Is there a recognised standard of care?

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if there is a standard of care that is recognized by the psychiatric community for people who have been involuntarily hospitalized? Here in New Hampshire it seems like the level of care is determined by the number of people on a waiting list. An IEA (Involuntary Emergency Admission) was issued on February 12 and my son was taken to the local hospital and sat in the emergency room in a non-therapeutic environment for 10 days before he was transferred to the state hospital. There were 40 people on a waiting list so he just had to wait. Does anyone know of any other emergency that takes 11 days to be treated? Anyway, he was there less than 5 working days and sent home with no change in his medications and without any improvement in his condition. He was just as psychotic and delusional when he came home as when he was taken away.

I’ve been working for months trying to get the local agency to provide more intensive outpatient services to help my son. I started back in November around Thanksgiving. It took until February 12 when my son went off on a rant to a representative from the emergency services department. After hearing Mike’s paranoia, delusions, frustration and anger he initiated an IEA. That was the first one.

It took about a week after my son’s return on February 29 for in-home outpatient services to be set up. When the nurse arrived to deliver Mike’s prescriptions and have a consultation with him he was so intimidating so aggressive, out of control she was scared. I overheard the confrontation, went to my son’s room and escorted her out. Of course, He followed us right out to the door and continued his rant. Once again an IEA was issued. This time miraculously with 40 people on a waiting list for a bad at this state hospital my son was transferred in 2 days. Three days later a hearing was held and because of a technicality about the exact dates of my sons last two year conditional discharge right in front of her, the judge dismissed the case and my son was sent back home. So, this past Friday, March 18 after being home for a few days the agency made another visit. This time out of fear two nurses came to the house. After about 20 minutes basically the same thing happened my son got agitated scared the heck out of them pushed me out of the way so he could continue to talk to them… you folks know the rest.

So today Sunday March 20, my son is sitting in the local emergency room in a non-therapeutic environment, (they keep him in a small segregated room with a guard outside his door), and he’s number 21 on the waiting list. When they finally transfer him there will be another court hearing within 772 hours where a judge will decide whether my son gets medical treatment or sent home to suffer. How the hell does that make any sense?
I cannot believe this kind of treatment meets any reasonable standard. I’m ready to go nuclear on these people. I have no money, but if I can find an attorney that will take credit cards, I’ve got enough to sue somebody! This kind of treatment robs people of the ability to live a better life. It causes unnecessary suffering and harm to the patient’s that receive this inadequate treatment. I am tired of the excuses!

I also wonder if this kind of treatment doesn’t constitute a form of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. If my son were treated the way he was in November of 2013 and sent home on a conditional release money would be saved and he could live a much better life. There wasn’t a single issue or hospitalization for that two year period.
New Hampshire is so proud to be called the “live free or die” state. I always thought it was a very patriotic statement; I didn’t realize it was an ultimatum. I will never understand how a judge can overrule the opinion of a medical professional. But, here in New Hampshire the state make sure that people are free to suffer.

Once again; does anyone know if there is an established standard of care for patients with schizoaffective disorder?

This is my preferred ‘treatment’. Explain delusional means the mental care providers are not allowed to discuss this.

You can look up the terms thought broadcaster, gang stalking, thought insertion and targeted individual. V2K is another one. These 1 million hits explain some of the social problems schizos see. A lot of people do not act right toward a schizo as some fellow schizos follow orders from voices to stalk someone and verbally harass them about something private – parroting their train of thought or talking to someone about where they just went are common – and called thought broadcasting. Some churches attract people who hear the voices and theirs will stalk people on SSDI to harass them about ‘stealing’. I call these preach stalkers. Some smaller cities have a real sick environment with a lot of youngers (20/30s) who will verbally harass people bad and passive aggressive tendencies.

I would ask son to read up on these terms to get an idea of how other people will act.

In my community, the adults have been hit hard by the voices with most adults in 30s/40s hearing voices themselves for 2-3 years after coming across a wealthy person who was making slaves. New people who moved here are going psychotic for a period too – but for people who did not understand that so many people are ‘crazy’, this can result in a tragedy after mental care denies this is the truth. Many of the youngers actively follow orders from voices and causes some really bad behavioral problems in professional work, is big trap for some of the women who have to deal with hostile workplace or sex harassment…Lived in city that literally will not hire the local youngers as they are nuts or the public schools left them borderline illiterate. City was trying to draw out of towners and foreigners to take the professional work. Locals were treated like they belonged in concentration camps and many ended up selling drugs just to get by.

If your son ever gets angry with mental care, he can be locked up on forced treatment hold for as long as DR can justify at your own expense. Is not worth it to give constructive criticism either, just change psych doctors until you find someone who meets your needs. Just cancel next appointment with old DR and have new one order med recs.

Some of the colleges are allowing a lot of mistreatment of people who had mental care and want to work in something different. Pay cash for a couple classes first to make sure things are okay enough or may end up having to pay back Pell grant or scholarships/loans immediately if child drops classes due to mistreatment. Can sometimes get through these classes by keeping quiet & refuse to answer harassment or get psych DR note and take it to disability support services to get ability to take tests in another room, alternatives to group assignments and management monitoring a professor who is not acting professionally. You may be shocked and it is getting MUCH more common all over the country to mistreat some students. Looks like blacks in the civil rights days almost.

If your child moved to new community during high school, he may have been last person into community without any knowledge about the area’s problems so easy target. If you can have him stay with another relative somewhere else, may benefit him if he is being harassed a lot by people out in public. But be aware, even in small towns, some crazies will step outside and shoot off the gun like sniper or rifle range so expect noise. Will also be shown who is hearing the voices every time he moves, maybe for rest of life but if he is employable these people will tell him how the local area works so he will be okay at work.

Better to know inner voice can be hijacked and some may hear words/phrases repeated over and over in his head not related to current activities, environment or actions. This is thought insertion. Ignore it.

Can also have tactile hallucinations - sensations without cause - including orgasm, crawlies, twitching, heat/pressure, heart palpitations, diarrhea and heart burn/angina.

My opinion on following orders is most of the white collar people do not act like this much except the males who will ruin someone. The poor hear the voices a lot, follow orders a lot and never have a very stable existence.

If your son had a fight recently with someone wealthy. Just quit talking to them, move if you can. Do nothing confrontational and he may not have as many strangers bother him. Do not talk to self aloud, avoid anyone you met through this group, do not follow orders from voices and do not discuss this story much. Can have some relief from the voices. If you are stalked, just say ‘we are good’ and avoid them.
Hope this helps.

Dear Mike_A,

I am sorry for what you are going through and also sorry to let you know that what is happening to your family happens to many people in the United States and elsewhere every single day.

If there is a standard of care, no one follows it.

Basically, our family members are left to suffer from severe, untreated illnesses when treatments are available and standards of care could be easily developed. Watching someone become more and more ill and not being able to help or to find effective treatment is awful.

Sadly, what your son is going through is worse. Unless a lawsuit would actually help him, don’t waste the energy. Use your energy and resources to get him help.

According to this Service Unavailable, you should try to get a new “Conditional Discharge” if he has to leave the hospital. Ask a social worker or other state worker who understands the laws how to apply for this.

Mail by registered mail the history of illness you have shared above (without any comments or complaints about the quality of care or threat of lawsuit) in a letter to the hospital, outpatient services, the judge, anyone who might be responsible or make decisions. Write that you are trying to ensure medical treatment for your severely ill child and have not been able to do this. Ask for the help your son needs. Ask for another “Conditional Discharge” with conditions that will actually help him. Write and let them know why it’s needed now and that it worked in the past.

Good luck.