This journal wanders about. It's poetry, reflections, snippets from other stories and ideas of others, and my own pot luck thoughts reflecting the transparent thinking of this post-traumatically stressed, majorly depressed social phobic before and after my breakdown.

November 24, 2010

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My partner and i read the Globe and Mail, Canada's "National" newspaper, every morning. It's a nice ritual. We try to shock each other with references to poor writing, the dumbest opinions and the "Sarah Palin" search. First one to find a reference to her gets the coffee. Kind of a backwards win. Kind of like Sarah P.....o never mind. Anywho, it took a couple of days to read this article as the paper came in soaking wet, but i (again) heartily snorted at an opinion expressed. The title "A continuum of care for mentally ill offenders" written by a Director of the Addiction Research Foundation in T.O., ON, Canada describes ONCE AGAIN, ad nauseum the same age-old solutions to the same age-old issues without getting it:

Time. Money. Time is money. "Continuum of care" costs much more because it takes more time.

. the "continuum" the gentleman speaks of reminds me of "wrap-around" in the early nineties social work world. The model a "circle of support" has always been touted as the "answer" to gaps in services and it would work, people would be better supported, the quality of life for people with mental illness would go up. The coy and sly foxes at the Ministry LOVED the "circle of support" ONLY if it was a voluntary involvement. Ideas for developing a "circle" abounded. Keeping the "circles" going takes much time, innovation and flexibility -

....but it never is achieved, sometimes implemented but never maintained. Why?

Time. Money.

NO MORE MONEY (possibly the most popular Ministry mantra). From my twenty-five years in the "biz", a balanced budget has always meant - NO MORE MONEY for social services, esp. mental health services (but more so for developmental services)

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