16
Chapter 33

JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

!!

!!!!

Chapter 33 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Page 2: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Columbus  Dispatch  Pitch  -­  Combatting  Deceitful  2/8/14  Editorial  Published  on

Terry  Russell/NAMI  Ohio's  Behalf

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]> Wed,  Feb  12,  2014  at  7:31  PMTo:  Glenn  Sheller  <[email protected]>Cc:  Alan  Johnson  <[email protected]>Bcc:  Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Hi Glenn,

I think I'll pass on this particular piece that I wrote last Sunday. It doesn't really reflect the positive attitude that Iwas interested in getting across anyways. I gave my closing comments in the Ohio Senate Civil Justice Committeehearing today though, at which Alan was present. I don't know if he could work anything helpful out of that, butthe message was an uplifting one for those of us struggling with mental-illness, and our state legislature'swillingness now, to help.

Most notably, I've been working closely with Senator Coley and he was able to maneuver out of the AOT-compromise proposal I'd prepared for the CJC, two SB43 amendments that are hugely-significant in terms ofprotecting our mentally-ill population. The first would require appointment of counsel to all persons brought intothe AOT-system until such time the AOT-patient is sufficiently able (i.e. through the "crisis" part of the mental-health crisis for which they are committed in the first place) to coordinate for private counsel (if non-indigent). The other removes the legal link between crime and our mentally ill population, by replacing all references in ourcurrent law to the "National Bureau of Criminal Investigation" with the "Attorney General's" office instead. So,now, even if SB43 does move out of committee next week (which I'd imagine it will), it will be a good thing formental-health consumers: it will make use of SB43 to change our current law in a manner that will provideprotection for our psychologically-vulnerable population, and at the same time kick-start the process to dissipatingthis stigma. Today was a great victory for mental-health consumers.

Thanks,Marissa

Marissa K. [email protected]://thecultivationofbeauty.comhttp://janesaysrise.com

[Quoted  text  hidden]

Page 3: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

PAIMI  Council  (!!)

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]> Thu,  Feb  13,  2014  at  2:29  PMTo:  Michael  Kirkman  <[email protected]>,  Geoffrey  Collver  <[email protected]>Cc:  Mary  Turocy  <[email protected]>Bcc:  Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Hi Michael, Geoff (and Mary),

Michael-- thank you for approving me ;0) I just got a phone call from Jenny Mohler letting me know I wasaccepted onto PAIMI Council. I can't wait for the first meeting on 3/8...very glad it's almost here.

Also, I don't know if you guys saw in the SB43 amendments from yesterday-- I don't know whether they adoptedthem in yet or not actually, but Senator Coley did come through with the appointment of counsel for all AOT-patients until determined non-indigent (taxing fees back to non-indigent respondents after-the-fact) and removalof the CBI language for non-insanity-plea AOT-patients (swapping in AG office instead). So that was prettyexciting.

I also reconciled with Senator Burke before I made my final comments in committee yesterday, which was nice. Asit turns out, he is now of the opinion as well, that naming the bill after Hutchinson's son would send the wrongmessage we are working to convey moving forward. So that's pretty exciting too-- the "reframing" that's starting tohappen.

I hope all is well. I miss you three and the Statehouse already. I have to figure out my employment situation nowthough, so the timing for my departure on SB43 couldn't have been better.

I hope to be in touch more at some point soon. And Mary-- I'm going to contact Rep. Fedor about that bullyinglegislation, so I'll let you know how that goes. Ohh and also Geoff-- I had emailed Whitney Daffner at Tiberi'sback a month or so ago, about getting "materials" on how they were able to increase the competency of the cancermedical-care network for the State of Ohio. She called me back last Friday, so I have to return that phone call toher now shortly, since SB43 is finally over. But that was pretty awesome as well. I will let you know what she hasto say.

Aghh I miss you guys. I know that's "inappropriate" to say-- but I guess I'm just "mentally ill" like that ;0)

Sincerely,

Marissa K. [email protected]://thecultivationofbeauty.comhttp://janesaysrise.com

Page 4: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Thursday February 13, 2014 5:16pm !I hate to even write this out, it frightens me that much—but I just have this horrible feeling that everything that happened with the Senate, and with Senator Coley and Senator Burke and everything was all just a big hoax or something—something to appease me, in order to get me out of the way. Like everyone is now laughing together behind my back—it’s the most awful feeling in the world, and it’s odd how it reminds me of my Cultivating Beauty post from that day so long ago, when the query of beauty arose in the first place. !The very feeling that people could be so cruel makes me want to kill myself. I don’t know why I feel this way… !I don’t know if this is what results from 32 years of discriminatory stigma and hatred from other human beings or what. Not that such treatment was my entire experience, the entire duration of my life… !But it most certainly makes up the majority of my past experience with other human beings—my human history and all, my time I get to spend in this material world… !I don’t know why I feel this way… !I mean, I guess I do…I guess it is the result of all that stigma for all those years that I’ve now been forced to endure. I just want to question my perception of reality right now—like maybe this all was too good to be true… !And maybe it was therefore nothing other than, a mere act of human cruelty—a cruel joke for the amusement of all…all except for me, once again the subject to inhumane treatment… !I just don’t know… !The mere thought makes me want to kill myself all over again… !I feel depressed. !This is awful…

