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The Trials and Tribulations of the canary in the coal mine

8/23/2020

I really do think that a lot of people with "mental illness" who may be developmentally more "reactive" to their environment may be the CANARY in the COAL MINE when it comes to problems in the larger society.

The only problem is -- we don't look like CANARIES --- we look like everyone else. We look like that miner right next to us that may or may not be struggling --- BUT isn't FEELING IT, like we're FEELING IT.

One of the CONUNDRUMS that needs to be tackled for the TWICE EXCEPTIONAL PERSON with ADVANCED ABILITIES, SOME CHALLENGES and a lot of EMOTIONAL INTENSITY ---- those are TRADITIONALLY, the Society's:

Artists
Writers
Philosophers, and I would argue even
Historians
Activists
Some Mathematicians
Entrepreneurs who may need administrative support
Politicians
Others?

[It's not that we don't have JOBS utilizing these skills but we have some of those jobs in the THOUSANDS in the US and we may need them in the MILLIONS.

Further, if we can't ACCOMMODATE for those EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DEFICITS -- it doesn't work anyway]

How many jobs do we have for those people, especially if TWICE EXCEPTIONALITY is a lot more common than we think?

Is TWICE EXCEPTIONALITY a driving force in some of the DISHONESTY and "COVER-UPS" that we see in our society --- and people feeling the need to pretend they are something they are not.

JOBS turn out to be a HUGE issue for the TWICE EXCEPTIONAL person:

If they can't use their considerable strengths they can't maintain their mental health
If their weaknesses aren't accommodated they can't maintain their mental health either -- life is an ANXIETY ROLLERCOASTER --- and that ANXIETY generally makes things worse.

JOBS are a lot like ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS in that you're looking for a good complementary relationship.

All of that is made MORE COMPLEX by TWICE EXCEPTIONALITY -- and it was plenty COMPLEX for most people to begin with.

More and more families are ADHD Familities or TWICE EXCEPTIONAL Families.

My parents used to say: "Someday some little person is going to give you a taste of your own medicine." THAT DAY CAME.

I came out of COLLEGE with no sense of the CHALLENGES that I was to face for the NEXT 35 years.

That had a profound impact on my life. FOREWARNED really is FOREARMED.

The Mental Health Profession as lovable as they are, take years if not decades to make a correct diagnosis --- and many people are doing it themselves.

Further, most mental health professionals are NOT TRAINED in the REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS people with "mental illness" or "cognitive differences associated with mental illness" may need.

Further, it is not clear what a "correct diagnosis" means without a scientifically valid diagnostic manual.

I want the Society our kids are going into to be much more:

Knowledgeable and competent when it comes to dealing with COGNITIVE DIFFERENCE.

A NEED FOR:ADDITIONAL PHILANTHROPIC & STATE PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE DISABILITY HOUSING

8/22/2020

States aren't starting at Ground Zero when it comes to Scattered Site Disability Housing --- BUT most people at various levels of Public Service are well aware THERE IS NOT ENOUGH HOUSING.

Housing is an Olmstead requirement for people with disabilities who are:

Institutionalized and Housing with Supports is a medically viable option
Being Released from Jails or Prisons and Housing with Supports is a medically viable option, and/or
At Great Risk of Institutionalization such as the risk presented by Homelessness, and Housing with Supports is a medically viable option.

A Landscape by Claude Monet

THE LANDSCAPE

STATES

States have failed to develop and implement comprehensive and effectively working Olmstead Plans in general, and with respect to Housing specifically.
Housing PROPER is currently NOT covered by Medicaid -- we think that does amount to DISCRIMINATION.
In the meantime, States do SOMETHING on Housing with NO COHERENT PLAN to bring Housing to SCALE for people with disabilities in the categories mentioned above.
Things look even BLEAKER with COVID and shrinking revenues and growing need.

FEDS

May very well pass legislation that provides funding for Disability Housing and serves as an Economic Stimulus.
This is unlikely to meet the need for Disability Housing in most States.
BUT it will HELP if enacted.

