Free Steve - needed Culturally Appropriate Services, Support and Housing for Mental Health Patients.
Currently:You might not have recognized the imposition of Non-Aboriginal services for Aboriginal Patients are the norm. At best, Aboriginal Health departments and organizations leave significant gaps in programming, and lack of expertise on how best to maximize the effective use of available resources that are expensive, duplicated, and fragmented and don't yet see a need to put resources towards Aboriginal Peoples developing programs and services that are culturally appropriate and designed,to ensure recognition and inclusion of indigenous practices and traditional way of life.
And, without culturally appropriate Mental Health services, support and housing for Patients with Minor Offenses, the only solution is to keep the Patient in a Maximum Security Ward in confinement for an indefinite period of time, years, and one source said "it's been nineteen years and only one Aboriginal person to have taken one step to freedom." And that's for a Minor Offence which is the lowest offense in the criminal system for which others would not have any time or at the most three months.
Confined in the Maximum Security means Patients are treated as though they are all criminally insane and guilty of committing a major crime even though the reality is the "patients" are confined for a Minor Offense and are locked away as the current Mental Health services does not have the available health services, support and housing for the Patient outside of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. And there is not yet any effort being made to create any culturally appropriate Mental Health Services for Aboriginal Patients.
For those who care about those who suffer from Mental Health, specifically schitzophrenia
and for those who care for Natives peoples who are survivors of Indian Residential School,
and for those who may or may not recognize the imposition of Non-Aboriginal services for Aboriginal Patients where departments and organizations leave a significant gaps in programming, and how best to maximize the effective use of available resources that are expensive, duplicated, and fragmented and see a need to put towards Aboriginal Peoples developing programs and services that are culturally appropriate and designed,to ensure recognition and inclusion of indigenous practices and traditional way of life.
Peaceful Warrior PW is a person of Aboriginal descent, a survivor of indian Residential School. About the age of fifty now, he has lived independently for several years in Prince Rupert, BC. There he got the support of the Mental Health support centre where Social Workers helped him with shopping, and where a Psychiatrist was there as well. PW would go check hisself into the hospital into the psychiatric ward for awhile when he was not doing well mentally and needed more support.
Peaceful Warrior got diabetes and was put on insulin injection. A nurse was assigned to drop by and give him an insulin shot daily. This went well until the nurses funding was cut. After some discussions, it was decided that Peaceful Warrior would be best living in a Supportive Housing in Terrace, BC, there he lived. Then an incident happened. Peaceful Warrior was experiencing dilusions, and was being taken enroute to hospital. The hospital was located a mere half block, about 50 yards from the Supportive Housing where PW and where the Professional Nurses were transforting Peaceful Warrior in a vehicle. Enroute, Peaceful Warrior had a delusion the nurse was hitting him, PW struck out and hit the nurse, he ran away and immediately turned hisself into the police station where he explained what happened. It was later on after charges were laid, that PW was put in custody, first jail, then in hospital in Kamloops, then ended and confined in maximum security in the Forensic Psychiatric Ward for the past three years.
PW says that he cries hisself to sleep every night. The offense PW is in the hospital for is a minor offense. The family expected PW out for Christmas. Three Christmas' have past and not an outing with the family save a half hour coffee break where his sister waited half an hour for an appointment that included three prison guards (nurses) for a cup of coffee which PW could not have a second cup of coffee before being rushed off back to ward, in three years. And since the Social Worker explains in a written letter delusions and acting on delusions is why PW must be in a maximum security ward.
PW is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 230 lb so he is a big man. His size itself is intimidating. And he is a man. He likes to listen to music and cannot freelly listen to music. He cannot go for a coffee with his friends. He cannot go for a visit with his family who are awaiting the visit.
For three years Peaceful Warrior PW refers to the patient which wants his freedom to live independly in Terrace or Prince Rupert where he previously lived independly with the support of the Mental Health.
Due to the lack of services and support, including housing, for a minor offense, PW is being kept in confinement in a state hospital for years until such services and support are obtained and that's not happening as of yet the only solution is unlimited confinement to a maximum security ward in the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. In Maximum Security means Peaceful Warrior is treated as though he was criminally insane when his offense was a minor offense, this means Peaceful Warrior cannot listen to his music freely, and that is the main enjoyment in life that he has as well a karioke.
The only solution is to create culturally relevent Mental Health Services, support and housing for Peaceful Warrior or release Peaceful Warrior to his family where they can help to reintegrate Peaceful Warrior back into the community with his family and friends.
So Please sign this petition to get the
culturally relevent services and support including housing for Peaceful Warrior
and or allow
Peaceful Warrior to be released to his family to help him to find a place to live and regain his support and connection to the Mental Health Services available in the community and to reconnect with his family friends and community and to live independently and free again.
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