Page 5: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Thursday February 13, 2014 8:39pm !I need the children that I advocate for, because I have no children of my own… !I live for advocacy, because otherwise I have no reason left for which to live. If that’s not depressing, then I just don’t know what is. !This is awful. The emptiness that permeates my soul right now, echoes within the voidness of its own capacity… !My words are disgusting… !My depression is disgusting… !Everything is disgusting. !I don’t want to die—but I sure as hell feel like I do at this juncture. !Sigh… !I’ve never felt this awful in my entire life.

Page 6: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Thursday February 13, 2014 9:05pm !This is awful. It’s like, god…I don’t know why I keep referencing old posts today! But I’d swear to god I feel today just like I did the day I wrote “ON IRONY—The Cruelty of Life.” It’s like no matter what I do, it will never be enough, because I will always be alone—and what good is a good life even, if it must be lived entirely alone? !Sigh… !Man, do I feel depressed! And so guilty too…like everything those guys did for me doesn’t even matter now… !And, who the hell am I, to be sitting here thinking that nothing is ever enough—thereby inferring that what they did for me, wasn’t enough? !And yet, I don’t even think that at all. I think what they did was great! I just hate thinking about all the happy people right now—and then contrasting them with my own empty self. !I know why I didn’t want to say Tuesday was “the best day of my life,” when I was sitting with Senator Coley in his office—because that shows that I am sad, you know? It shows what a sad person I am, and what a sad little life I live. It’s just awful. It’s like, things get better—something tremendous happens even—and then yet still, it is not enough. Charlie Chapmen was right—the poet is who knows it—who knows this awful death amidst life, who feels what it is like to have a part of you heart die and wither away while you live through it all the same as it’s happening. !I don’t know…maybe people are wishing me bad thoughts right now, and that is why I’m feeling this way—why I am feeling so down… !I need to get my perspective back up…but I don’t know what to hope for now. I think maybe that’s the problem—it’s like I accomplished this huge thing for mental-health consumers, and yet surprise, surprise!! None of the mental-health “advocacy” organizations in town are even going to recognize it. It’s so fucking depressing—it just makes me want to die so I can get the fuck out of this place. I hate it here. !And yet, I don’t even know why I say such things—or how I could say such things, when I was walking in the nature reserve with Dietrich today and stopped and looked up right into the sun and thought, “this is why life is worth it. This is why…” !But what? For a few fucking moments of joy—only intermittent between the inevitable waves of suffering that wash the joy from sight and cover down upon my hope, my balloon burgeoning as it drowns beneath the water? Burgeoning as it suffocates, under the waves slapping down with their salty slash…weathering me, working to beat all the hope out. !I don’t even know why I hope when it always leads me back to this place. Probably because I inevitably get rest and then feel better and then get my hope back—and once I have it of course, I can’t let go for dear life. I am alone here. I have no friends here. I am alone, after 32 years—not a soul on this earth has yet ever wanted to be with me long enough to weather this storm by my side. I can’t imagine how it could even be possible that somebody would—and really, that’s the thought that is worst of all. Because if I knew that I was going to be alone the rest of my life, or even for one year more for god’s sake—I might just think about killing myself right now. And

