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Well said!

Oregon needs more varied and appropriate supportive housing options, supportive employment, seeing strengths of people instead of labels, more peer support and family/natural support system education.

Trauma exacerbates illness when the system is not preventive. Symptoms are worsened by events that are secondary to illness symptoms (losing housing, jobs, self-esteem, possessions, relationships, medical treatment) and by trauma.

Bottlenecks and gaps lead to traumatic crisis management outside of helpful mental health care, all much more expensive in dollars and emotional cost to the individual than preventive care might be.

There are many opportunities to join in advocacy efforts and peer support that can help identify specific policies that create the bottlenecks and gaps, and opportunities to lesson trauma. 

If we can identify the policies and budget decisions that create the bottlenecks and gaps, we can advocate for better preventive care and promote recovery.

One very serious gap is the lack of appropriate housing available for State Hospital patients ready for discharge.

Lack of beds in less restrictive or appropriate housing for patients who are forced to stay in the state hospital creates a bottleneck preventing those entering crisis from accessing treatment. This lack of beds in the community seems to contribute to 'criminalization of mental illness' for some. And, this in turn leads to difficulty for these individuals in finding employment and housing, which only adds to their troubles.

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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NAMI is "National Alliance on Mental Illness" Several organizations known as NAMI, are separate nonprofits, though related.

NAMI, grassroots began in 1979. NAMI Multnomah affiliate, with grassroots across the US, formed NAMI National, a separate entity with its own funding sources.

State organizations, like NAMI Oregon, were formed for organizing statewide teacher and facilitator trainings and to organize state advocacy of county affiliate members.

County affiliates connect directly with individuals, provide classes and support groups, and advocate locally.

NAMI Multnomah provides system navigators, classes, support groups and advocate, heavily subsidized by volunteer hours.   

NAMI Multnomah has many wonderful peer mentors and peer advocates. (Some choose to identify as 'peers' rather than 'consumer.')

NAMI Multnomah brought Peer-to-Peer Recovery classes to Oregon, provides peer-led support groups and goes into hospitals to help individuals who are inpatient connect with recovery support after discharge.  

NAMI Multnomah peers, including some who have been in the state hospital and through PSRB, educate the community through "In Our Own Voice" presentations at universities, corporations, and hospitals. 

NAMI Multnomah was not contacted to speak on this OPB program about the state hospital either.  

It seems appropriate to have NAMI Oregon speak about the state hospital, and still, I think it would be important to have several peers with their own personal experience at the state hospital.

Not any one of us could speak for everyone's experience, peer or family member. Sometimes, the 'family members' live with a mental illness themselves. We learn to erase the “us vs. them.”

Recovery takes many forms. The most successful give us hope and this helps erase stigma and stereotype. Some are chronically, severely ill or very young or in serious crisis, which teaches compassion and informs us of the need to advocate. We must not leave these peers out. That’s the voice of "natural support," often the family.

Some who live with mental illness have not had support of their families, or have been treated unjustly. Others express their hope to have relatives or friends advocating and find appropriate care. Or all of the above. 

Several peers, with different experiences, must be heard from. One size does not fit all.

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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