ADDITIONAL FEDERAL & PHILANTHROPIC SPURS TO OLMSTEAD HOUSING PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION

We think the Philanthropic Community could engage Federal and State Partners both part of an interim and long term plan for Disability Housing to be reviewed at least yearly.
The Philanthropic Community could provide Hotel Vouchers for people with disabilities in the categories above with Federal and State Governments working to meet benchmarks for a COMPREHENSIVE and EFFECTIVELY working Housing Plan for People with Disabilities.
Additionally, the Hotel Vouchers would be serving as much needed ECONOMIC STIMULUS for the HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

When your Bleak House is a Jail or Prison or
No House

Double V

Social Impact Bonds

New Zealand's Fierce Debate Over Social Impact Bonds

Housing Chronically Homeless in Denver Saves Money & Lives

Proposed Federal Housing Infrastructure Act with $2.5 Billion for Disability Housing and $2.5 Billion for Senior Housing

TOWARDS A MORE PERFECT UNION WITH OVER 300 MILLION IMPERFECT PEOPLE

8/21/2020

Political parties, politicians and public citizens are trapped in a system that was STATE OF THE ART in the late 18th Century --- it is starting to show considerable wear and a need to EXPAND on some of the original insights and principles.

We really are encouraged to pit politicians against each other as GLADIATORS and are SHOCKED, SHOCKED, SHOCKED that the process doesn't UNIFY the Country.

    Further, we're also encouraged to accept the PROCESS as the STATUS QUO --- while SCAPEGOATING various POLITICIANS from both major political parties.

Now, some individual politicians may be more problematic than others -- but how did they get elected -- often out of DESPERATION and a desire to SHAKE THINGS UP.

Disability LAW & POLICY may not surprisingly have hit on a VITAL addition to the 3 BRANCHES of GOVERNMENT --- the INCLUSIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING STAKEHOLDER GROUP often associated with OLMSTEAD PLANNING.

By and large, the POWER needs to be in those GROUPS and Politicians as often GREAT COMMUNICATORS can channel the CONSENSUS.

  Diverse groups can be better problem-solvers, especially if they are not afraid to be TRULY INCLUSIVE.

If there is a concern, it should be brought to the INCLUSIVE GROUP to ADDRESS.

    We can keep SCAPEGOATING IMPERFECT POLITICIANS, or we can EMPOWER our IMPERFECT SELVES and OTHERS to do the real PROBLEM-SOLVING this country needs.

   That includes taking advantage of much more INSIGHT, LIFE EXPERIENCE and STRENGTH as well as ability to compensate for weaknesses.

How do we get out of the long-standing political trap -- that ensnares both politicians and citizens? Inclusive problem-solving groups contemplated by Olmstead might be a big part of the answer.

A BIG CAVEAT: Colorado has had MIXED SUCCESS with STAKEHOLDER Groups.

It would be worth analyzing the BARRIERS to a successful and effective Stakeholder Group.

Further, the former Hickenlooper Administration had a habit of acting in BAD FAITH in failing to address concerns and shunting people off to some group -- not to be heard from again.

[We pick on the former Hickenlooper Administration a lot because that's what we know -- not because they were unique.]

We don't want that.

A lot of this has to do with FRAMING and including the ELEMENTS that could bring about real change:

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
DATA COLLECTION
BUDGET ANALYSIS
ETC.

A STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH & WEARING MASKS: GOVERNMENTS & PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO

8/21/2020

THE DELICATE ART OF PERSUASION, LAWSUITS & PROTESTS IN THE STREETS

Whenever I hear government officials laying into people for failure to wear masks, I always think:

I think some of the objection doesn't have anything to do with the masks, and
We really just need to build relationships and
It will all work out.

THEN I think About CO STATE Gov't under the Hickenlooper Administration and its refusal to even consider a STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH -- 4 years ago --

was it really about a strength-based approach -- NO,
It was really about a POWER STRUGGLE

In a lot of ways it STILL IS ABOUT A POWER STRUGGLE and its transferring some of that POWER to at least FORMALLY SUGGEST:

Data Collection
Programmatic Reforms
Services
Housing and
Placements

to the Governor and the Legislature.

Some of that Power needs to be TRANSFERRED to an INCLUSIVE, OLMSTEAD PLANNING GROUP.

That could be done in the 2021 Legislative Session.