Page 7: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

even then, I feel guilty for saying such words—because I know that they are less than whole truths. !But maybe I don’t know what the truth is—maybe that is the problem here… !I just don’t know…and I hate that—along with living at my parents house and having no job and having no significant other and having no hope with which I might find the energy to solve any of these problems. I don’t know how life could ever work out from here—and I don’t know how ever I will even find the energy to keep on keeping on long enough to find out. !I am just so fucking tired. !I don’t think I’ve ever been so goddamned tired in my entire life. !To think this whole amazing thing that I accomplished with the Senate AOT-Compromise—and not even Geoffrey Collver, of all people—would have the decency to say congratulations. I just hate it… !I hate when people who are supposed to be my friends turn out to be my worst enemies of all. Or maybe not—maybe they’ve all just been enemies all along. That’s kind of what it feels like right now…it feels like everyone has something to hold onto—and here I am hoping on hope for god’s sake…and I keep turning up with nothing. Nothing that is worth being recognized by other human beings—a pretty depressing notion unto itself. !I hate people. They are so fucking cruel. I just don’t see how things could ever work out from here, and I want to bury myself in work so that I don’t have to think about the pain which stems from that notion. !I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to ask people for jobs—that’s embarrassing, and especially so when they don’t want to hire the seriously mentally ill girl anyways. I just hate it. !I don’t know why I even bothered to hope that things could work out, because they never seem to in any case. Try as I may, I am never satisfied. Which I suppose is the cause for creation of all of the above—all of the above work under which may be come known as my art… !One day…it could happen. It could. All of my dreams could become real; and yet I must live on with this constant pain in my heart, knowing full well, that it is also possible that they won’t. !And here we are full circle again, with the prior recognition as to why people do settle—because then at least they know that some concrete substance fulfills the premise of their lives… !I have no concrete premise. I mean, I am building one—but I just don’t know that the building will ever end…and even if it will—I don’t know how I’ll find the energy to make it through now, until then… !I just feel so very all alone. I feel better that I’ve written today though… !Hah…I was just thinking today earlier of my prior post about fearing I’ve lost my creative talent—reminding myself that “processing” is just one part of the process—and in fact…the necessary step just prior to the creation of beauty. But I don’t know… !I just keep feeling like I want to cry…which is rather depressing unto itself as well. But it is what it is, and as I said in my video last night (whilst crying, nonetheless)—my life, is my life—and I

Page 8: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

must count my blessings because few as it seems there may be right now, never to say they might not begin coming in more exponential waves at some point, one day… !And like I said in my “having faith” video on Jane Says as well…you must not give up faith while you’re still flying mid-air. Maybe people were just super busy today—maybe that’s why nobody was able to respond back to you yet. I don’t know… !I think maybe what it is, is that focusing on the good takes hard work—hard work that I am not capable to accomplish right now, as I am famine from energy and wrought with fatigue. And so I will go to rest… !But please Universe and David up in the high heavens above (or wherever the fuck else you perhaps are)…please, please, please if you are able and it is consistent with destiny and fate, please, please, I beg of you please—give me a rest. Give me a break—help me find some kind of paid advocacy opportunity to get me through now, till I can somehow find the energy to figure out all the rest… !It really was, a very good day today… !The only thing getting me down actually, come to think of it—is money. !I am so very worried that I am going to run out of money between now and the coming month—I cannot see how in the world things could possibly work out, such that I would not. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Or, rather—I have no idea how in the world I am going to figure it out… !But that has not stopped me ever before, when it came to something important and necessary to be accomplished in life. And so I will live off of the faith of my past—that I am still yet on my journey, and that my future will not be dictated by only my past. !I am building over here—and I am building an empire…and that takes time. Things will work out Maris—just keep your head up high. Things are going to work out here and they will work out soon and so much better than mere “fine” will they be. !You just have to be patient, and you need to go get some sleep…

Page 9: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Question  re:  Savings  of  Mental-­Health-­Allocated  Funds  due  to  Medicaid

Expansion

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]> Fri,  Feb  14,  2014  at  3:45  PM

To:  "Sen.  Coley,  OSCJC-­Chair"  <[email protected]>,  "Sen.  Burke  SB43-­Sponsor"  <[email protected]>

Cc:  "Groseclose,  Emily"  <[email protected]>,  "Sen.  Burke-­SB43-­Proponent  Aide"

<[email protected]>

Bcc:  Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Dear Senator Coley and Senator Burke,

I spoke with Betsy Johnson from NAMI Ohio back in December 2013, who indicated that millions of dollars would

be "saved" due to the medicaid expansion last year-- at least some of which would flow back into the mental-health

system (i.e. those funds which have already been allocated for that purpose, she'd said). I was just wondering if

that is an accurate understanding, and where specifically those funds will flow into (or rather, cease from flowing

out of in this case) (i.e. county mental-health boards, state budget, etc.).

I just spoke with Whitney Daffner, Legislative Director with focus on healthcare issues for US Congressman Pat

Tiberi's office (my US rep-- geographically-speaking). Rep. Tiberi said in his biography online, that he basically

increased the competency of Ohio's cancer medical-support network, removed treatment barriers, promoted cancer

education and research, and increased insurance reimbursement rates for cancer treatments (see attached).

Apparently, though, what Rep. Tiberi accomplished was an "administrative fix" (that didn't even require new

legislation to be passed, Whitney said), which increased the insurance reimbursement rates by requiring

reimbursement on a case-by-case cost-basis, rather than a pro-rata "average" basis (which makes more sense in

regard to cancer treatments-- since costs are inevitably higher than the "average" in terminal cases). Everything

else, it seems (increased education and research, removal of treatment barriers and increased competency of

medical-support network, etc.), was merely the result of monies freed up by this insurance-reimbursement

administrative fix, into the Arthur G. James Cancer Center (which apparently knew how to effectively manage

those funds to accomplish the remainder of Rep. Tiberi's list).

