"Our Lady of Yahoo!" in Santa Clara
To: cnmhc@yahoogroups.com
From: Andrew Phelps <dis_course@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 23:14:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [cnmhc] MHB and NAMI
Hi
Another framing is how effective are the MHB/C's. They have power by law and also there are nuances of practice and local implementation that make a difference.
Unfortunately the training of MHB/C members is/was largely in the hands of CIMH and they deliberately train AWAY from people who wanted to use the MHB/C's for non-token purposes.
To have it their way, the purpose of public mental health is to provide employment for mental health workers. Advocacy needs to be managed and "kept in its place."
NAMI with its financial base and Big Pharma based leverage has found it straightforward under these circumstances to muscle in and "take over" pretty much. In a way it has been a "setup" for them - FWIW.
Ccc wrote:
This is roll-call from our last MHB meeting. It's interesting that NON-board members are identifed as NAMI affilation but not so when ON the board, even though they ARE with NAMI. I have said I was with the NETWORK in the past but it wasn't put on the minutes that way,
.. When I was active in this domain, it was well known that Riverside Co. was one of the counties most tightly controlled by NAMI. Sounds like that hasn't changed.
Andrew Phelps