I am not on here to just rant. It may come across that way, but everything I will write about will be from what I have experienced in my last 23 years of this Homeless/Suicidal assistance work I do or from present experiences on the streets doing the actual work.
I will try to keep most of it from present experiences and so far that is what you are reading.
Also, I am not here to just complain. I go into the streets and do my work. I get down and dirty in the ugliness of it all. It is not usually pretty and can get violent, depressing, uplifting, scarey and many times fun. I will also try to share some of the fun with you. Looking back I can see so far it is all too serious and all about the ugly stuff so far.
I apologize. I will work on that and try to write something uplifting on my next blog.
Just So You Know,,,,,I also have a plan to be one of the "Solutions" to the problems and frustrations I write about. It is a 34 page plan and if you would like to see it just email me and I will be glad to share it with you.
straightaheadlwg@gmail.com or you may call me @ 865-964-1461 on my cell. I am in the Eastern Zone USA.
Take Care and thank you all for reading.
Lance :-))!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The prescibing of medications(anti-depressants) to the Homeless
Well, here we go,,
The prescribing of medications(anti-depressants) to the Homeless is a very sensitive subject. One of which I am sure I will get criticized for my opinion of.
FIRST, to all of you who will jump to try and prove me wrong. I am fully aware there are individuals who need to be on medications. Who even need to be on them whether they want to be or not. For their safety and for the safety of others. As long as those meds are taken in a safe, responsible situation. You are right. THAT is not always possible. Thus, my frustrations with the medical communities.
First, a story if you will. A very true story.
A homeless "friend" of mine, had a tent mate. Wayne. Wayne is one of many homeless VETS, just like many others out there. Wayne got into some harsh meds. It was just fortunate my homeless "friend" came back to their "camp" tent one morning to find Wayne writhing in the tent with the tent collapsed around him. Wayne went to the hospital, James and I spent many hours there. I was the only one Wayne could communicate with by grunts and nods. Wayne still is unable to talk to this day and he never came out of his vegetative state. Wayne went from the hospital in Knoxville TN straight to a nursing home. James, saved his friends life that day.
Medications should not be prescribed, given, or mailed to people whom the prescribing Doctor or facility knows nothing about the patient other then they are ill in some way, mentally or physically. The Hospital who prescribed the meds to the homeless "friend" of mine did not "know" the living conditions or status of the individual. They did not know he was "homeless"sleeping in a tent until I had a very direct talk with them advising them of their need to re-evaluate their handling of the individual and the anti-depressant medications they had prescribed to and mailed to him so many times at an address which of course had nothing to do with him.
I am sorry. If you do not use your knowledge to get to know your patient, then DO NOT prescribe something just to make a profit. IT CAN KILL. And HAO's like myself end up having to scramble and pick up the pieces from the effects of your " Care Less" or "Hardened" attitudes. These things affect numerous people when they happen in the homeless world. The sad thing is, these cases where people lose their lives over prescribed medications which the homeless community are prescribed and obtain legally, many times just disappear because of who the people are. Unacceptable. Period.
Do not tell me there is no other way. Please. Do not. Do not even bother going there. Do not give me your medical excuses. It takes time with the patient. THAT is the problem.
It takes coordinating with organizations such as ours and finding out more about that person. It takes a direct question to see if they are homeless. We can help you with it. We can help you prevent many of these situations.
If my homeless "friend" was not there and did not know Straight Ahead Outreach, Wayne would have lay prostrate and died right there in that tent. It will be one of Straight Ahead Outreach’s' directives to seek out those who are lying prostrate and or being ignored or missed by the system. We will do it by both on the street monitoring and by referrals from other homeless individuals. Yes, it all will be a painstaking process. That is just the way it is.
In another case, this one just as disturbing but in a different way. Another one of our homeless "friends" goes to the local Health system in Knoxville TN.
She is a female and is very fragile mentally in many different ways. She just recently got into a new apartment. There are numerous issues that surround her life, which could knock her down at any moment and cause her to go into an all out spiral. Because of these issues, she sees a therapist at the local Health system. She called me one day here this March 2009 and was very distraught. When she told me what was wrong, I was stunned, speechless and very upset.
She began to tell me she did not think she wanted to go to her therapist anymore because of how traumatic her visit was when she last went. She told me they placed her in a small room. Then her "therapist" came to visit her,,,,,,,,,,,ON A VIDEO MONITOR,,,,,like in a jail! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!
