Monday, December 5, 2011

" NO Room, NO Room said the March Hare and the Mad Hatter"


Each year as I prepare for the holiday season, I can’t help but notice the ever increasing presence of the materialism that is too often overwhelming our holiday traditions. Whether it’s the people camping out at storefronts on Thanksgiving eve in order to be the first in the stores on black Friday or the over-decorated shopping malls “selling” an ersatz Christmas spirit tied to an ever increasing consumerism, I believe that this focus on spending and consumption is somehow at odds with the financial reality of life for so many in our society.  Moreover, it seems totally incongruent considering the apparent lack of social justice that exists in our country and state and the difficulties that many of those we serve face on a daily basis.  Despite the fact that the United States is the richest country in the world and Connecticut is the richest state in the country there are so many people who because of mental illness or other unfortunate circumstances are forced to lead very marginal lives.  It does seem to me, given the unimaginable wealth that there is here in the United States, that we should be able to afford everyone in this country a decent place to live, enough food to eat, healthcare and meaningful work.  I am always sad that as a country we lack the will to do just that and that there are very many people who begrudge the least among us those things that most of us take for granted.

This is the third in a series of blogs that discuss our company culture.  This aspect of our company culture, our willingness to insist that those we serve deserve to live their lives as fully as possible and be recognized as citizens entitled to all of the rights of citizenship was addressed best by comments given by Cheryl Jacques, Chief  Executive Officer of the Southeastern Mental Authority.  I want to share with you now a portion of those comments made at the 2010 Board of Directors Annual Meeting where Ms. Jacques was the keynote speaker.  This past year, I have often thought about her remarks that evening.  Her comments eloquently remind us that we as human service professionals must always be able to identify with those we serve and insist that our society give to all of its citizens all of the benefits of citizenship.  Such awareness helps us assure we are doing the very best we can to help those with behavioral health needs recover and integrate into their communities.  Ms. Jacques said that evening:

 “It is my honor and privilege to speak with you this evening.  SMHA and SCS has enjoyed a long history of collaboration together – I want to recognize the outstanding and creative leadership you have at SCS.

I have worked for the past ten years in New London County and most recently as the CEO of SMHA. Prior to my experience in metal health I was a nurse in cardiac research in Boston. I continue to maintain an interest in issues of physical health and wellness. I am interested in how we can educate and influence those with serious mental health issues towards improving their own physical health. Recently, we hosted a NAMI meeting at SMHA and we asked those members how they measure a family member’s progress towards their recovery with mental illness. Surprising, to us, the family members cited an improvement in a loved one’s physical appearance and physical health as the first sign of progress toward their recovery from mental illness.  

The other thing you should know about me is that I am an avid fan of Alice in Wonderland, so much so that prior to graduate school I traveled to Oxford, England where Dobson, or Lewis Caroll the author of Alice in Wonderland, was a professor of mathematics.  The actual bakery that is referenced in Alice in Wonderland sits on a quiet street nestled among three or four shops and to the left of this group of shops is a wide open grassy area that leads down to a canal. You can actually sit on the bank and look down at the water, just as Alice and her sister sat with their books at the beginning of the story.  While sitting down on the grass, you can also look up and over to the left, across the street, to a group of cold grey stone buildings that are laden with ivy. These are the buildings of Oxford University.

So as you know, Alice got up from the bank that day and followed the white rabbit. While running after him, she fell into a hole tumbling down into the darkness, down, down, down – I believe that image resonates with each one of us who at any time can feel as though up is down, down is up and everything is moving sideways – but we need to always remember to identify with those we serve who are impoverished and in great need - that the end to such a fall may never come - at least not without services and supports. There is not one of us who has ever faced a difficult situation that we did not turn to another for advice or help. 

So to begin, I quote; “There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Doormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head.  “Very uncomfortable for the Doormouse,” thought Alice, “only as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind.”
The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it.  “No room! No room!” they cried out when they saw Alice coming.  “There’s plenty of room!” said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.
“I didn’t know it was your table,” said Alice:  “it’s laid for a great many more than three.”

This is our metaphor for this evening. We are together at the table – a large table, making room for others to join our partnership. The table does not belong to anyone of us individually.  As I share my ideas with you this evening, I want to focus on the care and concern of those with mental illness; and our shared fight to end homelessness in New London County.

We used to refer to the issue of having a serious and persistent mental illness as a problem with stigma. That we needed to educate more regarding recovery and highlight those successful individuals having a mental illness as being the norm; in order to challenge the stigma against mental illness. But it is not “stigma’ it is really about discrimination – and we need to label it for what it is and we need to look to these individuals as being discriminated against in our communities. Does an individual lose their housing because of the symptoms of their illness, or are they evicted reasonably in response to actual inappropriate behaviors? As the providers, we need to know the difference and when it is appropriate to advocate with law and public policy changes. “
So as you all join  your family and friends this Christmas season, let us be mindful of these we serve and let’s remember what Alice said when confronted with  “No room!, No Room!   “There’s plenty of room!” said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table."


My very best wishes to you all this Christmas season.

Gail


Be well!

1 comment:

  1. A real reflection of our goals and priorities may do it. Reflective voices will create the new culture. I wonder how long it will take for voices like this to reverse the culture of consumerism. And the issue is that we spend 7 billion in Halloween, yet 2 days later we think of our next big thing to buy.

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