I was wondering specifically then, if there might be any "administrative-fix" to increase the reimbursement rates

for psychiatrists in Ohio-- as we have a minimal and ever-dwindling supply in Ohio where the insurance-

reimbursement rates are so low right now, despite this ever-growing demand in the number of persons needing

psychiatric help. If we could raise the reimbursement rates, then that might increase the supply of doctors

interested in entering the field of psychiatry in Ohio. This would then work towards solving the overall

"incompetency" problem we have right now in our mental-health medical support network-- most notably as it

relates to psychiatric-medication-management (which is all handled between patient and psychiatrist), because

increased supply means increased competition-- which would help to weed out the "better" docs from the very best.

And with regard to the cost-savings from medicaid expansion of funds already ear-marked for Ohio's mental-

health system-- I was wondering if those are funds already dispersed throughout the county boards, or if they are

funds which are still centralized in the state right now. Because if the funds are still centralized, it might be helpful

to put together some kind of statewide plan, by which we could implement support channels for the mentally-ill,

specifically including:

1. "ACT Teams" akin to those used under NY's Kendra's Law -- see page 4 section II of the attached AOT-

compromise; and

2. Attorney/Judge/Magistrate Training Programs -- similar to CIT-training for police in terms of reducing-stigma

by increasing-education and thereby promoting compassion for our mentally-ill community, providing techniques

by which "normal" persons can learn how to effectively work with persons struggling with mental-illness, etc.

(See also as it relates to same, the attached written testimony provided to the Senate CJC on February 12th, 2014 by

Page 10: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Michael Kirkman, Executive Director of Disability Rights Ohio.)

I think (a) fixing the psychiatrist reimbursement rates, (b) adding in ACT-teams for court-ordered AOT-patients,

and (c) promoting tolerance within the legal-system for persons struggling with mental-illness, would round out

SB43 in putting together a comprehensive start towards fixing Ohio's mental-health system. Taken as a whole,

then, it would be the kind of thing we could put into place now-- revisit in 6 months or a year to see what's

changed, and then figure out how we can improve even  more  at that point in time.

Anyways-- Happy  Valentine's  Day, I hope you both have a great weekend, and any input as to the above would be

greatly appreciated when you get a moment.

It was so nice to see you both at the CJC hearing this week. I'm already sad I won't be there for the next one.

Sincerely,

Marissa K. Varcho

[email protected]

http://thecultivationofbeauty.com

http://janesaysrise.com

3  attachments

Biography  |  U.S.  Congressman  Pat  Tiberi.pdf

591K

MKV  Ohio  AOT  Compromise  Jan2014  (final).pdf

154K

SB43MichaelKirkmantestimony  Feb2014.pdf

66K

Page 11: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]>

Note  to  Terry  Russell,  Executive  Director  of  NAMI  Ohio  -­-­  Ohio's  SB43  Mental-­Health  Policy  Change

