Our first step was intervention. Jail was used due to lack of hospital beds...

What will it take to provide the needed hospital beds and continued support services for the SMI who suffer from severe symptoms the treatment they have a right to? There are protections in place for psychiatric abuse, but what is in place to reduce the severe symptoms of those who can not get help for themselves? Should we be satisfied with the care the streets and jails provide for them? For our family, it wasn't even a consideration! Our son needed treatment not punishment! He needed a safe environment to recovery in and not more trauma that is found on the streets and in the jails! We would never consider putting someone with dementia in jail or loose on the streets as a punishment for the symptoms of their brain disorder. Why is it ok for this form of brain disorder? It isn't right. It isn't ok. I petitioned the court to have our son released into my custody so that we could get him the treatment he needed and not the punishment he would find in jail. AOT was not available to us so I requested that compliancy to treatment be part of his probation to which the judge so ordered. Our son was beyond talking or reasoning with. At this time his attention span was less than one minute. The inner stimulation was so strong and constant there would be a 10 second delay in any response to a question or statement we directed at him. Nothing short of compliance to treatment could bring him back from that. For some, this is what the first step looks like. Without it, nothing else is possible.

A time and a place...all needed when he was ready

Through the course of the intervention, treatment, and a lasting recovery for our son (he has been relapse free for over nine years) we have used various methods that may appear to some to conflict with each other. I would just like to say that for us, there was a time and a place for everything we have done for and with our son. There was a time when we needed to have court involvement to get him to be compliant to treatment. A time when we wrote a contract for him to live at home. A time when we had reinforcement programs to encourage wanted behavior and a time when we faded the programs because we no longer needed them. A time when we could talk with him about why he should take his medication and then when he regained some insight to his illness. It has all been a process. There has been a time and a place for many different and conflicting philosophies regarding how to approach intervention, treatment, and recovery. I would just like to say that in our son's case, there has been room for all in it's proper time when he was ready. I don't see the different methods as conflicting. I see them as offerings for the time when he's been ready for them. Helping him and us to the next level. For us, there is room for AOTs, ABA, and for techniques from the LEAP Institute. For us they work well together to help us achieve our goal. A lasting recovery for our son.

Healing thru Family:From the smallest member

Today is my grandson's fifth birthday! I've been caring for him since he was three months old. About the time our son came home from a lock down facility in Texas. My grandson has brought so many blessings to our family that all children bring and more. As my son has been watching his nephew grow, and when he was ready, he has taken part in some of my grandson's activities. This has healed many parts of my son that we would not have been able to reach otherwise. He has learned more about unconditional love, how to be more conscience when working with his smallest family member, and how early experiences help shape what a person he will become as an adult. And patience! My son's healing includes his being able to remember parts of his own childhood that he had forgotten about (I would provide pictures of him when he was my grandson's age along with stories) and look at other parts of his past from a different perspective. This has been such a great source of healing for him! Because of our close family relationships, and under my supervision and guidance (again, when he was ready), my son has learned how to talk to his nephew in an age appropriate manner. He has learned how to teach his nephew simple cooking projects and has accepted the responsibility of helping with his physical education by teaching him how to bowl, play miniature golf, and other activities that they can enjoy as they each continue to grow. We have been very blessed to be able to have an extended family. My grandson has greatly benefited from my son's involvement, too, and he loves his uncle dearly! I always provide support for my son when he is with my grandson. He never feels as if he is 'alone'. My daughter makes herself available by phone to him always and my son likes to call her about the latest funny thing her son did. Sometimes my son watches my grandson, in a public waiting area, while I have a doctors appointment. My son knows about my grandson's 'survival kit' and how to manage any behavior he may have while I'm seeing the doctor. My grandson listens to his uncle and both enjoy this time together. Although we limit the duration and the frequency to keep my son's stress level down. My son is 6'3" and now weighs about 260 pounds. My grandson is about 3' and weighs about 40 pounds and has his uncle wrapped around his little finger! I often hear my grandson shout at my son, "No! I do it!", and I hear my son's gentle laughter in response. My son is very protective of his nephew and his love and sense of belonging to the world has been expanded due to this little guy. He is our littlest member of my son's support team! And highly valued!