New Mexico House panel OKs mental-illness treatment bill

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

New Mexico House panel OKs mental-illness treatment bill
The Associated Press
March 19, 2015


SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico House panel has passed a proposal that would require some New Mexico residents with severe mental illness to receive court-ordered outpatient treatment.

The House Judiciary Committee approved Thursday a measure strongly supported by mental health advocates.

The Senate-approved bill would allow judges in some counties to order patients to take medication and undergo treatment if they are deemed a danger to themselves and their community. Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, who is sponsoring the bill, says it's "like a modified version" of the New York's Kendra's law.

That measure was named after Kendra Webdale, a 32-year-old woman who was pushed in front of an oncoming subway train in 1999 by a man battling untreated schizophrenia.


Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/03/19/6131789_new-mexico-house-panel-oks-mental.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

[840high]

1. Very good.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Mental illness needs some attention. Families does everything but doesn't get much help

For their family member. I would not like to see the return of people institutionalized just because others did not want them around but sometimes help to get one in need on medication would be good.

[Trillo]

3. "treatment" vs "cure"

If someone is clearly a danger to others, it seems like a good idea. But who decides who's a danger? If someone is truly a danger to others, then perhaps they should be institutionalized and also be fed and clothed.

Sometimes Free Speech Advocates have been accused of Mental Health issues, so this is a very slippery slope.

[HereSince1628]

8. Article says some judges...which sounds like incompetency adjudications

Autonomy and self-determination are the foundation of freedom expected under common law, and this normally includes refusal of treatment.

The mental health industry is well aware of the history of abuse of mental health authority for political purposes.

We usually associate that sort of abuse with repression of dissidents in totalitarian states. The Soviet Union had a practice of doing this to political dissidents. But, just this week there was a report from FL that a state government employee was sent home after bringing climate change into a discussion and cannot return until a physician provides an evaluation for unstated illness. The implication clearly being that concern about global warning is a sign of serious mental illness.

Courts make determinations of incompetency to make decisions, physicians/psychiatrists make determinations about capacity to make decisions. Although the processes are similar they do vary from state to state, and examination of New Mexico law would be necessary to know just what will be involved in stripping a person of their autonomy to make decisions about their own treatment.

[Downwinder]

4. Who is paying the bill?

[mopinko]

5. medicaid.

if nothing else. dont see why this would not be covered by insurance, especially since the aca has strong mental health parity rules.

[mopinko]

6. this is important. families are ssooooo helpless.

have a friend right now whose son's untreated depression is about to kill him. he recently lost his wife, and wants to move on. but he is saddled w a 50 yo son, trained as an engineer, who has never left home, and hasnt worked in decades.

they know he needs help. he was hospitalized in the past. he is a hoarder. the house needs to be sold, but what to do?
a major court battle is their only hope.

families need less restrictive tools than hospitalization and institutionalization. and costly court battles.

it is time.


eta- and those without families need it all the more.

[jwirr]

9. My brother has bi-polar and was homeless for a while. The family still owns our parents home in

Iowa and we turned it over to him. Yes, some day he might kill himself but at least he has his own place. We keep in touch with him and help out when he asks but other than that we let him live his own life.

Unless this father absolutely needs the money from the house that might be a solution for them.

[mopinko]

11. he does. he is going into assisted living.

they need to sell it.

[Downwinder]

7. State of New Mexico cuts funding for mental health clinics.

Papering over it.

[christx30]

10. This is a good thing.

The state of mental health in this country is terrible. As a frequent bus rider, I see all kinds of ill people.
Quick story:
I was riding the bus with my family on the way to the store when it parked for a layover. Driver got off the bus leaving me, my wife, and our two kids there with a young man holding a walking staff. He stood up, facing away from us, and strutted around with that staff like he was playing to a crowd of thousands of devoted followers. He got on his knees to bow at one point. Then he quickly stood up with that staff, and screamed, "ARE YOU WITH ME!!!"
I got between him and my family. Thankfully, the driver came back and we left. But that kind of thing happens a lot.