From Del. Mary-Dulany James:
Dear Friends,
I was initially hesitant to send out an email regarding the untimely death of Robin Williams, because, like mental illness, I thought my pain was singular. However, after reading so many touching stories and Facebook posts, I realized that this truly a collective pain, which is comforting. I often think about the suicides that have happened in my life and wish those who feel so alone and sad, knew and know that we are here for them and that they are not alone. I fondly remember this touching moment from the movie Patch Adams, and I want to remember him this way:
Because mental illness touches us all and receives too little attention, I have dedicated over the past 15 years in my work in the State Legislature to secure over 103 million dollars for Community Mental Health, Addictions, and Developmental Disabilities Facilities.
Our local offices have served 5,557 people through the public mental health system (2,245 children/adolescents and 3,312 adults.) There were 259 new people receiving public mental health services in FY13, a 4.8% increase (93 children/adolescents and 166 adults).
I am proud of my support of mental health and believe more needs to be done, so that more tragedies like this can be avoided.
-MDJ
Del. James,
The passing of Robin Williams and the nature of his illnesses as they were are not a gov’t matter. I appreciate your concern and your struggle. We don’t need any new laws passed or additional funding for government programs. Leave the spiritual and emotional health of individuals to doctors, families and churches. Thank you.
I know!!! We should just incarcerate the mentally ill and those with drug problems! That’ll save the state money! Oh wait, that is just tea-bagger nonsense.
Yes! We can legislate and medicate our society into a utopia! Let’s start right away! Oh? We already have started… not working, is it?
We need a better system to get the mentally Ill into Hospitals when they need to be there and keep them as long a necessary to keep the Public Safe and Treat the Patients Mental Illness. The system is Terribly Flawed. Jail is not the answer as it is proven time and time again that Mentally Ill Patients do not get effective Mental Health care if any Mental Health Care in Jail.
Good grief…using the death of Robin Williams to make political hay. Have Lib Dems no shame?
She’s no liberal; she calls herself a “Blue Dog Democrat,” whatever that is. And as far as her pandering on this tragic event. well, that’s just par for the course for her.
All the money in the world would not have helped Robin Williams, and it is despicable that Ms. Dulany James would use this wonderful actor and human being to give herself a political pat on the back. As a mental health professional for many years as well as a medical professional, there are some folks we will not be able to help if they are determined to end thrir lives. This case is complicated with the reality of a progressive, degenerative disease for which there is no cure.
I can’t believe that Robin Williams is gone and it is so sad he felt that bad to take his own life. Robin Williams would never have used a penny of our public mental health dollars because he could afford to pay for what he needed in cash. The problem with our system is that unless you are on medical assistance, it is difficult to access services because private insurance doesnt cover very much and mental hralth services, especially inpatient, are very expensive.
If Ms Dulaney James wanted to do something useful, she could look into why the DDA returned millions of dollars in unspent funds, when we have thousands of people on the waiting list for services in thelis state.
That was absolutely criminal and we didnt hear much about it as it was just swept under the rug, while many people desperate for services were left empty handed.
There you all go again. Del. James had an incident in her own family that reminded her of the importance of mental health, especially with the Robin Williams suicide. Of course some of you would blame her for trying to gain votes from Williams’ suicide. You don’t know that but you let the accusation fly nonetheless. It’s impossible that anyone would have good motives except you.
Now as for mental health, there are countless cases where people with serious illness are not only a menace to themselves but to others. The school shootings at Sandy Hook are one case, the Gabby Giffords case in Arizona is another and there were people such as children killed in that one plus the disabling of a fine woman and public servant. There are many other shooting incidents involving the access of mental health patients to guns. Del. James is correct to seek public funds for treatment. It would be fine if the private sector provided complete funding but the fact is that many mental patients do not have private insurance because many of them are unable to obtain jobs that have insurance, If the public sector does not provide some modest treatment, these patients don’t get anything. Dulaney-James deserves praise rather than abuse for her support of mental health funding.
What happens when mental patients cannot get the medication they need? The most frequent thing that happens is that they start taking illicit drugs to correct the imbalances they feel internally. So now you have an addiction to compound the problems with mental illness. I see it all the time as a nurse in a prison hospital.