So, they interview and prescribe my homeless "friend" and many others from a video monitor? SERIOUSLY! Are you kidding me? How do you feel them? How do you get to know them? How? Tell me?
I will do everything in my power to keep the homeless "friends" and anyone else I encounter away from this particular facility and from now on I will inquire of each Mental Health facilities of their practices.
This is not a death row, solitary confinement type situation people! You are not located in a prison. What are you doing? I want an answer. What are you doing? Your insensitivity and lack of willingness to get to know your patients will KILL people. I guarantee you.
Mental Health Systems: Please listen. I guarantee you, YOU will be responsible for pushing people to take their lives by this irresponsible act. You may never know it, because they will be the invisible ones, the homeless ones. But trust me, I will let you know who they are.
You should be ashamed.
The prescribing of medications(anti-depressants) to the Homeless is a very sensitive subject. One of which I am sure I will get criticized for my opinion of.
FIRST, to all of you who will jump to try and prove me wrong. I am fully aware there are individuals who need to be on medications. Who even need to be on them whether they want to be or not. For their safety and for the safety of others. As long as those meds are taken in a safe, responsible situation. You are right. THAT is not always possible. Thus, my frustrations with the medical communities.
First, a story if you will. A very true story.
A homeless "friend" of mine, had a tent mate. Wayne. Wayne is one of many homeless VETS, just like many others out there. Wayne got into some harsh meds. It was just fortunate my homeless "friend" came back to their "camp" tent one morning to find Wayne writhing in the tent with the tent collapsed around him. Wayne went to the hospital, James and I spent many hours there. I was the only one Wayne could communicate with by grunts and nods. Wayne still is unable to talk to this day and he never came out of his vegetative state. Wayne went from the hospital in Knoxville TN straight to a nursing home. James, saved his friends life that day.
Medications should not be prescribed, given, or mailed to people whom the prescribing Doctor or facility knows nothing about the patient other then they are ill in some way, mentally or physically. The Hospital who prescribed the meds to the homeless "friend" of mine did not "know" the living conditions or status of the individual. They did not know he was "homeless"sleeping in a tent until I had a very direct talk with them advising them of their need to re-evaluate their handling of the individual and the anti-depressant medications they had prescribed to and mailed to him so many times at an address which of course had nothing to do with him.
I am sorry. If you do not use your knowledge to get to know your patient, then DO NOT prescribe something just to make a profit. IT CAN KILL. And HAO's like myself end up having to scramble and pick up the pieces from the effects of your " Care Less" or "Hardened" attitudes. These things affect numerous people when they happen in the homeless world. The sad thing is, these cases where people lose their lives over prescribed medications which the homeless community are prescribed and obtain legally, many times just disappear because of who the people are. Unacceptable. Period.
Do not tell me there is no other way. Please. Do not. Do not even bother going there. Do not give me your medical excuses. It takes time with the patient. THAT is the problem.
It takes coordinating with organizations such as ours and finding out more about that person. It takes a direct question to see if they are homeless. We can help you with it. We can help you prevent many of these situations.
If my homeless "friend" was not there and did not know Straight Ahead Outreach, Wayne would have lay prostrate and died right there in that tent. It will be one of Straight Ahead Outreach’s' directives to seek out those who are lying prostrate and or being ignored or missed by the system. We will do it by both on the street monitoring and by referrals from other homeless individuals. Yes, it all will be a painstaking process. That is just the way it is.
In another case, this one just as disturbing but in a different way. Another one of our homeless "friends" goes to the local Health system in Knoxville TN.
She is a female and is very fragile mentally in many different ways. She just recently got into a new apartment. There are numerous issues that surround her life, which could knock her down at any moment and cause her to go into an all out spiral. Because of these issues, she sees a therapist at the local Health system. She called me one day here this March 2009 and was very distraught. When she told me what was wrong, I was stunned, speechless and very upset.
She began to tell me she did not think she wanted to go to her therapist anymore because of how traumatic her visit was when she last went. She told me they placed her in a small room. Then her "therapist" came to visit her,,,,,,,,,,,ON A VIDEO MONITOR,,,,,like in a jail! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!
So, they interview and prescribe my homeless "friend" and many others from a video monitor? SERIOUSLY! Are you kidding me? How do you feel them? How do you get to know them? How? Tell me?
