Long Time No Post

Well here I am again - a year later. I am not sure I am made to blog but I see so many things each and every day that pull at my heartstrings I feel God has placed me in a position to share some of this. Much of it involves children, but not all. Yesterday I had the opportunity to join a local police officer as we attempted to persuade a person who was riding the shoulder of the highway in their wheelchair. Now mind you it was 97 degrees the only fluid this person had was a can of root beer that they were sure was poisoned therefore they would not drink the soda or the yet sealed bottle of water I offered. The dilemma here is no family, no money, no options. The local cop had already spent a couple of hours with this person and they were unwilling to go back to their residence because the people there were poisoning the water and food and sneaking in a night and cutting this individuals hair. After several hours spent attempting to gain trust, nothing worked. Unfortunately part of my job is admitting people who need psychiatric care even when they will not go voluntarily. I hate this part of my job even though I understand it is necessary. It hurts that there are so few options available for many people. Some are stuck in the muck of the consequences of earlier actions and choices, some are innocent victims of a fallen world. And yet the others are the victim of the poor choices of others.

If you have paid attention to the news at all, funding for mental health services is shrinking or in the case of Illinois, the state just has no money to pay their bills. Yet another fiscal year looms ahead and we anticipate cuts in our budget and layoffs. Heck, we have services that have not been paid for in a least a year - still waiting on the state! The impact of this will be wide felt in our society. I say we quite flying officials all over the state and country - even the world and expect them to stay at home and work for us collectively. If the budget isn't done on time - there should not be additional expenses paid to drag out the process. After the deadline they are on their own dime! Failure to provide adequate mental health services will have a direct impact on the medical system, the criminal system from the local cop on up, as well as, the families and communities in which we live. There are plenty of things most of us can live without but compassion for the least of these is not one on them.

This incident is one of many in any given day. It does not include the 7 and 8 year olds that sob endless in my office because of the horrendous things they have endured at the hand of those who are supposed to love and nurture them. This doesn't include the person who is dying and trying to figure out what the latest letter claiming she has no coverage for this particular medication means for her depression and pain. Every day is different, each soul unique, special in the eyes of the Creator. My hope at the end of the day is that my clients walk away with hope for better days ahead, recognition that some one has unconditional regard for them and that they are not alone.

And some days I still have to fill out the involuntary commit paperwork in order to keep people safe from themselves or to keep others safe from them. Mental Health is a challenging field. There are so many variables that enter into the mix. I work with a wonderful group of co-workers who have learned to do the best possible job with less than you can imagine. They are creative, hope giving and committed ( some days maybe "commitable" :) and passionate in the midst of dark and stressful times. It is an uncomfortable calling, but then I know few biblical leaders who were comfortable. Most of them spent time explaining to God why they were unfit to be used by him. I guess we just have to remember that it has little to do with us and everything to do with God!