Freedom and Justice for all.
Freedom and justice is for all those who were born free. Free from alcohol and crack or what ever the addicted poison of the day was at the time their brain was being developed. If you were ever a victim of this kind of imprisonment and the authorities stepped in and rescued you, freedom will temporarily be yours especially if you get adopted into a middle-class home. You will then be free from hunger, homelessness and you may momentarily feel safe and the fear of being left alone as a child you may never know. I can attest that this is a fact because this is my daughter's story, but not only hers, it is mine also.
In my heart I believe people become addicted to drugs and alcohol as a result of untreated mental illness. In some cases it is as a result of early childhood trauma. Drugs and alcohol are sometimes used to numb emotional pain. Sometimes individuals become so engrossed in their own pain they become oblivious to the fact that they too are now inflicting pain. This is the pregnant woman who does drugs and alcohol while pregnant with a child, or the alcoholic who beats up on his wife, and the teenager who steals from his parents.
I have seen and suffered first hand because of addiction. Not my addiction, but those of my adopted children's biological mother. They struggle every day as a result of her doing drugs while she was pregnant with them. The challenges they face include learning difficulties, behavioral difficulties and mental health issues. Their issues stem from her injesting alcohol and doing drugs during pregnancy.
Throughout the years as I watched them struggle, I have seen them thrive and flourish into beautiful young women. This year I sent the eldest of the four girls off to College after being accepted in a pre-veterinary program. The next child in line is working on college application to get into a sport medicine program. The third child however has been fighting mental health issues. I have had a very difficult summer trying to get her the help she needs. After having her hospitalized four times since August 1st. I feel I have failed her most miserably.
Last Thursday while taking a shower, she entered my bedroom and took all the cash I had in my wallet. She took my car keys and left. I was getting ready to take her to a psychiatrist appointment that morning. After discovering she had left our premises, I called my husband. After a brief conversation with him, we both decided that the best course of action would be to report her as a run away and my car as missing.
The child who is under age does not have a permit and had left the house on numerous occasions. Generally she would do this at night when we were asleep. I realized her behavior was getting more and more reckless. It never occurred to me that it would have gotten to this point. This last time ended with her getting arrested and detained in juvenile detention.
The next day after she was detained I met with the parole officer assigned to her case. I gave her the child psychological testing and all the documentation that I had showing she had mental health issues. The officer seem well aware of the fact that children born to drug addicted mother sometimes struggle with behavioral issues. She had me sign papers to give them permission to do psychological testing and counselling. She then had me list my husband salary and all our assets. In addition to what I was required to tell her, I also gave her a written statement requesting that the child be sent to a residential treatment facility. She is currently on a number of psychiatric medication.
Yesterday the parole officer called me to inform me that there would be a preliminary hearing. I should get there about fifteen minutes before said hearing in order to give her some more documents. These documents include the child's birth certificate, her school records, her heath insurance card, shot record and social security number.
I was hopeful when they asked for our medical insurance information. I however, was totally stunned at the hearing. When I got to the court an officer informed me that my child did not have a right to an attorney. I could however speak on her behalf. I could hardly control myself and probably was in contempt of court. I told the judge that I was disappointed because this was not what I was expecting. I told him the child belong in a psychiatric treatment facility. He told me the hearing was only to determine if she committed a delinquent act and not to determine guilt. He then ordered for her to be returned to the detention.
I then felt that my adopting this child did an injustice to her. She did not have a right to a court appointed attorney because of my assets. When the children were placed in our home the state of Texas gave us Medicaid for the children. Medicaid was, however, to be secondary to our health insurance. As far as providing or paying for any medical service, medicaid would always defer all cost to our insurance. I do not know what it cost the state to house and provide medical care for a child in foster care, but whatever it is, I saved them that times four for fourteen years. I thought people would intentionally get thrown in jail to get free medical care. Well in this case what ever care my daughter will receive will be at our expense.
I have seven children with one slated to attend college every year for the next three years. In the third year, my last adopted daughter and my biological son should be headed off to college. Personally my resources is for doing just that. Not for paying high attorney fees. Where is the compassion and support for my taking on this task? I feel like I am being penalize and all my children will pay for my being what I thought was compassionate.
As much as I have written, I have never heard back from any one of you. I know mental health issues affect people from all walks of life. Was my expectation of our court system unreasonable? I am really disappointed and heart broken more than ever and I need to hear back from you. Would you please show me your support by passing on my blog. I am already plenty disappointed, so please do not be hard on me. Sometimes when facing a difficult issues like this one just want to know that they are not alone.
In my heart I believe people become addicted to drugs and alcohol as a result of untreated mental illness. In some cases it is as a result of early childhood trauma. Drugs and alcohol are sometimes used to numb emotional pain. Sometimes individuals become so engrossed in their own pain they become oblivious to the fact that they too are now inflicting pain. This is the pregnant woman who does drugs and alcohol while pregnant with a child, or the alcoholic who beats up on his wife, and the teenager who steals from his parents.
I have seen and suffered first hand because of addiction. Not my addiction, but those of my adopted children's biological mother. They struggle every day as a result of her doing drugs while she was pregnant with them. The challenges they face include learning difficulties, behavioral difficulties and mental health issues. Their issues stem from her injesting alcohol and doing drugs during pregnancy.
Throughout the years as I watched them struggle, I have seen them thrive and flourish into beautiful young women. This year I sent the eldest of the four girls off to College after being accepted in a pre-veterinary program. The next child in line is working on college application to get into a sport medicine program. The third child however has been fighting mental health issues. I have had a very difficult summer trying to get her the help she needs. After having her hospitalized four times since August 1st. I feel I have failed her most miserably.
