Mental health advocates rally

Patients' families, NAMI oppose cuts

AMIRAV DAVY, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published January 22, 2002

OLYMPIA -- Families with loved ones affected by mental illness warned legislators Monday that cuts to mental health programs will only help ease a state budget crisis in the short run.

Gov. Gary Locke's proposed budget cuts $9.3 million from Washington's public mental health system, according to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, whose members were at the Capitol for their annual day of lobbying.

"This puts a personal face on the effects of these cuts and initiatives," said Rep. Sandra Romero, D-Olympia, who met with local representatives of the alliance.

Train police

NAMI advocates circulated throughout the Capitol Campus to spread their message that society needs to treat mental health patients as vulnerable citizens.

They also spoke about the need for modern medicines, providing the proper help for homeless and incarcerated individuals, and offering better training for local police who respond to a crisis involving someone with a mental illness.

"The police, whether they like it or not, are the front line of defense," said Bill Pilkey, president of the Thurston/Mason County chapter of the alliance.

"By training these officers in how to deal with those affected by a mental illness, we reduce the number of incidents as much as we can."

DeBoers speak

The lobby day had special significance this year for local members after Kent DeBoer of Olympia was shot Jan. 11. DeBoer has a mental illness, and his parents, Patricia and Lloyd DeBoer, told local legislators what happened with their son.

"This incident should never have been allowed to happen," said Patricia DeBoer, who preceded Pilkey as president of the local alliance chapter.

"It's also best for police to be better trained and know when to leave patients alone. The mentally ill are very afraid of the police."

The day he was shot, Kent DeBoer had become out of control at his parents' home. Patricia DeBoer initially called a county-designated health professional to try and calm her son down. Police responded before the mental-health worker did and shot Kent DeBoer after he began throwing kitchen knives at the officers.

Kent DeBoer was in stable condition Monday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, a nursing supervisor said.

Before the shooting, Pilkey had helped to set up a crisis intervention training program for officers on how to deal with mental health patients. Out of the 26 officers who took the training, 10 were from Olympia, two were from Lacey, and one was from Tumwater.

"The officers who arrive on the scene need to be trained," Pilkey said. "These incidents can happen in Tumwater and Lacey, as well, and if they don't get training, we will unfortunately see more of them."

Fears of the ill

Those affected by a mental illness worry about not receiving the proper medication for their illness because of budget cuts. They fear they will have to rely on older, more generic drugs with greater side effects.

"To save money they will push generic medication, which is older medication with bad side effects," said NAMI advocate Wayne Clare, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 22 years ago.

"If they stick with the newer treatments, they are much more humane and effective. When it comes to mental illness, every person's disease is unique and when doctors have a complete inventory of medication, they can treat a patient more effectively."

Families worry that lack of proper medication and the inability to pay for it may result in more mental health patients on the street. NAMI family advocate Pat Lovett said mental health patients already are being discharged too early from local hospitals.

The alliance is pushing to create mental health parity in Washington.

NAMI representatives want mental health to be viewed in the same category as physical ailments such as heart disease, and for insurance to fully cover the ability to receive medication and treatment.

Other measures

Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Olympia, is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 5211, which would increase mental health coverage for children younger than 18.

Two other bills on the docket designed to help mental health patients are Senate Bill 5522 and House Bill 2367.

SB 5522 would allow ombudsmen and quality review teams from agencies to help mental health patients get treatment and rehabilitation without funding from the Regional Support System.

HB 2367 would create a system that allows individuals with a mental illness to draft advanced medical directives.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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