We want to hear from you
IDHA is collecting responses from our community to gather diverse perspectives on this topic, and initiate dialogue that leads to collaborative action.
Community Responses
Nathaniel, Social Economic Builder, New York
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? The nonprofit approach is not working, due to the fact, that the model for mental health is one that feeds the illness instead of a model to eradicate it completely. The nonprofit model promotes that mental health is an illness to be cured. In fact, mental health is created by social norms that are not addressed. Such as, prison systems, poverty, bias laws, broken families, drugs, alcohol, poor food and more. The nonprofit industry makes money off of poverty, however it has not created any infrastructure to combat poverty. How nice!
What is your vision for community safety and care? This question is vast. The thought that I would share is this, if unjust laws continue to rule the land, what is the point of safety and care?
Steven, Social Worker, Virginia
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? It limits autonomy and places the onus of suffering onto the individual rather than their circumstances. There is an over-emphasis on punishment and control, rather than empowerment and alleviation of suffering.
What is your vision for community safety and care? A system of justice based on mutual accountability rather than patriarchal notions of authority that imposes punishments. An extension of restorative justice that is not imparted onto, but manifests out of a communal sense of investment in collective liberation.
Laura, Activist and Peer, washington
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? Force is not choice. Forced treatment damages and scars people who experience it. Services are not truly driven by survivors/peers but by funding sources and others. Current approach is not democratic, does not incorporate peer views and preferences. Mental health is unduly politicized.
What is your vision for community safety and care? A safer alternative to crises on the streets and elsewhere could be CAHOOTS, a model gaining national attention. A bill in Congress has been introduced called The CAHOOTS Act. See Rep. DeFazio Press Release here. See Register Guard article where I was interviewed as a past recipient of CAHOOTS services here. White Bird Clinic houses CAHOOTS and has a community center feel to its headquarters where clients are welcomed. The relaxed environment partnered with humane crisis support is both attractive and healing.
Brenda, Registered Psychiatric Nurse, Canada
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? I do not agree with taking police out of mental health crisis response. in my opinion, only people without education or experience in this field would believe this is an appropriate thing to do. I would never do my job without police officers to keep me safe. I think there are many changes that need to take place as far as training of police officers (especially in the US) but where I live, our offers ARE trained in crisis response, de-escalation techniques and do not use disproportional/inappropriate aggression when dealing with my clients.
What is your vision for community safety and care? I think that people with refractory psychosis and substance addiction who are incapable of living in the community should be treated like human beings and be given the institutional care they require to have their needs met and be safe. De-institutionalization was NEVER about the best interests of people with mental health issues, it was about saving money. Period.
Anastasia, social worker, texas
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? Lack of funding, especially in Texas where we compete for lowest amount of money spent on funding social services.
What is your vision for community safety and care? Our agency is actually seeking to launch the Greater Access & Partnership Program or "GAPP" which will work alongside law enforcement to provide wraparound services and mental health counseling to reduce crises and involuntary hospitalizations. Our local Police Departments are on board, but now we must obtain funding. You can read more about the GAPP at www.acfstexas.com/initiatives and I would be delighted if you shared any of the photos or links we have shared on social media in regard to the GAPP.
Lauren, Creative Arts therapist, illinois
In your view, why is the current approach to mental health care not working? Healthcare professionals are not often provided with realistic training about larger systems of oppression and the real impact on service users. Often many are disillusioned upon entry from school and quickly burnout which leads to the formation of hopeless, complicit providers that mis-remember their humanness, allowing for abuse they witness and perpetrate to become normalized. I hope that through justice and anti-oppressive education, more providers will be able to assess and re-align with their moral values. It may also require training in moral courage and integrity for providers to root into the practical application of ethics and have tangible accountability processes that uphold human dignity.
What is your vision for community safety and care? Inhales, exhales. We uprise together to meet, support, or circle around the one of us who may be in pain or experiencing divergently. We learn and connect with each other in our humanness, respecting the sanctity of all life. We create sustainable and accessible practices for care that emerge out of shared responsibility to attend to those who are most impacted. We align to values of acceptance, nonjudgment, and nurturance and exist in right relationship to each other and our home, the Earth. We trust our capacity to hold space for responsive restoration and have dignified approaches to rectify harm. We ensure that mutual aid networks can balance collective resources and demands so that no one is disposable.