At 13, teens in Washington can refuse mental health treatment even if suicidal; parents fighting to change rules
October 11, 2018SEATTLE — Teen suicides continue to be an epidemic in Washington state. On average, more than 100 teens die by suicide every year and for many families seeking treatment some of the rules are hurting more than helping.
“At 15 and a half, my daughter was suicidal and she would not go to counseling; she felt hopeless,” Mary Hart said.
As a mother, Hart felt helpless.
“It was hard to get through to her because she was so depressed,” Hart said.
And the law was Read More
What would it cost to house and provide treatment for Seattle’s homeless?
(Illustration by Gabriel Campanario / The Seattle Times)
We set out to answer the second most-popular question submitted to Ask Project Homeless. It sounds simple, but it’s not, because different people need — and will accept — different services. Here are some of the dollar figures.
What would it cost to help each homeless person? That’s what Matt Senft wants to know.
Addressing Male Suicide
Anthony Bourdain, celebrated TV chef and world traveler, took his life earlier this year, just weeks before his 62nd birthday. To some, Bourdain was the image of success and satisfaction. He visited exotic locations, enjoyed rare and delicious foods, kept celebrity friends and spoke his mind with a refreshing frankness. But underneath the surface, things were not as glamorous as they appeared.
His death speaks volumes not only on the silent suffering those with suicidal ideation experience, but also on the Read More
NAMI And Others File Lawsuit Against The Short-Term, Limited Duration Plan Final Rule
In partnership with the Association for Community Affiliated Plans and other organizations, NAMI filed suit today to invalidate the federal short-term, limited duration (STLD) insurance plan rule issued last month by three federal agencies. The legal challenge seeks a temporary injunction against the recently issued STLD rule, which would expand the availability of plans that do not have to provide coverage for mental heatlh and substance use services or comply with mental health parity.
These short-term, limited duration Read More
Communicating Is More Than Finding The Right Words
August 24, 2018 | By Keiko Purnell
My last depressive episode left me completely isolated. I didn’t respond to messages for months. Since I didn’t know how long I would be depressed, answering the question “how are you?” became emotionally draining. Actually, that one question was why I stopped talking to people entirely.
“How are you?” is such a knee-jerk opening line to a conversation; most of us don’t even realize we’re saying it, or pay much attention to the typical response Read More
Traveling With A Mood Disorder
By Jonathan Berg
I was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder when I was 14. It has taken me decades to come to grips with what that means, and to be in a place where I’m comfortable talking openly about it. Nowadays, I’m really open, because I work as a travel blogger, connecting with people and places for a living. I actually started my career at a nonprofit office job, thinking that was what I wanted. But the traditional professional life was something Read More