to go through the 200 dollar evaluation to see if he is unstable enough to need care.

I'm heartbroken. HOnestly. We finally thought he was going to get help and the system buckles under the pressure of a non-suicidal schitzophrenic. It's like they cannot touch him unless he hurts someone or himself first...

While they take my roomate...with a couple shallow cuts the wrong way on the wrist.

My brother's illness is hindering his life. He cannot even keep a job or have a relationship with his family, and when he finally goes to get help, they push him away?!!

I'm soooooooooo *arrrrg*

[Buxom Wench]

Oh Sweetie!
I know its not alot but, hugs ::hug::and blessings ::candle::to get you thru this.

[surlywench]

So Ya'll know about my brother? He finally agreed to go to the hospital after losing his job. They told him he needed help, and to come back once he got it.

But the hospital wouldn't take him...because he didn't threaten anyone or say he was going to kill himself. What????? And now, he has to wait until Feb. to go through the 200 dollar evaluation to see if he is unstable enough to need care.

I'm heartbroken. HOnestly. We finally thought he was going to get help and the system buckles under the pressure of a non-suicidal schitzophrenic. It's like they cannot touch him unless he hurts someone or himself first...

While they take my roomate...with a couple shallow cuts the wrong way on the wrist.

My brother's illness is hindering his life. He cannot even keep a job or have a relationship with his family, and when he finally goes to get help, they push him away?!!

I'm soooooooooo *arrrrg*


No, that's not right. Not at all. Try looking in the phone book or googleing your local Community Mental Health Center. You may have to fool around with the name a bit, BUT you'll have one. Here in Iowa City it's called the Mid-Eastern Iowa Com. Mental Health Center just so you sort of have an idea.

They will AT THE VERY least, be able to schedule an intake meeting with him and hopefully get him help sooner than the hosp. Make ABSOLUTELY sure that he doesn't underrepresent his condition and the impact it's having on his life to them. They can get him into counseling and usually they're able to get meds into you fairly quickly. Do this today, as it may take a few weeks to get the intake scheduled. If he is not working, their services are free.

Good luck hon. and the hosp has very strict guidelines about who is able to be taken as an "inpatient" and who isn't. Unless you threaten to harm yourself or others, they MUST give you over to their outpatient dept. which is where the wait and expense comes in. In Iowa, the only way around that is if you're admitted thru the emergency room (but if you're in the ER, chances are one of the two conditions already apply.....).

We're here, and please PM me if you need any other help with this. okay?
I'll do whatever I can to help.

[Alchemist23]

He won't go to the mental health clinic...the one I know of in this city...because he thinks this area and the people in it are out to get him, and he wants to leave the city. I'll have to see if there is one where mom lives...

See, the kid has no place to stay while this is going on. He's driving Mom and her fiance crazy with the constant paranoia, and is a financial strain as well. I cannot have him back here because he drives me crazy, though I have heard he is doing better since he has been at Mom's.

I'm going to research some about Mom's area. :)