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Something that they were just talking about on this special episode w/ @JoyAnnReid @RepKarenBass @RepValDemings @RepJeffries in terms of “Refunding, or replacing money” into other areas of the community that officers shouldn’t be working in, in the first place, made me think of
“priorities” of cities, states, governments. While, as an aside, there was a FABULOUS question about “Are they trained in managing their own reactions to people they are interacting with?” Look at the killing of Rayshard Brooks, THAT officer killed him in anger, & the DA did a
masterful job of proving it already. The officer that killed George Floyd had the callous hate in him, which I think is part of what’s finally evoking such an uprising. People are SEEING for themselves, w/their own eyes, that these men reacted in anger, not in ‘fear.’ That they
treated these men, like their lives didn’t matter, and they KILLED THEM. The monster on George Floyd’s neck was TOLD he had no pulse, and then sat on him for another 2:53 minutes. The officers with Rayshard Brooks, who KNEW that tazer didn’t work, shot him in the MIDDLE of his
back (AFTER he fired the non-working tazer, stumbled back up inebriated, and started to run 
again 18.2 feet away). He was running away. Not firing a tazer. Not facing them. He was no harm. He shot him in the back and glibly screamed w/malice, “I got him!” Then they did this:
again 18.2 feet away). He was running away. Not firing a tazer. Not facing them. He was no harm. He shot him in the back and glibly screamed w/malice, “I got him!” Then they did this:
That is white supremacy. The one standing on him, him and his lawyer did that DISASTROUS interview w/Katy Tur & Struggle Beard Chuck Todd. His lawyer was frothing about ‘him’ being the victim, that even though we were watching the video of him standing on him, he was NOT standing
on him. He fell and had a concussion and missed all that kicking and can’t recall ANY of what went on. Convenient. He went with a bunch of black panic bullsh@t, and then when the officer was given the chance to TRY and FAKE an ounce of empathy to the Brooks family, he couldn’t,
because... you guessed it, HE’S the victim! His lawyer said how they even be charged on those oath and procedural charges! Black men don’t have rights! They were garbage and I hope he gets every minute in jail he deserves.
Back to my INITIAL POINT! @RepKarenBass made the excellent point of redispuesing money, what officers are and are not trained to do.
This led me to think of my starting point of ‘priorities.’ I’ve talked many times that my residency, then my early career as a Director was in
This led me to think of my starting point of ‘priorities.’ I’ve talked many times that my residency, then my early career as a Director was in
Addictions and Subsatnce abuse. I still work a great deal in these populations, teach, train, and have helped set standards for integrative behavioral health.
There are some states, and even some cities that are terrible when it comes to working with addiction issues, and some
There are some states, and even some cities that are terrible when it comes to working with addiction issues, and some
that do quite a good job (or are FAR better than others). The good ones have ‘Drug Court Programs,’ my state of Illinois does, and it’s a program that works from a view and frame work that explores the connections of mental health issues and substance abuse. 70-80% of individuals
with substance abuse issues typically ALSO have depression and/or anxiety. Up to 90% have suffered, or continue to suffer some form or trauma. There are some ‘profound’ cases, called ‘MISA’ (Mental Illness & Substance Abuse) which typically includes more serious mental health
issues such as schizophrenia, medically non compliant bipolar disorder w/delusions and hallucinations, psychotic disorders, neurocognitive disorders or brain trauma, personality disorders, etc. There are also individuals who ‘present’ with symptoms that ‘appear’ psychotic, but
may not be mental illness, but a product of the specific drugs they abuse (meth, pcp, cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, ecstasy, alcohol, hypnotics) or the withdrawal symptoms cause the symptoms, which go away when sober, or on medication. To know if it’s a product of the
‘Substance alone’ or ‘both,’ as best practice professionals want a period of 6-12 months, or what is known as ‘PAWS’ (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome), which’s the length of time it takes substances to leave the body, the fat cells, organs, brain, & to have a more accurate picture
We wouldn’t do what would be considered a full or proper neurocognitive or IQ assessment until that time has passed, because we want an ‘accurate’ picture of their functioning, and the changes in even a matter of months (even a month) can be profound. The ‘fog’ that lifts, the
healing that can take place in the body (it’s an important time to eat well and drink lots of water and help detox the body).
Back to ‘Drug Courts.’ Beyond taking into consideration that there may be a connection between substances and mental health, or that the individual may
Back to ‘Drug Courts.’ Beyond taking into consideration that there may be a connection between substances and mental health, or that the individual may
NOT present with mental health symptoms (or at least much more manageable ones) without the addiction issues, they ALSO consider that the individual may NOT have interactions with thr legal system, or not as serious or frequent ones, had it not been for the addiction issues.
Often the Drug Court judges are a ‘special’ kind of judge. They are not wholly punitive, or they wouldn’t be there. They want to help use a combination of of ‘levers and services’ to try & get the individual on the right path (if possible). Most give people more chances than you
you would assume, as long as that is feesible. Of course there are certain crimes that would not be eligible for drug court, and the individual does want to have to want to help themselves more than everyone is trying to help them after a certain point.
No one is asking the police to be Therapists, but an important piece that comes into play is ‘their training, and their reaction’ to these individuals. Their job is to protect and serve, that includes ‘that person,’ they need their help, they are not in a good way, they aren’t
thinking or acting like themselves, and no officer should take it ‘personally.’ Deescalation training and keeping that in mind. Thinking of simply keeping them ‘safe’ to get them to their next ‘caretaker’ is the way officers should think of human beings struggling.
It’s also worth noting that states are quick to try & cut substance abuse funding from their budgets ‘first,’ & think of the ramifications later. The result is that individuals who need treatment & not JAIL, end up in jail, b/c there’s no services or funding. The shortsightedness
is that it costs 1:14 for every INPATIENT treament $ to what it costs to incarcerate an individual . What builds better relationships, faith in systems & communities, working together, looking at the whole picture, seeing the person & not ‘your hurt feelings?’ Refund/Reframe.