I will do everything in my power to keep the homeless "friends" and anyone else I encounter away from this particular facility and from now on I will inquire of each Mental Health facilities of their practices.
This is not a death row, solitary confinement type situation people! You are not located in a prison. What are you doing? I want an answer. What are you doing? Your insensitivity and lack of willingness to get to know your patients will KILL people. I guarantee you.
Mental Health Systems: Please listen. I guarantee you, YOU will be responsible for pushing people to take their lives by this irresponsible act. You may never know it, because they will be the invisible ones, the homeless ones. But trust me, I will let you know who they are.
You should be ashamed.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
We are in Desperate Need,,,,,Can You Help?
Boy,,,,,I am very good at helping others, but I stink at asking for money. The reality of all this is, that if I do not learn to ask more we will not be able to continue the work we do in helping those we help.
I have done this work since 1985, and everything I do I have done out of my own pocket up until last year 2008 when we received $600.00 to help a few specific homeless. This year so far we have received $1220.00 so far to date.
While it is greatly appreciated and I feel the obligation to fullfill the work in order to properly thank those who "gifted" what they did, it just is not enough to allow us to continue our work helping the homeless and depressed. We help anyone who is down and wants to "Take Back Their Life". Not just the homeless.
We are desperate. There, I said it. My pride usually will not let me do that. But facts are facts.
We are not yet 501c3 Non Profit, but as of 3/15/09 we have submitted the paperwork to our attorney for the two year journey towards it. BUT, BELIEVE ME,,,,we ARE most definitely NOT making any profits and never intend to.
Bottomline, we have gotten to the point where we can no longer fund this on our own. I have always done this work myself, (Lance Greene) out of the wages I earned at my regular jobs. The problem is I am no longer employed. I am only able to do the work mainly now via phone.
In order to continue the work and to further expand the work we need your HELP. BIG TIME!
Please, if you can help,,,at all. Please go to our website,,,read about us a little at: http://sites.google.com/site/straightaheadoutreach/Home
We do great work. We are committed to helping the Homeless or anyone depressed and in need.
If you want to ask me questions before you give, call me on my cell: 865-964-1461 and I will answer anything you ask.
We base our Straight Ahead Outreach out of Knoxville TN. That is where the bulk of our work is done.
If you want to help us, please go to our website and you will find our contact and address info for mailing your check. Our website is a free site form Google so I am unable to put a donation button on for PayPaL. It is a big pain as Google doesn't make provisions for the button to be easily added.
We are real, we can be verified.
So please, anything you can do, any amount will help and is appreciated.
Thank you,
Lance Greene - Founder
Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life
865-964-1461
I have done this work since 1985, and everything I do I have done out of my own pocket up until last year 2008 when we received $600.00 to help a few specific homeless. This year so far we have received $1220.00 so far to date.
While it is greatly appreciated and I feel the obligation to fullfill the work in order to properly thank those who "gifted" what they did, it just is not enough to allow us to continue our work helping the homeless and depressed. We help anyone who is down and wants to "Take Back Their Life". Not just the homeless.
We are desperate. There, I said it. My pride usually will not let me do that. But facts are facts.
We are not yet 501c3 Non Profit, but as of 3/15/09 we have submitted the paperwork to our attorney for the two year journey towards it. BUT, BELIEVE ME,,,,we ARE most definitely NOT making any profits and never intend to.
Bottomline, we have gotten to the point where we can no longer fund this on our own. I have always done this work myself, (Lance Greene) out of the wages I earned at my regular jobs. The problem is I am no longer employed. I am only able to do the work mainly now via phone.
In order to continue the work and to further expand the work we need your HELP. BIG TIME!
Please, if you can help,,,at all. Please go to our website,,,read about us a little at: http://sites.google.com/site/straightaheadoutreach/Home
We do great work. We are committed to helping the Homeless or anyone depressed and in need.
If you want to ask me questions before you give, call me on my cell: 865-964-1461 and I will answer anything you ask.
We base our Straight Ahead Outreach out of Knoxville TN. That is where the bulk of our work is done.
If you want to help us, please go to our website and you will find our contact and address info for mailing your check. Our website is a free site form Google so I am unable to put a donation button on for PayPaL. It is a big pain as Google doesn't make provisions for the button to be easily added.
We are real, we can be verified.
So please, anything you can do, any amount will help and is appreciated.
Thank you,
Lance Greene - Founder
Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life
865-964-1461
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