This lady cares so much about our communities that she both supports mental health programs and is embedded with the Snee law firm. She is special.
MDJ is wanting another gig, so she is trying to be nice and attentive to all. SHE WANTS THE VOTES!!
As one of her constituents for the gig she was re-elected to last election, she never answered any emails, now my in box is flooded with emails from HER, IF she gets this new gig, I’m sure THAT will stop. Not a fan of hers, and quite a few others, and THAT is my right as it is EVERYONE’S. BUT ELECTION DAY IS COMING 🙂
Mr Boardman,
Did you really refer to inpatients as “mental patients?” That is an outdated term and a bit insensitive.
I am an advanced practice nurse and care for patients with serious mental illness. I also lost a beloved family member to suicide. Still, it doesnt make me feel like I want to go out and pat my back or take sole credit by the work accomplished through a team effort.
The bottom line is that if you have medical assistance (public funding), you can access nearly whatever you need. If you have private insurance, you are much more limited unless you can afford to pay cash. The insurance side really needs serious work and Obamacare has not solved it. If anything, it has made it worse.
If it isn’t dancing on the graves of dead children for gun control, it’s using the death of a beloved actor to puff themselves up. Some have no shame in politics. Is there a hopeful chance she loses?
I say we start with wanna be Politicians who lose every primary election as our first sweeping reform of mental health.
Okay, let’s have a round of applause for Miss Gulch who understands everything better than anyone else. To “Never let a tragedy go to waste,” excuse me but weren’t people with psychiatric problems involved in those tragedies and didn’t they have access to guns? Apparently this is not a valid public safety issue in your mind because opportunists are dancing on the graves of children. What a shameful statement.
and LOL, what a clever statement. The last time I counted I received 4613 more votes than you did but it’s just as well not to win in this toxic environment where any mean, vicious statement is fair game for anonymous posters. My best wishes to you all, and thanks to Del. James for voting to provide treatment for people who may need it, whether they are mental patients or whatever Miss Gulch wants to call them.
Wow dude. I wasn’t referring to you. Butt hurt, much?
Either way, sounds like you lost.
When Mr. Boardman first began posting months ago, I really liked his background and thoyght he could be someone I would vote for. After some of his more recent dialogue, not in a million years would I waste my vote on him. Not only is he a little misinformed and out of date, he is also mean spirited towards others and their pounts of view.
I think it was 2013 General Assembly session that it was pointed out several times this state doesn’t report much of anything to NICS.
Rather than do what every other state does, let’s create more draconian laws! LOL!!
Hey Christopher Boardman, when did this turn into a tape measuring contest?
Your comments don’t reflect an elected official, Harford County can only be grateful you didnt get enough votes, whatever it is you ran for.
I think it is important that everyone know that most people who have a mental illness are not a “menace to themselves …others.” This is a harmful fallacy that continues to perpetuate stigma. Mr. Boardman should know better as a nurse. This kind of rhetoric helps to prevent people from getting the help they need because they are ashamed and embarrassed.
Mr. Boardman has one perspective, working as a nurse within the jail system. The jails are filled with people who not only have mental illness but a host of other problems, including conduct disorder. These folks tend to be more violent, but it would be an overgeneralization to think that all individuals with mental illness are violent or a “menace.” This is simply not true. Most people can be safely treated on an outpatient basis. It is when they are at risk of harming themselves or others that inpatient services are needed. Add alcohol and other drugs to the mix and the risk is higher. Also, many people with mrntal illness do not stop their meds because they are unable to access them. They stop because they start to feel better and begin to think they no longer need them. But, it’s like any other physical condition ( e.g. heart condition) where taking medication may be a lifetime need.
A male nurse?
The face of nursing has dramatically changed. Now, nurses that are male are at a premium and encouraged to enter the profession. Also encouraged are second career professionals that come with a host of other skills useful to the profession. The amount of preparation and study that goes into nursing is tremendous and the professionalization of nursing has increased to the point where the gold standard for an entry level nurse is now a BSN (four year degree). The next step is MSN (masters level nurse) or advanced practice nurse that can examine patients and prescribe medication under their own license, such as nurse practitioners. The wave of the future will soon require newly graduated nurse practitioners (NPs) to have a DNP (doctorate).