Strength Based Resilience Questionnaire

SAMHSA ----
Strengths & Priorities

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DEFICITS

8/19/2020

Historian John Hope Franklin

See to the right a TABLE of possible strategies to accommodate executive functioning deficits..

The information is taken from the federally funded Job Accommodation Network.

My experience with executive functioning challenges involve:

Taking in a lot more information than other people ---- and that takes time and energy and emotion --- to process.
Further, my priorities can look very different based on this additional information.
I'm very sensitive to my environment --- if I'm being discriminated against or dismissed based on any number of physical characteristics or failure to provide accommodations for cognitive differences --- I may know that -- and that is an unpleasant block that needs to be "processed" in a long line of other things that need to be "processed."
I have the same 24-hour day that everyone else does.
There is a line in ADHD Treatment along the lines of: "The Harder You Try, the Worse it gets."
I think there are REAL BIOLOGICAL REASONS for that --- and one of those is that that stress is killing off your good gut bacteria. (See Forbes (2019): Could Stress Turn Our Gut Bacteria Against Us? New Research Looks For Answers)
The BIG WAY we can REDUCE that STRESS is FOCUS on Strengths. --- Tomorrow, we'll post a DRAFT TEMPLATE for focusing on those strengths.

The Strategies are from the Job Accommodation Network, the Commentary is ours.

CAN WE TALK? ---MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

8/16/2020

Medication Management

Psychiatric Medication is incredibly complicated and imperfect.
If there are problems "genetic testing" or calling in a Neuro-pharmacologist MIGHT help.
Some psychiatrists actually are pretty good at medication management given the backward state of the science -- but those professionals would really like to be doing THERAPY -- HEAVEN HELP US.

"Therapy"

Even though the SIGNS are all around them -- most mental health professionals don't fully appreciate the IMPLICATIONS and RAMIFICATIONS of dealing with someone who may be or likely is DEVELOPMENTALLY DIFFERENT in some way.
Right up there in our list of concerns -- the mental health professional is often NOT assessing (systematically or otherwise) for the need for REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS in his or her practice for the benefit of the patient.
The mental health professional is often NOT assessing the patient's STRENGTHS (systematically or otherwise) and those STRENGTHS are often CONSIDERABLE.
The mental health professional is often very compassionate BUT does not systematically or otherwise assess the need for WORK AROUNDS or ACCOMMODATIONS that the person may need in their larger ENVIRONMENT.
The THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP can be "therapeutic" in a good faith, floundering sort of way --- but it is COST PROHIBITIVE for what many people really want which are FRIENDS.
Further, many mental health professionals would point out -- "Hey, I'm NOT your friend." Unfortunately, many patients would point out -- "Hey, your therapy SUCKS."
Additionally in 2020 ---- therapeutic attempts to CHANGE MANY DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES are often UNKNOWINGLY ABUSIVE and generally INEFFECTIVE. -- no matter how much FAITH or SCIENCE we many have in the PLASTICITY of the BRAIN.

The Need for "Friends" for "Asynchronous" People

The need for FRIENDS can be complicated for "asynchronous" people -- there may be need for FACILITATION.
COMMUNITIES used to provide a warm social grease for people --- that is less and less the case in MODERN SOCIETY.

WorkArounds and Reasonable Accommodations

How can the person "work around" their developmental differences
How can the person's larger environment reasonably accommodate the person's developmental differences.
How might all this lessen the expression of problematic behaviors,
AND Transform overwhelming emotions.

Val's Take: I think most, if not all "gifted" people are Twice Exceptional in some respects. Many of us got through K-12 and college maybe even graduate school powering through with our strengths -- and no one --- including ourselves --- would have thought of us as having a cognitive or emotional disability or difference..

The most BRILLIANT people I've ever known had "issues" and some of those were serious mental health problems.

University of Virginia School of Medicine is BUSTING THOSE PARADIGMS

Immune System controls social behavior in mice and likely has a prominent role in humans.

If we want 1st Rate Mental Health/Cognitive Disability Treatment, we must have:

1st Rate Research
1st Rate Translational Research/Medicine, and
a Tight-Knit SOCIETY

AND We must Integrate that Social Knowledge with Biological Knowledge such as the BIOLOGICAL REACTIVITY of Some People with "Mental Illness" ---- For example, people with Bipolar Disorder have more "reactive" cells -- further, a lot of seemingly "distinct" categories of "mental illness" are pretty BLURRED dys-regulations in multiple domains of functionality and often cut across those categories.

