Assembly committee assesses state of mental health care
Wednesday February 14th 2001

The issue has come up of how to have a strategy that combats Helen Thomson’s new attacks.

Last summer I suggest that the Network revisit its historic policy of attacking the reform elements in the clients movement and consider making a coalition with them. In other words, if we are to have a common strategy for combatting the continuing push for ‘forced treatment’ expansion, and related topics, we have to find the grounds for working together. Isn’t that obvious?

Unfortunately last summer the Network ignored my suggestion and organized for the San Diego Forum and for the future a CONSOLIDATION of their policy of attacking the reform elements. They adopted an overtly divisive strategy. They agreed to certain minor accommodations at a lower level than that of ‘coalition’, but that was all. The symbol of it was they agreed to write a letter to Jeannie Simmons and Carol Moss thanking them for their work when the Network itself was in crisis. But they didn’t take REAL responsibility and rectify the matter of SUING Carol or humiliating Jeannie either.

The Network IMHO should still consider that it is a losing strategy to ‘go it alone’ and diss the people who have worked the hardest to build the client culture. They have the availability today to try to find a way to negotiate coalition. If they won’t negotiate coalition, and then something awful like involuntary outpatient commitment sneaks in, they can say “Oops!” and ‘move on’. But they will have their own insistence on a narrow exclusionary strategy to blame, and the clients will know this.

Why not consider the matter of coalition in all seriousness?

Respectfully

Andrew Phelps