SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Single Post - Stuggles of real prejudice-

historyteach · 07-23-2005, 10:07 AM

Doug;
This is such an important issue!!!
Katie Kevlock was 16 years old when an insurance company was *deciding* whether to allow for inpatient treatment. Katie died of a herion overdose before they made their decision....
Here's a website her mom started to raise awareness of this issue and more.
www.beat-the-drum.org
I have spoken to Katie's mom. She now wants to start another web site called "the faces of addiction." She has asked if Trevor and I would be a part of it. I will ask Trevor when he wakes up.
I have been argueing for years that the facilities are inadequate for the numbers of people needing and wanting treatment. There has been many times Trevor has struggled to get into treatment, and called day in and day out - only to relapse again before there was an available bed. (Of course, he has walked out of rehabs also, not being ready.)
But the prisons keep growing...
Addicts and alcoholics are easy targets for politicians. It's easy for them to refer to an active addict as "less than," and then justify cutting needed resources in favor of something more "politically correct." And the general public wants to keep themselves safe from the thought that, "There, but for the grace of G*D, go I." So, they look down their noses and refer to addicts and alcoholics as "other than."
The "less than" and "other than" designations create the conditions that allow for this mistreatment of people with an illness.
Politicians respond to their constituients. They know for every 1 letter or phone call, there are another 10 who want the same, and don't bother to contact their representatives. Many don't know how. Here is some handy information for those who wish to change the way the USA is NOT working!

For who the politicians are: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicia...ort=S&Cong=108
For how to lobby them: http://www.fathers.bc.ca/howto.htm

I hope you will stop in at www.beat-the-drum.org
Perhaps some of us would be willing to join Katie's mom in her quest to bring this injustice to light.
Thanks for bringing these statistics to the open, Doug. Without information, nothing can change.
Shalom!

07-23-2005, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
historyteach To Life! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 9,303	Doug; This is such an important issue!!! Katie Kevlock was 16 years old when an insurance company was deciding whether to allow for inpatient treatment. Katie died of a herion overdose before they made their decision.... Here's a website her mom started to raise awareness of this issue and more. www.beat-the-drum.org I have spoken to Katie's mom. She now wants to start another web site called "the faces of addiction." She has asked if Trevor and I would be a part of it. I will ask Trevor when he wakes up. I have been argueing for years that the facilities are inadequate for the numbers of people needing and wanting treatment. There has been many times Trevor has struggled to get into treatment, and called day in and day out - only to relapse again before there was an available bed. (Of course, he has walked out of rehabs also, not being ready.) But the prisons keep growing... Addicts and alcoholics are easy targets for politicians. It's easy for them to refer to an active addict as "less than," and then justify cutting needed resources in favor of something more "politically correct." And the general public wants to keep themselves safe from the thought that, "There, but for the grace of GD, go I." So, they look down their noses and refer to addicts and alcoholics as "other than." The "less than" and "other than" designations create the conditions that allow for this mistreatment of people with an illness. Politicians respond to their constituients. They know for every 1 letter or phone call, there are another 10 who want the same, and don't bother to contact their representatives. Many don't know how. Here is some handy information for those who wish to change the way the USA is NOT working! For who the politicians are: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicia...ort=S&Cong=108 For how to lobby them: http://www.fathers.bc.ca/howto.htm I hope you will stop in at www.beat-the-drum.org Perhaps some of us would be willing to join Katie's mom in her quest to bring this injustice to light. Thanks for bringing these statistics to the open, Doug. Without information, nothing can change. Shalom! __________________ IMAGINE*