Marissa  Varcho  <[email protected]> Tue,  Feb  18,  2014  at  6:33  AMTo:  "[email protected]"  <[email protected]>Cc:  "Sen.  Coley,  OSCJC-­Chair"  <[email protected]>,  "Sen.  Burke  SB43-­Sponsor"  <[email protected]>Bcc:  ".,  osuccs"  <[email protected]>,  "<[email protected]>"  <[email protected]>,  "<[email protected]>"  <[email protected]>,  "Adelman,  Mike"  <[email protected]>,  "Adezio,Marianne"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  advocate@oca-­ohio.org,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Agrast,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Aho,  Marissa"<[email protected]>,  "Aide,  Sen.  Brown-­OSCJC-­Member"  <[email protected]>,  "Aide,  Sen.Burke-­SB43-­Proponent"  <[email protected]>,  "Aide,  Rep.  Butler-­OHJC-­Chair"<[email protected]>,  "Aide,  Sen.  Schiavoni-­OSCJC-­Member"  <[email protected]>,  "Aide,Sen.  Schiavoni-­OSCJC-­Member"  <[email protected]>,  "Aide,  Rep.  Stinziano-­OHJC-­Ranking"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Albright,  Ed"  <[email protected]>,  "Allen,  Crystal"<[email protected]>,  "Allen,  MaryLee"  <[email protected]>,  "Almeida,  Leo"<[email protected]>,  "Almond,  Mariah"  <[email protected]>,  "Alvarez,  Mayra"<[email protected]>,  "Andrew,  Norm"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Andrews,Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Andrews,  Norm"  <[email protected]>,  "Andrus,  Mary"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  [email protected],  "Arblaster,  Carrie"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Arkansas,  NAMI"  <nami-­[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],"Ashwal,  Maya"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Baas,Sally"  <[email protected]>,  "Barbor,  Meg  R.,  (HHS/OASH)"  <[email protected]>,  "Barletta,  Tiffani"<[email protected]>,  "Barnes,  Meagan"  <[email protected]>,  "Barry,  Matt"<[email protected]>,  "Basrawi,  Mazen  M."  <[email protected]>,  "Bauman,  Mark"<[email protected]>,  Baus  <[email protected]>,  "Bazik,  Matthew"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Bechtold,Tim"  <[email protected]>,  "Beinner,  Wendy"  <[email protected]>,  "Bell,  Jeff"  <[email protected]>,"Benner,  Meg"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Berger,  Yolande"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Biddlestone,  Elayne"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Bird,  Judith"  <[email protected]>,  "Bittner,  Erich"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Blake,  Scott"  <[email protected]>,  "Blakely,Beverly"  <[email protected]>,  "Block,  Marsha"  <[email protected]>,  "Blomberg,  Marna  Stoehr"<[email protected]>,  "Bloomberg,  Marna"  <[email protected]>,  "Blumberg,  Mark"<Mark_Blumberg@judiciary-­dem.senate.gov>,  "Bodycombe,  Paul"  <[email protected]>,  "Bollin,  Salli"<[email protected]>,  "Bonar,  Don"  <[email protected]>,  "Booth,  Meg"  <[email protected]>,  "Boswell,  Brooke"<[email protected]>,  "Bowsher,  Andy"  <[email protected]>,  "boyd,  steph"<[email protected]>,  "Boyle,  Maureen"  <[email protected]>,  "Bradshaw,  Tony"<[email protected]>,  "Brannan,  Stacy"  <[email protected]>,  "Brattain,  Lisa"<[email protected]>,  "Braunstein,  Matthew"  <[email protected]>,  "Brazier,  Mark"<[email protected]>,  "Breehl,  Laura"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Britton,Polly"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Brown,  Jane"  <[email protected]>,  "Brown,  Jeffrey"<JBrown@mitchell-­lawyers.com>,  [email protected],  "Bruno,  Gabby"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Buchholz,  Mary  Beth"  <[email protected]>,  "Buell,  Maureen"  <[email protected]>,"Burdick,  Matt"  <[email protected]>,  "Burdison,  Marianne"  <[email protected]>,  "Burick,  Lou"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Buse,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Cahlander,  K"  <kcahlander@gongwer-­oh.com>,  [email protected],"Cameron,  Jack"  <[email protected]>,  "Campbell,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Canedy,Matthew"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Capitolo,  Mark"<[email protected]>,  "Carey,  Mary  Agnes"  <[email protected]>,  "Carmean,  James"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],"Carpenter,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Carr,  James"  <[email protected]>,  "Carrick,

