[NYAPRS Enews] County Officials: Virginia Tech Reforms Should Boost Voluntary Recovery Approaches

[Harvey Rosenthal]

Strengthen Mental Health Recovery Systems

Cynthia McClaskey and Lisa Moore

Roanoke Times   September 24, 2007

 

McClaskey is chairwoman and Moore is vice chairwoman of the Southwest
Virginia Behavioral Health Board.

 

The Southwest Virginia Behavioral Health Board recognizes and
acknowledges that the events of April 16 were tragic and had a
tremendous impact of loss and hurt not only for the families and friends
of the victims killed and injured, and all Virginia Tech students and
employees, but the region and nation. The board would like to offer its
deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims in this
tragedy.

 

Doubtless, this incident may potentially lead to far-reaching changes in
Virginia's public mental health system. We need to be aware of an
increase in the false belief by some of the public that all people with
mental illnesses are violent, and therefore need to be closely monitored
and even institutionalized.

 

Study after study shows that people with mental illness are no more
violent or potentially violent than anyone else. More often than not,
they are the victims rather than the perpetrators of violence. As a
result of the media focus on this tragedy, there seems to be a greater
sense of depression, fear and anxiety among people with mental illness.
There is fear of a backlash that could lead to legislation that may
criminalize and discriminate against people with mental illness.

 

Two federal groups have proposed recommendations for the treatment of
mental illnesses -- the federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration and President Bush's New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health. The commission states: "Recovery refers to
the process in which people are able to live, work, learn and
participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery
is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite a
disability. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete
remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an
integral role in an individual's recovery."

 

In the past two years in Virginia, the mental health system has started
moving forward by including new recovery-oriented approaches that have
been positively received by mental health consumers and service
providers. These recovery processes give people with mental illness a
sense of choice in their treatment and the understanding that recovery
is happening now for others and can happen for them.

 

The recovery movement that is taking place in the Virginia mental health
system is the single greatest process that can empower consumers. For
example, Southwest Virginia has implemented the Wellness Recovery Action
Plan, Leadership Education and Advocacy Program, local and regional
consumer empowerment and recovery councils, Program of Assertive
Community Treatment teams, crisis stabilization programs and the
employment of consumers as peer support providers.

 

These programs, with traditional counseling and medication management,
are excellent tools for people with mental illness in their recovery.
The Southwest Virginia Behavioral Health Board, mental health care
providers, family members and consumers recognize that a major challenge
facing people with mental illness is the risk of social isolation. The
process of recovering from mental illness centers on breaking down
social isolation and restoring a person's social connectedness. This
process can work only when we all come together as consumers, family
members, mental health care providers and the community.

 

Any new legislation that may come as a result of the April 16 tragedy
should enhance the options for voluntary participation in mental health
treatment. New legislation that focuses only on coercive interventions
can result in people with mental illness becoming even more isolated to
avoid these consequences, and thus not receiving effective treatment.
Through expanded partnerships, resources and thoughtful leadership, the
public mental health system in Virginia can strengthen its mission to
embrace people with mental illness in a recovery environment of support
and hope.

 

The Southwest Virginia Behavioral Health Board is composed of 14 voting
members. Executive directors from six community services boards and two
state facilities constitute eight of these members. The other six voting
members are people who use state and local mental health, mental
retardation and substance abuse services (consumers) and their family
members. The board helps to make policies for the community services
boards and state facilities in the 17 counties and four cities of far
Southwest Virginia.

 

For more information on mental health and recovery, visit samhsa.gov or
mentalhealthcommission.gov or contact your local community services
board.

 

http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/wb/xp-133187 

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