Secretary of HHS Sebelius is Reminded of Goal

Thank you Susan for sharing this link:
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Congressional-Call-to-DHHS-Regarding-Consumer-and-Survivor-Involvement-and-Leadership.html?soid=1101376885042&aid=wTyXy42qpmg
Thank you D.J. Jaffe for sharing this link:
http://sites.google.com/site/oppositionanalysis






Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary Sebelius reminding her a primary goal the 2003 New Freedom Commission Report on Mental Health was to involve consumers and family members in every aspect of program service and development.  That doing so would more effectively enable transformation of the mental health system towards a recovery model; giving those that receive mental health services a voice in what treatment is provided and by whom.  Doing this would fulfill the goal of Self-Determination.  


One of the statements in the letter submitted by NYAPRS was that consumer life spans are shortened by 25 years in comparison with the the general population.  This immediately struck me, since 6 days ago I posted "Opposition to Inaccurate Analysis," in which I shared two documents.  One, written by NYAPRS in opposition to New York State's successful effort to renew the  Assisted Outpatient Treatment statute, or Kendra's Law. The other, Treatment Advocacy Center's uninformed response to this statement, defies reason; lacks respect for the individuals who spoke up in opposition to Kendra's Law; and  equally notable, absence of "the facts." which were promised. 


At the top of the page, TAC claimed, "This page contains two documents. The documents give reasons put forth by NYAPRS and others to oppose Kendra's Law and contrast them with the facts."  In spite of this claim, the TAC did not put forth a single fact in response to NYAPRS  contention that premature death  was a known risk of using neuroleptic medications.   " We don’t know where this statistic comes from or its relationship to Kendra’s Law. Researchers found Kendra’s Law recipients had a 55% reduction in suicide attempts or physical harm to self. This would be expected to, although it hasn’t been studied, to lead to an increase in life span, not a decrease."


As for the research TAC put forth, it is lacking in credibility, and proper citation.  It states the locations where the studies took place from which they culled their "facts" refuting the opposition's stand against Assisted Outpatient Treatment, but no names of researchers, or sources of publication.  In fact, the response that TAC put forth falls far short of it's stated intent.  It is typical of  the "advocacy" practiced by TAC, nothing but smoke that is blown up our proverbial skirts.  


I commend the Members of Congress for sending this letter and for including the fact that premature death due to neuroleptic drug use, documented in numerous studies in the United States and abroad, is real.  No smoke, no mirrors; just a cold hard fact.