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I am dually diagnosed
with both bipolar disorder and substance abuse. Without a sense of
purpose, I drift. The direction in which I drift is unimportant
because there are rocks at every compass point. With a sense of
purpose, I can steer gracefully through the jagged rocks to safely
reach the real goals I have chosen. I sail toward the shores on the
waves of Mental Health transformation whipped up by the Mental Health
Service Act (Prop 63). Once there, I will forge forward to establish
villages of hope and fight on the territory of traditional medical
models of treatment, advancing towards real recovery. Now is the time
to grab the opportunities offered by the wonderful programs coming
down from MHSA -- new monies, new programs, new possibilities. The
purpose is the empowerment for all mentally diagnosed people to move
forward into community involvement, personal growth and recovery.
The purpose is wellness.
How do we get there
from where we are now?
Recovery is
Real
Recovery is real.
The are many, many people with mental illness who get better and
function as fully productive people in society. We are mothers,
fathers, children, students, doctors and mechanics who have fought
determinedly back from our diagnoses. Your diagnosis is
not
your destiny. Working together with
clinicians, case workers, peers and support groups, people recover
every day. This is real and within our grasp.
The traditional way
of treating mental illness is to keep the symptoms in check. That did
not work for me. For more than 20 years, I fought a losing battle
against being an untreated bi-polar, armed only with alcohol. I lost
battle after battle because I was dealing with the symptoms and not
the root causes, my depression and mania. It cost me dearly. It cost
me my family, my home and my career. I ended up one of those drunks
you step over passed out in the gutter. That was two years ago.
Since then, with only
one relapse that just about cost me my life, I have been working for
my recovery. I have filled my life with purpose. I facilitate and
attend support groups, and I advocate getting trained on mental health
issues with Prop 63 4 Me. Prop 63 for Me was founded by Maureen
Mina and Chuck Hughes to hold mental health programs and services
funded with Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds accountable to the
people they are intended to serve. The MHSA is
bringing new money to fund new recovery-based programs and services.
Achieving
True Wellness
MHSA funds are to be
spent on new, innovative treatments based on the recovery model of
care. This model is designed to encourage people to live the
highest and freest life they can by moving them into progressive
recovery programs. People should live independently in the community,
with support and wraparound services as needed. Prevention and early
intervention features in the Act are intended to assist other
individuals and help them avoid remaining in the existing system.
Finally, instead of being treated like we are doomed to be mentally
ill for the rest of our lives, we are supported and inspired to grow
above those old expectations to take real roles in the community.
We will achieve
wellness by embracing the Mental Health Services Act in law and
spirit. We work for its implementation, making sure that the reality
of the new programs matches their dream. We are involved at the
planning stage, we in the implementation and in overseeing the
programs in action. This is our opportunity to plan transformation,
make it happen and ensure that it continues according to the dream.
This is our chance to design of own destiny and be a positive
participant in our own journey to recovery. Now we have a say in our
own treatment and the treatment of others.
Come and join us in
the fight for our own independence from mental illness or at least to
be a part of our support groups.
Nothing about us without us.
Bob Quinn, President
Prop 63 for Me
July 2007 |