People with "bipolar disorder" are DEVELOPMENTALLY DIFFERENT --- down to their cells. Those cells are more "reactive."

See 3:18: Bipolar linked to the EXCEPTIONALITIES in the Humanities -- above average, below average -- the main thing -- NOT AVERAGE.

[Further, it is appearing more and more that the Immune System is involved with intelligence.]

The Brain, the Immune System & Life's Illusions

According to Dr. Cuthbert [head of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria Program:]

'[W]e now understand that the categories [of mental illness] are not specific diseases (like Lyme’s Disease or influenza)

[B]ut rather are broad syndromes – loose collections of symptoms that tend to occur together to some extent, and involve dysregulation in multiple domains.' "

THAT CORNER WE'VE PAINTED OURSELVES INTO

8/12/2020

MORE ABOUT DEFACTO TAUTOLOGIES, DOING THE BEST YOU CAN, SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND PROOF BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT

PERSONALITY DISORDER DEFACTO TAUTOLOGIES

What's a Tautology?
- the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g., they arrived one after the other in succession) --- Google Dictionary.
Why do we say DSM Classifications, especially Personality Disorder Classifications are "DEFACTO" Tautologies or Tautologies In Fact?
- PERSONALITY DISORDER CLASSIFICATIONS typically include SYMPTOMS and something about BACKGRIOUND. (e.g. Conduct disorder was present by history before age 15)
- The DSM Classifications don't have the BIOLOGICAL Component that we expect for MEDICAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS in the 21st Century and this is the PRIMARY REASON we are calling DSM Personality Disorder Classifications ---- DE FACTO TAUTOLOGIES .
- Further, Personality Disorder Classifications not only tell practitioners very little --- they are often WEAPONIZED. That has been done consciously in the Military and we've seen it done unconsciously at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP).
- The RECOGNIZED Biologically Based Mental Illnesses don't have a biological component in their DSM CLASSIFICATION but that is NOT ONLY FOUND BUT RECOGNIZED in the Profession even if the CLASSIFICATIONS don't withstand RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC SCRUTINY from US National Institute of Mental Health.

THE RAP AGAINST DSM BIOLOGICALLY BASED MENTAL ILLNESS CLASSICATIONS is that they don't take into account TRAUMA or the ENVIRONMENT
- That was the conclusion of British Researchers
- This is the concern of many Mental Health Advocates
- This is very interesting because many researchers including the US NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH and probably CANADIAN RESEARCHERS would point out the CLASSIFICATIONS aren't very biologically based and don't match up with BRAIN SCANS.

Why aren't DSM "Defacto Tautologies" just a fault of "style"?
- This is all very esoteric until you're being EXECUTED or spending decades of your life in PRISON because of the CHARACTERIZATION of the Source of Your Behavior.

WITH EITHER ENVIRONMENTAL OR BIOLOGICALLY BASED CLASSIFICATIONS IF YOU PUSH EITHER FAR ENOUGH --- YOU GET TO THE OTHER -----Because the ENVIRONMENT & BIOLOGY are THOROUGHLY INTEGRATED.

One of the BIG PROBLEMS in the CRIMINAL LAW is that it has BLINDERS ON in the name of JUDICIAL EFFICIENCY.
As soon as you push it FAR ENOUGH to get something resembling REALITY -- it's IRRELEVANT.

[What we're really talking about is PUNISHMENT, not whether someone did or did not do the act alleged.

In fact for our purposes, we are assuming they did the act alleged.

There is REASONABLE DOUBT all over the place regarding our CHARACTERIZATION of the mental element.

If we get out of PUNISHMENT --- we get out of Proof Beyond A Reasonable Doubt --- and we can provide TREATMENTS and SAFETY the best we know how --- with the REALIZATION we don't know it all ---- and we desperately need to include all parties in ON-GOING PLANNING and IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS.]

The REALITY is we have been doing the best we could in Criminal Justice and Mental Health.

