Mental health, alcohol boards seek input
Published Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — State mental health advocates are asking for help from the Fairbanks community.
Members of the Alaska Mental Health Board and the Alaska Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are in town this week to tackle drug abuse and mental health issues. They’re inviting the community to a free potluck tonight at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, to eat and informally talk.
“It’s one thing for the clinicians and health care providers to come out and talk, but it’s another thing for us to hear directly from the public,” said City Councilman Bernard Gatewood, an alcoholism advisory board member and director of the state’s juvenile correctional facility. “We want to hear what their experience has been as they face these health issues.”
Ramona Duby, a member of the Alaska Mental Health Board, said she faces some of those issues and hopes people like her will speak up. As a child, Duby was sexually assaulted and was a victim of domestic violence. She has been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder and receives treatment from the state of Alaska.
“People need to know that they can come to this forum and not be ashamed to talk about their challenges or the challenges of their family members,” Duby said. “We are here to fight stigmas associated with mental illness and to offer hope and encouragement that those facing these illnesses can work full time and live happy, fulfilling lives.”
Duby holds a full-time job and is the former president of the Alaska Federation of Business and Professional Women. She also advocates for mental health services before the Legislature.
“People can recover from mental illness if there are affordable services available to them,” she said. “But we need to know what Fairbanks needs.”
The potluck begins at 7 p.m. inside the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center at 101 Dunkel Street. Board members will provide the potluck items. Gatewood asked that the public only bring their concerns and open minds.
“Don’t come to argue,” he said. “Just bring your ideas, be realistic and share with us the challenges you’re facing in this community.”
Gatewood said Fairbanks faces issues surrounding the detox center, chronic inebriates, the Community Service Patrol and a lack of residential treatment.
The two state boards advocate for treatment options and affordable care. They took formal public testimony Monday afternoon. They will meet through Wednesday at the Alpine Lodge on Dale Road.
Community Discussion
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If no one shows up, it will appear that Fairbanks doesn't have a problem. Nothing could be further from the truth.
IF few show, and few non-professional presented formal testimony, perhaps they will consider giving better notice next time.
Many in the surrounding communities depend on the Fbk provider system, and there are many issues out here that affect Fbk, too. But few of us had enough notice to make plans or arrangements to attend.
I would very much liked to have presented testimony and talked to board members in person. If I'd found out about it a few days earlier I could have.
Free food.
So what is the definition of "mental illness"? Understanding the serious nature of what Romona Duby described being abused as a child I find it unusual to place it under the mental illness umbrella.
Remain objective. The objectives of the Mental Health Board seemed to be pressed by the objectives of the Advisory Board on Alcohol and Drug abuse. I can see a direct relationship between the two boards to identify mental health issues but I find it counter productive to have an advisory board play a major role in developing solutions the Mental Health Board is assigned and under obligation to do by state law.
I shall have to attend some of these meetings to get a better understanding of what is going on if I wish to make an informed comment. From this article I can see a conflict of interests between these two groups that use local, state and federal dollars. Where does a community patrol in Fairbanks fall under the mental illness umbrella the Mental Health Board is holding?
Expanding the definition or understanding of mental illness and splitting the goals and objectives of the Mental Health Board defeats the purpose the state intended for this Board. The only gains I sense here are the bloating of the system and the budget.
Are there too many programs and objectives? Are they even connected? Is there a formal communications link between them all? Where is the 911 dispatcher involved in the chain of events from problem to solution? Just what role does law enforcement play under the mental illness umbrella?
So many questions. So many programs. So many administrators.
And they all get their own medical care under the Pers/Ters system.
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