Page 12: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Casado,  Matt"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Castaldi,  Marilyn"  <[email protected]>,  "Castleman,  Mary"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  [email protected],  "Cholmondeley,  Maritsa  E."<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  "Clark,  Sheila"  <[email protected]>,  "Clark,  Sheila"  <[email protected]>,"Clifford,  M"  <[email protected]>,  "Cline,  Jo  Ellen"  <[email protected]>,  "Clinic,  Saribalas"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  cmccowan  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],"Colasante,  Christa"  <[email protected]>,  "Collins,  Cedric"  <[email protected]>,  "Collver,  Geoff"<[email protected]>,  "Colon-­Padilla,  Marieli  E."  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Connolly,  Liz"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Contreras,Mario"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Cooch,  Meg"  <[email protected]>,  "Corbett,  Maryellen"<[email protected]>,  "Cottrell,  Dr.  Jane"  <[email protected]>,  "Covall,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,"Coven,  Martha"  <[email protected]>,  "Coyle,  George"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],"Cramer,  Stacy"  <[email protected]>,  "Cregor,  Matt"  <[email protected]>,  "Crosby,  Mary"<[email protected]>,  "Crow,  Lynne"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],[email protected],  "Cundari,  Megan"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  "D'Alonzo,  Nicole"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Daniels,  Donna"<[email protected]>,  "David,  Marta"  <[email protected]>,  "Davis,  Ernie"  <[email protected]>,"Davis,  Shawn"  <[email protected]>,  dconley@oca-­ohio.org,  [email protected],  "Del  Monte,  Mark"<[email protected]>,  "Derby-­Lovell,  Karen"  <karen.derby-­[email protected]>,  [email protected],"Dietrich,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Dispatch,  Ohio"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Dodge,  Lisa"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  "Doskocil,  Jamie"  <[email protected]>,"Dosmann,  Karri"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Dull,  Mark  J."<[email protected]>,  "Dunbar,  Jarrett"  <[email protected]>,  "Dunn,  Jim"<[email protected]>,  "Dunn,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Dyak,  Marie"  <[email protected]>,  "Eber,Maxine"  <[email protected]>,  "Ebersole,  David"  <[email protected]>,  "Eble,  Kevin"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Eells,Linda"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Elsey,  Melanie"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  "Embrey,  Mary  Louise"  <[email protected]>,  "England,  Mary  Jane"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Escario,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  [email protected],  "Faan,  Mary  E.  Evans  RN,  Phd"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Fair,  MarQuis"  <[email protected]>,  "Faith,  Bill"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Farley,  Mike"  <[email protected]>,  "Favila,Maynerd"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Ferdelman,  Josh"<[email protected]>,  "Ferruso,  Chris"  <[email protected]>,  "Fischetti,  Mayra"<[email protected]>,  "Fitzgerald,  Maureen"  <[email protected]>,  "Fitzgibbon,  William"<[email protected]>,  "Fleury,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Flores,  Marlena,  (baja  trip)"<[email protected]>,  "Flynn,  Meagan"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Foltyn,  Patrick"<[email protected]>,  "Forbes,  Craig"  <[email protected]>,  "Forbes,  Mary  Lou"<[email protected]>,  "Ford,  Marty"  <[email protected]>,  "Foreman,  Megan"<[email protected]>,  "Foster,  Megan"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],"France,  Stacey"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Friedman,  April"  <[email protected]>,"Friesz,  Maynard"  <[email protected]>,  "Futryk,  Kevin"  <kevin@gov-­advantage.com>,  "Gadd,  Clark"<[email protected]>,  "Gall,  Shilo"  <[email protected]>,  "Galloway,  Chris"  <[email protected]>,"Gardner,  Mollie"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Garrity,  Bob"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  "Giliberti,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Gilley,  Meg"<[email protected]>,  "Gilliam,  Scott"  <[email protected]>,  "Gillman,  Mark"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Girves,  Catherine"  <[email protected]>,  "Gittelman,Martin"  <[email protected]>,  glarnold  <[email protected]>,  "Gollin-­Graves,  Martina"<[email protected]>,  "Golphin,  Jewel"  <[email protected]>,  Gongwer  <gongwer@gongwer-­oh.com>,"Gonzales,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Gonzalez,  Maritza  G."  <[email protected]>,  "Gorney,Marijo"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "gov,  SAMHSA"<[email protected]>,  "Graeser,  Matthew  J."  <[email protected]>,  "Grambs,  Marya"<Marya@mentalhealth-­hi.org>,  "Grant,  Maxine"  <[email protected]>,  "Green,  Lusanne"<[email protected]>,  "Griffin,  Lisa"  <[email protected]>,  "griffith,  kimmy"  <[email protected]>,"Griffith,  Leasure"  <[email protected]>,  "Grill,  Donna"  <[email protected]>,  "Groner,  Mark  R."<[email protected]>,  "Groseclose,  Emily"  <[email protected]>,  "Gruenbaum,  Jayna"

Page 13: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

<[email protected]>,  "Guillen,  Joe"  <[email protected]>,  "Guthrie,  Alyssa"

<[email protected]>,  "Gutierrez,  Meghan"  <[email protected]>,  "Hale,  Linda"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  "Hall,  Steve"  <[email protected]>,  "Hallett,  Joe"  <[email protected]>,  "Hamilton,  Mark"

<[email protected]>,  "Hamilton,  Matthew"  <[email protected]>,  "Hancock,  Tom"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  Hannah  <[email protected]>,  "Hanson,  K"

<[email protected]>,  "Hardy,  Damien"  <[email protected]>,  "Harris,  Marian"

<[email protected]>,  "Harrison,  Gianna"  <[email protected]>,  "Harty,  Mary-­Beth"

<Mary-­[email protected]>,  "Hauck,  Megan"  <[email protected]>,  "Hayes,  Mark"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "HB104-­Sponsor,  Rep.  Gonzales"

<[email protected]>,  "HB104-­Sponsor,  Rep.  Hacket"  <[email protected]>,  "HB104-­Sponsor,  Rep.  Ruhl"

<[email protected]>,  "HB104-­Sponsor,  Rep.  Sprague"  <[email protected]>,  "Hekmat,  Maureen"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Helmke,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  "Henry,  Kimberly"  <[email protected]>,  "Herrel,  Alaina"

<[email protected]>,  "Herrmann,  Kristen"  <[email protected]>,  "Hershberger,  Jen"  <[email protected]>,

"Hershey,  Bill"  <[email protected]>,  "Hess,  Marlene"  <[email protected]>,  "Hetzel,

Dennis"  <[email protected]>,  "Hewit,  Adam"  <[email protected]>,  "Heyrman,  Mark  J."  <m-­