Further, when that BEST ISN"T GOOD ENOUGH -- we often need a LOT MORE SUPPORT than what we're getting.

If we want a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH to CRIMINAL JUSTICE --- we need Federal and State Governments that will FUND IT.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This Personality Disorder List isn't 21st Century Caliber Work even if it is a good faith attempt to SYMPTOMATICALLY describe some problematic behaviors. (see list below)

WE'VE PAINTED OURSELVES INTO A CORNER WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PSYCHIATRY --WILL WE GET OUT?

8/12/2020

YES --- BUT WILL IT BE IN TIME FOR PEOPLE WITH COMPLEX COGNITIVE DISABILITIES LIVING NOW?

    In some many ways the real issue regarding a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH to CRIMINAL JUSTICE is NOT IF, BUT WHEN.

Most States have been EXPERIMENTING with SOMETHING and so have many COUNTRIES.

In the US, a very convenient way to fund SERVICES is MEDICAID.

  Now the question is should MEDICAID also be funding HOUSING and PLACEMENTS for people who meet the criteria for LONG TERM CARE?

We think the answer to that question is ABSOLUTELY YES and failure to do so amounts to DISCRIMINATION.

  We need the FEDS through CMS or a Technical Assistance Center with or without the US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) to provide DETAILED TEMPLATES that the States can modify for good cause shown so long as they can still comply with relevant laws.

  SIGNIFICANTLY, CMS 2015 Medicaid HOUSING-RELATED GUIDANCE REMINDED STATES that the MEDICAID STATE AGENCY could take the LEAD in OLMSTEAD PLANNING.

We NEED CMS to take the LEAD in getting STATES to OLMSTEAD COMPLIANCE.

   Quite frankly, we don't have a lot of faith in the ability of the STATES to do this on their own without significant ASSISTANCE.

We're 20 years out from Olmstead -- many people who needed the COMPLIANCE of STATES are already dead.

  We know of people with cognitive disabilities NOW in Colorado prisons who NEED that PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH not as a PILOT PROGRAM -- but brought to SCALE.

THE CHANGE WE NEED---- FOR BOTH COGNITIVE DISABILITY POLICY AND BEYOND

8/12/2020

If you really want to make CHANGE --- it's about CHANGING the SYSTEM ---- not as much people --- although it often is about expanding meaningful participation..
Further, a lot of times --- it is not so much throwing everything out --- as BUILDING on what you've got, although there is a SHEDDING of SOME OLD WAYS.

A lot of our prescription would be SYSTEMITIZE:

INCLUSION --- Different People ask DIFFERENT QUESTIONS
DATA COLLECTION --- "The answers you get depend on the questions you ask." In 2020, DATA is a CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE and it goes both ways.
- We are now AWARE of so much MORE than the FOUNDERS were. As George Will observed, Jefferson could live in the ILLUSION that he had mastered most known knowledge --- the Modern person no matter how well educated or bright -- can't do that.
- That requires the HUMBLENESS of former NIMH Director Thomas Insel and Spiritual Leaders when it comes to judging others.
PROBLEM-SOLVING -- our political parties FACILITATE some problem-solving and they SABOTAGE a lot of problem-solving
- The REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT that was a BIG STEP UP from KING GEORGE and MONARCHY --- isn't good enough anymore --- even if you keep those 3 BRANCHES of GOVERNMENT.
- We need more INCLUSION --- where people are doing the real problem solving (which they are already doing now anyway). Politicians are good at IMPLEMENTNG A CONSENSUS -- there are a lot of STRUCTURAL BARRIERS, namely the POLITICAL PARITIES and what's essentially an ADVERSARY SYSTEM that is preventing POLITICIANS from being good PROBLEM-SOLVERS.
- We need INCLUSIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING GROUPS -- that can address the problems with a goal of reaching a CONSENSUS and then give that to the POLITICIAN(s).
- INCLUSIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING GROUPS would NOT be NIRVANA -- but it could be a step in the right direction and we're already trying to do that --- certainly at the State Level-- even if some of the most impacted people are NOT INCLUDED. There is plenty of room for IMPROVEMENT.

UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME (UBI)

This is potentially an elegant solution to a lot of problems in our Society, and it is more CONSERVATIVE than a lot of people might think:
- When you're living in a PYRAMID SCHEME that is relying on the INVISIBLE HAND of SELF INTEREST and COMPETITION -- A LOT of PEOPLE GET SCREWED.
- Further, a lot of the people who are willing to SACRIFICE EVERYTHING to make it to the TOP -- are our people --- they can be very EMOTIONALLY DYS-REGULATED.*
Women are NOT where they were in 1970s: wanting to say "I'll SCREAM if you don't say I'm equal." Women are a lot more CONFIDENT NOW --- they don't want to go back to the 1950s -- but there is much more of a REALIZATION that the HEAVY-LIFTING in most SOCIETIES is what was traditionally viewed as WOMEN's WORK.
Trying to move ALL of "WOMEN's WORK" to the MARKETPLACE has NOT really succeeded. It's Hard Work and There's A Lot of It
To really SHARE that BURDEN/LABOR OF LOVE --- you need time, energy and resources.
Much of current American work/life approaches of the last 40 years FUNDAMENTALLY did NOT accept:
- the CONSTRAINTS of the 24-Hour Day
- What it really means to be SINGLE
- What it really means to be MARRIED,
- What it really means to be DIVORCED
- What it really means to have KIDS
- What it really means to have PARENTS with significant health problems..
- What it really means to be HUMAN.

THE PROBLEM WITH HIERARCHY

You're not just empowering the person's strengths, you're empowering the person's weaknesses as well.
Our Founding Fathers knew the CORRUPTING ASPECT of POWER in a BIG WAY and that it wasn't about an INDIVIDUAL --- it was about "HUMAN NATURE."
Although hierarchy has worked for a lot for animal groups tp provide niches for individuals --- HUMAN BEINGS are running up against its LIMITS. --- the Founding Fathers ran up against its LIMITS and we've been banging our heads against those LIMITS in the US.
There's a lot of talk of "Hierarchies" vs. "Networks" --- that Debate is furthering the DISCUSSION about where we need to go -- it's not clear its going to get us there.
Our current AGE OF AUTHENTICITY is an important part of our CONTINUING Transformation of Hierarchy. PAST EFFORTS WERE FOUNDATIONAL to the US and to DEMOCRACY.

Some of our FAVORITE -- OLD, WHITE GUYS . . .

Pericles -- famed leader of 5th Century B.C.E. Athens --- the birthplace of democracy.

Began paying for public service -- we do a lot of that in modern societies.

We need to make it Universal -- Universal Basic Income (UBI) -- and tie that to sustainable, creative and innovative requirements for public service.

Philosopher of Science Thomas Kuhn provided enormous development of the concept of the PARADIGM SHIFT in his 1962 book "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions."

When we think about the MONUMENTAL IMPACTS of the COPERNICAN REVOLUTION and the DARWINIAN REVOLUTION we often think about the challenge to RELIGION.

Ironically, our TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION is bringing an understanding of BIOLOGY we never had before and our SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS have laid the groundwork for us to deal with this.

It's a lot about NOT JUDGING or PUNISHING, but it doesn't require ignoring legitimate SAFETY issues.

George Will -- a Symbol of INTELLECTUAL CONSERVATISM --- Rationality and Reason --- Reason and Logic have their limits as Musician Roger Hodgson can point out (see below)---- BUT we are in desperate need of a lot more LOGIC and REASON in our consideration of the DSM 5 and Cognitive Disability Policy. in general.

Additionally, Will wasn't afraid to BREAK with his TRIBE/GROUP/PARTY when he perceived they were no longer REASONABLE or RATIONAL. We'd like to see that kind of PRINCIPLED REASON & COURAGE in MENTAL HEALTH.

We did see it in DR. Ruth SHIM of UC DAVIS calling out STRUCTURAL RACISIM in the American Psychiatric Association. We'd like to see a lot more of that.

Finally, that FUTURE that arrives UNANNOUNCED was often preceded by BILLBOARD SIZE SIGNS the HISTORIAN can't fail to miss.

