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Who is Mentally Ill and who decides?

 
 
Reply Tue 10 Aug, 2004 10:01 am
This is from here

Quote:

Now Bush wants to test every American for mental illness--including you! And guess who will create the tests?
By Jordanne Graham

Next month, President Bush plans to unveil a broad new mental health plan called the "New Freedom Initiative." Never mind that it couldn't have less to do with freedom; if you're a thinking American, this initiative should scare the hell out of you.

The New Freedom Initiative proposes to screen every American, including you, for mental illness. To this end, the president established a New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, to study the nation's mental health delivery service and make a report. It's interesting to note that many on the staff appointed to the Commission have served on the advisory boards of some of the nation's largest drug companies.

The commission reported that "despite their prevalence, mental disorders often go undiagnosed," so it recommended comprehensive mental health screening for "consumers of all ages," including preschool children because "each year, young children are expelled from preschools and childcare facilities for severely disruptive behaviors and emotional disorders."

Children and school personnel will be the first to be screened. The panel concluded that schools are in "key positions" to screen the 52 million students and six million adults who work at the schools. By doing this, the commission expects to flush out another six million persons not now receiving treatment. But who will decide the screening criteria? Bush and his people? The drug companies? What are their qualifications?

One recommendation of the commission was that the screening be linked with "treatment and supports," using "specific medications for specific conditions." It is no coincidence that the treatments recommended for specific conditions are the newest state-of-the-art treatments that will bring in the most revenues for the drug companies. One of these emerging treatments is a capsule implanted within the body that delivers doses of medication without the patient having to swallow pills or take injections. If a government wanted to exert control of its citizens, think of the implications of using this device.


Now the rest of this article dissolves into Bush baiting so I wondered if there was any validity to what she was saying. I went to the official government pages and found this:

Quote:

All youngsters in a school, with parental consent, are given a computer-based questionnaire that screens them for mental illnesses and suicide risk. At no charge, the Columbia University TeenScreen® Program provides consultation, screening materials, software, training, and technical assistance to qualifying schools and communities. In return, TeenScreen® partners are expected to screen at least 200 youth per year and ensure that a licensed mental health professional is on-site to give immediate counseling and referral services for youth at greatest risk. The Columbia TeenScreen® Program is a not-for-profit organization funded solely by foundations. When the program identifies youth needing treatment, their care is paid for depending on the family's health coverage.


So they are going to give "optional" mental health tests to all kids if they can manage it. Do these results get thrown away if the person is within "Normal" ranges or will the government have access to childhood psych screenings for life? Sounds iffy to me. Also what happens if someone 'fails' these little screenings. That part is also left vague enough to be worrisome.

Overall however, the recommendations from the report are reasonable and seemed tilted more towards doing something about mentally ill homeless people and such. I didn't find any evidence that there were going to be forced screenings for everybody but I didn't have time to read everything either.
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princesspupule
 
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Reply Tue 10 Aug, 2004 10:43 am
I'm curious about the whos and hows of such a program, myself... I'm skeptical that many preschoolers are schizophrenic or bipolar or show manifestations of mental illness, however. Precursors? Perhaps. Full blown illness? Not likely. It almost sounds like science fiction, doesn't it? All the best intentions, but wrought with horrible possibilities for misuse and massive control of innocent people...

On one hand we have a nation of people without any healthcare whatsoever, and then at least some healthcare is offered... some is better than none? Perhaps. But why not start with dental healthcare? That is easier to screen for, kwim?
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