[email protected]>,  "Hipsley,  Victor"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Hoeft,  Mark"

<[email protected]>,  "Holfinger,  Dustin"  <[email protected]>,  "Holt,  Mary"

<mary.holt@acs-­inc.com>,  "Holzapfel,  Zach"  <[email protected]>,  "Hoskins,  Matt"

<[email protected]>,  "Houdashelt,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],

"Huffman,  Andrew"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "humphrey,  glenda"

<[email protected]>,  "Humrighouse,  Dana"  <[email protected]>,  "Hurley,  Danny"

<dhurley@capitol-­consulting.net>,  "Hurtig,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Hutchinson,  Maya"

<[email protected]>,  "Hutchison,  Linda"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  info@nami-­bc.org,  info@nami-­cc.org,

info@nami-­mc.org,  info@nami-­wc.org,  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Ingraham,  Brad"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Irion,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Irvine,  Jim"

<[email protected]>,  "Isaac,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Ives,  Darya"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  [email protected],  "Jacksteit,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  "Jane,  Cottrell  Dr."  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],

"[email protected]"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  "Jo,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Johnson,  Alan"  <[email protected]>,

"Johnson,  Betsy"  <[email protected]>,  "Johnson,  Judy"  <[email protected]>,  "Johnson,  Mary  Sumpter"

<[email protected]>,  "Jones,  Ken"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],

"Jordan,  Senator"  <[email protected]>,  "Joseph,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Joseph,  Mary

Jane"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  Judee  Tompkins

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Kallner,  Matt"

<[email protected]>,  "Kapcar,  Greg"  <[email protected]>,  "Kappes,  Marie"  <[email protected]>,  "Karam,

Matt"  <[email protected]>,  karen.woods-­[email protected],  [email protected],

[email protected],  [email protected],  "Katz,  Laurie"  <[email protected]>,  "Kearns,  Greta"

<[email protected]>,  "Keeran,  Vincent"  <[email protected]>,  "Kelley,  Mary"

<[email protected]>,  "Kelley,  Mary  M."  <[email protected]>,  "Kelly-­Hauser,  Jessica"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Kersher,  Lori"  <[email protected]>,  "Kessler,  Matthew  J."

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "King,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "King,  Michael"

<[email protected]>,  "Kirkman,  Michael"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  [email protected],  [email protected],  Ken  Miller

<[email protected]>,  "Kottler,  Marsha"  <[email protected]>,  "Kowalski,  Mark"

<[email protected]>,  "Kress,  Marielle"  <[email protected]>,  "Krider,  Stephanie"  <sranade-­

[email protected]>,  "Kuhns,  Becca"  <[email protected]>,  "Kurland,  Maurice"

<[email protected]>,  "Kusler,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Lacksonen,  Todd"

<[email protected]>,  "Lafferty,  Dennis"  <[email protected]>,  "Lafferty,  Dennis"

<[email protected]>,  "Laisch,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  "Lape,  Megan"  <[email protected]>,

[email protected],  [email protected],  "Larr,  Denny"  <[email protected]>,  "Lassen,  Mary"

<[email protected]>,  "Lawrence,  Marlene"  <[email protected]>,  "Layman,  Brian"

<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Leno,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,

Page 14: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

[email protected],  "Leslie,  Pam"  <[email protected]>,  "Levine,  Cathy"<[email protected]>,  "Lewin,  Tekla"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],"Linsey,  Miriam"  <[email protected]>,  "Lively,  Mark"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],[email protected],  [email protected],  "Loeffler,  Bo"  <[email protected]>,  "Lopez,  Maritza  A."<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Lottes,  Kevin"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  "Lovelace,  Jeffrey"  <[email protected]>,  "Lovelace,Nicholas"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Lucie,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "Luft,  Julie"<[email protected]>,  "Lust,  Elizabeth"  <[email protected]>,  "Lynch,  Jamie"<[email protected]>,  "Lynch,  Tim"  <[email protected]>,  "Lyons,  Irene"<[email protected]>,  "Madriguera,  Christina"  <[email protected]>,  "Mahoney,  Bridget"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "Maine,  NAMI"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  Mario  <[email protected]>,  "Martin,  Marilyn"  <[email protected]>,"Mary,  Amos  Augsburger"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],[email protected],  [email protected],  "Massachusetts,  NAMI"  <[email protected]>,"Mayer,  Matthew"  <[email protected]>,  [email protected],  [email protected],  "McCarthy,Meghan"  <[email protected]>,  "McCoy,  Mike"  <[email protected]>,  "McDonnell,Maureen"  <mmcdonnell@tasc-­il.org>,  mcesare-­[email protected],  "McGinty,  Chad"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  "McGonigel,  Mary"  <[email protected]>,  "McGuire,  MaryEllen"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "McNeil,  Meghan"<[email protected]>,  [email protected],  "Mead,  Brian"  <[email protected]>,[email protected],  [email protected],  Marissa  Varcho<[email protected]>

