here here, Liz! Blaire's death, and the suffering of countless other girls should not be allowed to have happen in vain. What I really wonder is how much Blair's parents know about the way she was treated at MMS- I think that they should be made privy to all the information we have, they'd probably be shocked as mine were.
Also, I often think, as you mention, what other alternative was there? And that's the biggest problem. These facilites have popped up everywhere precisely b/c local care has failed us- lack of funding, training mostly, lack of parental awareness, and a great deal of misinformation going around too. What I hope that, as young people getting oranized, not just from MMS, but from other facilites just like MMS, we can draw attention to this obvious flaw in the system that doesn't provide care needed that has allowed this billion dollar a year industry to flourish w/o gov't oversite to ensure the care kids are recieving is ethically implements. Most importantly, the gov't has failed provide kids/parents with the more effective solutions by improving local systems of care to these problems many kids face,because youth often don't require institutionalization- that should be reserved for extreme cases. Studies have shown that it often doesn't work and it's time that the public recognize this and the gov't provide the resources to solve this problem. Home based care, outpatient treatment has provent to be most effective, especially in places that are well funded that use something called the 'wrap around process'. This is a more holistic mehtod that empowers youth and their families.
These imporvements & regulation, of course, can't be made if the only voices Congressman hear are coming from industry folks and families swearing by these facilites, where girls/boys who have been harmed are silenced by the Colleen's of the world. It's bullshit and I, for one, am tired of that intimidation that allows this to mistreatment to continue. How many more Blaire's have to die until we realize we are harming so many kids by remaining silent?
I'm not sure what e-mailing John will do, my sense is that if he is so easily dismissive of a few bad apples, (read: dissenters- remind you of any particular administration?) then I'm not sure he would be receptive to many dissenters-- but, perhaps he truly does care. My opinion of John is beyond low, i think he's scum and really doesn't care for youth, or does so only insofar as it doesn't hurt his fragile ego and...well, maybe I shouldn't go beyond that. We all know what he was like.
But in terms of real change, I do encourage you all to write Dr.Allison Pinto and share your experience- that story will be delivered to Congress in support of regulation. It's a place to start, even if it's not the final solution. Plenty of abuses and abusive methods are used at regulated facilites, but it's a start This is Dr. Pinto's e-mail address.
APinto@fmhi.usf.eduSo, thanks Liz for sharing your thoughts...I appreciate what you have to say.
best, kat