Some BIG Points of Irony

An Ancient Greek General and Leader like Pericles could probably understand the need for Universal Basic Income. If you're interested in the WESTERN TRADITION --- EXPANDING PARTICIPATION and ENHANCING WELFARE is part of it, too.
We often credit ancient Jewish people for getting us out of HUMAN SACRIFICE, but that work is not really over. We may not be SACRIFICING people to BAAL but we are SACRIFICING them to FEAR, GREED, ARROGANCE, and MYOPIC VIEWS of the World.
THE BIG, BIG IRONY: It's SCIENCE and RELIGION/BROADER SPIRITUAL CONCERNS -- TOGETHER --- that could help us SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE the current BIOLOGICAL REVOLUTION.

Roger Hodgson of Supertramp walkng through the Mountains and Pine Trees with his Guitar -- searching for God, True Love and the Meaning of Life

PART III: WHEN WE SAY MENTAL HEALTH & FORENSIC HEALTH ARE HURTING A LOT OF PEOPLE --- WHAT DO WE MEAN?

8/9/2020

THE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH BREEDS DESPERATE PROVIDERS, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND GREEDY CEOS

Like a lot of places in our Society -- In Medicaid Mental Health, the people at the top get rich and the people providing essential services are often not paid very well.

The REALITY is NOBODY WOULD CARE what a CEO is making if our SYSTEMS were working -- BUT they're not, and that includes Medicaid Mental Health.

Colorado Medicaid's Too Dangerous / Too Difficult To Treat Problem

North Carolina Medicaid Mental Health CEO Defends His Salary At the Legislature (2016)

The presentation started as an update to legislators on how North Carolina’s Medicaid reform process will affect people with mental health and substance use problems.

Instead, the discussion during Tuesday’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Medicaid and NC Health Choice turned into a hour-long interrogation of Richard Topping, the CEO of Cardinal Innovations, one of the state’s publicly funded mental health managed care organizations.

Legislators, and even the state’s Health and Human Services Secretary Rick Brajer, lit into Topping, criticizing his new million dollar-plus reimbursement package. They also criticized the way Topping has stretched the boundaries of legislative mandates and his agency’s use of public money.

COLORADO

Now in Colorado there have been similar problems as those indicated in North Carolina above.

In the past, the State has lamented those disparities but the State hasn't really seen it as their responsibility to address.

The people at the TOP of MEDICAID MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS/ MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS in North Carolina, Colorado and around the Country often do wield a LOT of POWER and they are sometimes PAID A LOT OF MONEY.

Now, if you took that LARGESSE away from the people at the top could you AFFORD to significantly raise the SALARIES of UNDERPAID STAFF MEMBERS -- maybe not -- and that's the problem.

Further, just requiring equitable pay structures of participating non-profits in the Medicaid program doesn't solve all the problems, especially in Mental Health.

In Mental Health those problems are being driven a lot by LACK OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TO CLINICAL PRACTICE.

BUT SOMEHOW THIS INEQUITY IN PAY STRUCTURES is not IRRELEVANT and we think it is linked to the INSANE CONSEQUENCES that D.J. Jaffe writes about in his book .

If we want EQUITY in HEALTHCARE -- one place to start is the PROVIDERS.

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Val's Blog

The Trials and Tribulations of the canary in the coal mine

A NEED FOR:ADDITIONAL PHILANTHROPIC & STATE PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE DISABILITY HOUSING

TOWARDS A MORE PERFECT UNION WITH OVER 300 MILLION IMPERFECT PEOPLE

A STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH & WEARING MASKS: GOVERNMENTS & PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO

THE DELICATE ART OF PERSUASION, LAWSUITS & PROTESTS IN THE STREETS

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DEFICITS

CAN WE TALK? ---MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

THAT CORNER WE'VE PAINTED OURSELVES INTO

MORE ABOUT DEFACTO TAUTOLOGIES, DOING THE BEST YOU CAN, SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND PROOF BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT

WE'VE PAINTED OURSELVES INTO A CORNER WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PSYCHIATRY --WILL WE GET OUT?

THE CHANGE WE NEED---- FOR BOTH COGNITIVE DISABILITY POLICY AND BEYOND

PART III: WHEN WE SAY MENTAL HEALTH & FORENSIC HEALTH ARE HURTING A LOT OF PEOPLE --- WHAT DO WE MEAN?

THE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH BREEDS DESPERATE PROVIDERS, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND GREEDY CEOS

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