Restoration of VSH Canteen Threatened in VT House

*Update*:  This just in from state representative Ann Pugh:

We've just voted on the sixteenth proposal of amendment (the Vermont State Hospital: Canteen Plan. yes 6 no 115. Amendment to remove the canteen language failed. So the canteen amendment as proposed by the Senate remains in. [...]

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Below is a press release issued by concerned mental health advocates and others within the state regarding legislative efforts to restore the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) canteen.

Hudson River State Hospital Part One – The Kirkbride

We don't usually put up a whole link from other bloggers, but this post from Five Before Chaos is definitely worth a long look.



I can’t begin to describe what I saw, in that it’s breathtaking in an architectural sense (and sad that it is in such a state of decay) and it’s incredible to see the way that buildings decay, even over a relatively short period of time. As soon as a building is not heated, and when it is exposed to the elements from broken windows and such, the transformation is rapid and dramatic.. rot, peeling paint, crumbling plaster, it goes quick. Yes, it’s dangerous as all hell at times, but we exercised extreme caution, especially in the women’s ward, where the decay was incredible; there were collapses that went through all four floors, debris everywhere, etc. It’s also amazing the amount of stuff people leave behind. And of course, from a psychological perspective, it’s pretty nuts. One’s senses are heightened, and although I don’t believe in the paranormal in the least, it’s still creepy as hell. Remember, all those horror stories about mental asylums? This is one of those ones where all that shit actually happened.

Vermont Advocacy Resource Toolkit

*Updated* (with the usual edits)

During the 2010 legislative session the Vermont Department of Mental Health (VT DMH) will be pushing for several legislative changes, including those designed to make it much easier and quicker than it already is for the state to force treat and force drug Vermont citizens against their will.

Summary of Vermont Department of Mental Health 2010 Proposed Legislation, here (PDF; via Google Docs).

These are your rights they are after! If you do not stand up for them, who else will?!

Career Opportunities with Pathways to Housing Inc.: Service Coordinators/Peer Specialists

Read the employment want ad, here (via 7Days Classifieds).

Commentary: Do Not Cut to the Bone

(cross-posted to Green Mountain Daily, here)

Opinion

Do Not Cut to the Bone

The state should be cutting where the fat truly exists, not to the bone as had been its inclination: i.e., there is no need or justification for many departments or agencies across state government -- most particularly within the Vermont Agency of Human Services (VT AHS) -- to retain and have so many top and middle management positions that have grown since the current administration came into office: e.g., deputy commissioners.

As specifically concerns the Vermont Department of Mental Health (VT DMH), one of the positions that should be cut is the Deputy Commissioner position as this would result in cost savings and sparing much more needed positions further down the food chain.

While the DMH commissioner and others within the department may depend on the deputy commissioner quite a bit, it would seem that when one measures priorities about what is truly most important and what gets the taxpayers the most for their dollars as well as provides the most to those the DMH is supposed to serve, this and other such high level positions should be cut instead.

Morgan W. Brown
Montpelier

Sarah Launderville: Public Comments re: Closure of VSH Canteen

Upon my request, Sarah Launderville e-mailed me the following written comments of hers that she shared during last Friday's VSH canteen press conference held by advocates and concerned citizens:

VCIL: Statement Against Cuts to the Vermont State Hospital

Prepared Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) position statement read by Executive Director Sarah Launderville during last Friday's VSH canteen press conference held by advocates and concerned citizens:

Sandra Steingard, M.D.: Open Letter to Governor Douglas re: VSH Canteen

An open letter to Governor Jim Douglas concerning the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) canteen written and submitted by Doctor Sandra Steingard:

Letter to the Editor: Reverse VSH Canteen Closure Decision

Below is the op-ed/commentary/letter to the editor version I wrote and submitted to various newspapers across the state concerning both the closure of the canteen at the Vermont State Hospital (VSH) as well as the future of mental health service delivery across the state in general for publication.

An Open Letter to Governor Jim Douglas: Reverse VSH Canteen Closure Decision

(cross-posted to Green Mountain Daily, here)

Dear Governor Jim Douglas, State of Vermont:

An Open Letter re: Reverse VSH Canteen Closure Decision

Sent to: Secretary Hofmann, Vermont Agency of Human Service (VT AHS); and,
Commissioner Michael Hartman, Vermont Department of Mental Health (VT DMH)

cc: State Representative Michael Obuchowski, Chair, Joint Fiscal Committee;
State Senator Ann Cummings, Vice Chair, Joint Fiscal Committee