Last Thursday while taking a shower, she entered my bedroom and took all the cash I had in my wallet. She took my car keys and left. I was getting ready to take her to a psychiatrist appointment that morning. After discovering she had left our premises, I called my husband. After a brief conversation with him, we both decided that the best course of action would be to report her as a run away and my car as missing.
The child who is under age does not have a permit and had left the house on numerous occasions. Generally she would do this at night when we were asleep. I realized her behavior was getting more and more reckless. It never occurred to me that it would have gotten to this point. This last time ended with her getting arrested and detained in juvenile detention.
The next day after she was detained I met with the parole officer assigned to her case. I gave her the child psychological testing and all the documentation that I had showing she had mental health issues. The officer seem well aware of the fact that children born to drug addicted mother sometimes struggle with behavioral issues. She had me sign papers to give them permission to do psychological testing and counselling. She then had me list my husband salary and all our assets. In addition to what I was required to tell her, I also gave her a written statement requesting that the child be sent to a residential treatment facility. She is currently on a number of psychiatric medication.
Yesterday the parole officer called me to inform me that there would be a preliminary hearing. I should get there about fifteen minutes before said hearing in order to give her some more documents. These documents include the child's birth certificate, her school records, her heath insurance card, shot record and social security number.
I was hopeful when they asked for our medical insurance information. I however, was totally stunned at the hearing. When I got to the court an officer informed me that my child did not have a right to an attorney. I could however speak on her behalf. I could hardly control myself and probably was in contempt of court. I told the judge that I was disappointed because this was not what I was expecting. I told him the child belong in a psychiatric treatment facility. He told me the hearing was only to determine if she committed a delinquent act and not to determine guilt. He then ordered for her to be returned to the detention.
I then felt that my adopting this child did an injustice to her. She did not have a right to a court appointed attorney because of my assets. When the children were placed in our home the state of Texas gave us Medicaid for the children. Medicaid was, however, to be secondary to our health insurance. As far as providing or paying for any medical service, medicaid would always defer all cost to our insurance. I do not know what it cost the state to house and provide medical care for a child in foster care, but whatever it is, I saved them that times four for fourteen years. I thought people would intentionally get thrown in jail to get free medical care. Well in this case what ever care my daughter will receive will be at our expense.
I have seven children with one slated to attend college every year for the next three years. In the third year, my last adopted daughter and my biological son should be headed off to college. Personally my resources is for doing just that. Not for paying high attorney fees. Where is the compassion and support for my taking on this task? I feel like I am being penalize and all my children will pay for my being what I thought was compassionate.
As much as I have written, I have never heard back from any one of you. I know mental health issues affect people from all walks of life. Was my expectation of our court system unreasonable? I am really disappointed and heart broken more than ever and I need to hear back from you. Would you please show me your support by passing on my blog. I am already plenty disappointed, so please do not be hard on me. Sometimes when facing a difficult issues like this one just want to know that they are not alone.
As a Crime Victims’ Advocate that works in the Criminal Justice System, I am aware of the shortcomings of the system. Alcohol/ substance abuse, and mental heath are a contributing factor to many domestic related crimes. The criminal justice system punishes the behavior with incarceration or fines, instead of treating the root of the problems. There are drug and mental health courts, but most defendants have to waive their rights to a jury trial in the criminal courts (municipal or district courts) before they can enter these programs.
ReplyDeleteMost defendants who do usually qualify for drug courts, have several substance related charges and/or convictions before they are referred in.
In those cases for offenders with mental health issues, they usually have to get a competency evaluation, have their competency restored in some state run hospital, then agree to have their cases transferred to mental heath court. It is ironic to think that a person living with some mental health issues would understand the legal ramifications and the system. Most defense attorneys try their best to explain how this works, but it is difficult to understand even for so called normal functioning people. Offenders are expected to plead guilty to a criminal charge, and then are monitored by the mental health court.
This is why the U.S. has such a large prison population, because it incarcerates the poor and sick. Ruth, I have heard your story from family members and of so many of my clients, who said they only called the police, because they wanted help. Many said they would not call again no matter what happens, because they feel their wishes are being ignored. I am glad you are using your blog to get the word out that the system needs to address substance abuse and/ mental heath related crimes with treatment rather than retribution. We all know, if your daughter was a Bush, she would not still be in custody.
Sharon
I fully understand your frustrations. When my mother had a stroke and patricia and I had to take her in to avoid her being in a nursing home, we too learned of the holes in our system. Mom who had very little earthly goods should have qualified very easily for Medicaid. However, being a responsible son, I prepaid for her burial whenever it would come if she died before the Lord's return. What I did not know at the time, the burial plot I paid for was in her name, therefore it became and asset and was held against her, causing her not to qualify for Medicaid. This meant that Patricia and I had to basically absord her $1,200.00 per month medicines and other expenses her megar S. S. check did not cover. Today our savings are gone, I accumulated other debt to care for her (which I do not regret)yet the Lord is giving us the grace to rejoice in His goodness, in spite of being basically broke and in an economy where none of our propeties have any equity!
ReplyDeleteHowever, as I said, the Lord continues to show us His abundance of grace and has graced us to be able to say with confidence, "Great is the Lord and Greatly to be praised!" He is faithful to remember our labors of love and rewards accordingly!
Luv U,
Myrue