Weekly Call Schedule

Friday, September 29, 2017

An Open Letter to My Legislator

I'm writing you because I live in your district. I would like to begin a conversation with you about an issue I care very much about.

I'm concerned about the degradation of human rights in mental health. I have grave concerns about the direction that public mental health policy is going. What I am talking to you about is not a theory. I know many people who have encountered the mental health system and come out the worse for it rather than better.

I worry that, as a society, we are again creating "Two Americas." In the 1960s, Dr. King poignantly described two different Americas divided along racial lines. What I now see, increasingly, are Two Americas divided along behavioral health and diagnostic lines.

I am gravely concerned about the growing attitude that fellow citizens are social 'others.' No well society can afford to create a perpetually alienated and hopeless class. These attitudes alone are a great threat to our public health. They could well be perpetuating - if not generating - much of the suffering and violence that all of us so sincerely want to end. Changing them is perhaps the greatest obstacle we face. 
 
This weekend I am participating in a campaign to call attention to these concerns. There is an article link below that I hope you will make the time to read. It explains what this action is about and why I feel it is important.

I realize that I may be challenging some of your assumptions and beliefs about these issues.  I don't expect you to agree with me. I am just asking you to listen. I would also appreciate the opportunity to speak more with you about these issues in person. 
With regard,

Your Constituent




1 comment:

  1. Sarah, as you know, i have been physically and emotionally tortured with deliberation by the mental health system both in Connecticut, esp in Connecticit but also in Vermont, so i applaud this letter to legislators to take part in this 72-hour hold. I forwarded your first letter and i will forward this one.
    Pam

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