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The Power of One: Helping Others Find Hope With Visits and I-Pads

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john
John with his grandmother before his death

 

Oasis

By Bruce Hanson

 Twenty-one months ago, my son John passed away abruptly and unexpectedly at a local state mental hospital.  We had struggled with his schizophrenia for 20 years.  I’d love to tell you that, since the stress of dealing with his illness was relieved, I’ve been doing really well.
 That would be a lie.
Living that way for so long literally changed the landscape of my brain, and sadly, PTSD is my constant companion.  That said, there HAVE been a number of wonderful experiences since then.
One I want to share with you now.  I share in hopes that you might find your pilot light lit to go out and suggest to a mental health facility that you frequent that they try the same thing I have.

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A Father’s Campaign After Mental Illness Takes His Son

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John and his Grandmother at Ft. Logan Hospital

John and his Grandmother at Ft. Logan Hospital

“Dear Pete”  — the letter begins — “let me tell you about my son, John, and his struggles with mental illness.”

John began to first manifest his mental illness twenty years ago when he was only fifteen. The diagnosis bounced from depression to schizophrenia to schizo-affective disorder and everything in between.

John had been going to a mental health center but when mental health was cut by more than half during the Bush era, services dried up.  He was left with no where to go. I was working as a physical education teacher and I began bringing John to school each day. He slept on a mat in my office. Gradually, his Clozapine began to bring about change and he stopped sleeping, and became a much loved full time volunteer at my school.

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Advocates Ask 2020 Presidential Candidates To Add Mental Health Reforms To Their Platforms.

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(8-19-19) Dede Ranahan, an author and mental health advocate whose son, Patrick, died in 2014 because of “our inept, non-existent mental illness system,” has launched a national effort to get 2020 presidential candidates to discuss serious mental illnesses.

Her effort began before recent mass shootings and discussions by President Trump about mental health and violence.

Along with other advocates, parents, authors, and mental health professionals, Ranahan is urging candidates to adopt a five part plan. It already has been submitted to Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, and Tim Ryan.

“It’s not comprehensive,” she said in an email about the plan, “our mental illness system needs much more, but it’s a beginning. We’re asking our 2020 presidential candidates to take our plan, make it their own, and talk in their campaigns about serious mental illnesses. We’re telling them we want to see mental health/illness plans on their campaign websites.”

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