Dear Mr. Russell—Executive Director of NAMI Ohio:

I wanted to reach out to you today, to express my concern as attorney and advocate for the mentally-ill, as it relates

to this article published online by "The Intelligencer" yesterday:

http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/595988/Treatment-Bill-Could-Save-Lives.html?nav=511

I’m not sure who wrote this confused piece of literature, but NAMI Ohio—the organization that you lead—is quoted

therein, and has once again been leveraged by the media to reinforce the sociological discrimination and stigmatic

hatred currently being perpetrated against our mentally-ill population. Accordingly, I thought I would take this

opportunity in following up with you again today, to continue our ongoing discussion here in Ohio, as to what

being "mentally-ill" actually means.

Most notably, “The Intelligencer” makes use of NAMI Ohio’s position on Senate Bill 43 (i.e. SB43), Ohio's

currently-pending mental-health legislation, to:

1. Bolster its initial suggestion—that our society’s interest in “safeguarding ourselves from the dangerously

deranged” outweighs any interest in protecting the civil rights of human beings who struggle with mental-illness

(regardless of presence of harm to self or others); and

2. Support its closing implication—that the passage of SB43 in Ohio will somehow cure our society’s issue with

mental-illness, by removing civil rights from mentally-ill persons, such that this society may then “save them from

themselves”.

I do wonder, whether you find yourself as disturbed as am now I, to see NAMI Ohio’s political clout used in such a

demeaning and deceitful manner against our mentally-ill population. I know I certainly wouldn’t trust a society

Page 15: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

that considers me “dangerously deranged” just for having a mental-illness, to come and “save” me if and when I

may need to be saved. In fact, “The Intelligencer” has framed our mentally-ill population so  stigmatically in this

article, that I would have to recommend you report it under your Mind-Movement Stigma-Buster Alert-System (9th

page):

http://www.oacbha.org/docs/Stigma_-_NAMI.pdf

In the meantime though, I wanted to provide you with an update as to what is happening with Ohio’s pending

mental-health legislation, and most notably—let you know about some important public policy changes that are

beginning to take place here in the state.

As you know, I myself am a mental-health consumer, having been labeled with the “serious mental illness” known

best as Bipolar I Disorder (rapid cycling—with A.D.D., S.A.D., social-anxiety and of course, the ongoing

substance-abuse issues which plagued a decade of my life between the ages of 16 and 26 due to misdiagnoses). As

you also know—I am 32 now, and an attorney licensed to practice law here in our great state.

As such, I intimately understand the heartbreak incurred by our mentally-ill population upon reading such

garbage as “The Intelligencer” article cited above—wherein supposed “leaders” in our society, self-proclaimed

mental-health “advocates” use their strength and power to continue to oppress the mentally-ill. Whether  it  comescloaked  as  “guidance”,  “teaching”  or  “advice”  Mr. Russell—make no mistake, it is emotional abuse whichever way

you slice:

http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/self-help-brochures/relationship-problems/emotional-abuse/

Thankfully, our leaders here in the Ohio Senate have been much more receptive to the needs of mental-health

consumers, and garner a much greater sense of compassion and respect for those of us who struggle to overcome

mental-illness. I can tell you this from my own personal mental-health legislative-advocacy experience—as I have

been working very closely with Senator Bill Coley, Chairman of the Ohio Senate Civil Justice Committee (wherein

SB43 currently rests), and SB43 Co-Sponsor, Senator Dave Burke—to amend Ohio’s legislation in such a manner

that we can:

1. Remove the initial threat SB43 posed to our mentally-ill population;

2. Add in supplemental legal protections for mentally-ill persons compelled involuntarily under SB43, into our

legal system; and

3. Remove stigmatic provisions that exist currently in Ohio’s Revised Code.

I wish, in terms of managing NAMI Ohio, that you will be able to learn something from this exemplary leadership

model that has now been set in our state; for even our “seriously” mentally ill population, we  now  have  hope.

We are making Ohio a better place to live in for those who are different, and I wish you the best of luck in now

picking up your pace, so as to catch up.

In the meantime, I will be creating a new, educational video series to help support kids who are being bullied and

otherwise struggling to deal with mental-illness, for posting at:

Page 16: JANE SAYS .. chapter33

http://janesaysrise.com/on-the-upside-why-being-mentally-ill-is-actually-a-good-thing/

As always, if you have any feedback you would care to share, I would love to hear it.

Very Truly Yours,

Marissa K. Varcho

Attorney at Law

4799 Seven Lakes Place

Powell, Ohio 43065

(614) 633-5155