SAMHSA reports are just meaningless numbers, they don't fix anything.

I live in the state that has the 2nd highest number of people living with a mental illness. The number of 0's in total individuals is a staggering number. But recovery from mental illness is not an individual's problem, it is a family problem. Those who are parents and caregivers have the problem too. You don't attempt to help the individual, you must help the entire family, regardless of the age of the person living with or suffering from mental illness.

Before we look at and talk about numbers, you must understand that mental illness is not an individual disease. It is a family disease. Family members suffer, sometimes even more. You can't treat the individual without treating the family.

A person may have a treatment plan but what he needs is a Treatment Team. The family is equally important to a therapist, case manager, peer specialist and Psychiatrist or Psychologist.

Experts will tell you the mental health system is broken. The theory of treating individuals is wrong to begin with. The fact is family members must be involved and treated as well.

When the basic premise is wrong, regardless of what comprises a mental health system, you can consider it broken. Rather, it is incomplete. What appears to be focused on is not even the target.

Our society comes from the tradition of our elders and the elders before them. Changes are made in the present for today and the future. As we learn more about ourselves, our society attempts to change. Some want to stay with a traditional mindset while others can see a higher level of existance is possible. They yearn for it.

Very little has changed with our traditions for the mentally ill. We send the person away. We hope his mind becomes right. Some day, he may come home. Our family will put an individual in a Will stating, "If my son becomes of right mind,". Kind words are found on tombstones. But what has the family been able to do? Sit outside in the waiting room? Existing HIPAA laws keeps the patient's privacy away from parents and caregivers.

Changes are going to keep the family members together, making them part of the treatment team.

I am going to share the "fix" with you in my next post.