In tribute to Laura Williams

I didn’t know Laura Williams. It was such a shock when I read the news post on my phone of a murder in New Canaan. She had died at the hand of her own young adult son, who had struggled with his mental health and learning differences for years apparently, and “self-medicated” with THC based on his online profile. This event reminded me of the August 5th murder-suicide in Greenwich, with a 56-year old man, living with his mother, deluded that his mom was a Chinese intelligence asset.

The tragic, horrible act in New Canaan reminded me of why all of us should advocate for things that make sense. With behavioral health issues like addiction and mental illness, the entire family system is affected. Family members struggle in parallel with their loved ones, and that’s why we call recovery a “parallel process”. In the case of severe mental illness (SMI), family members, walking on eggshells and unqualified to help, become patients themselves from the long journey of finding a higher-level of care for their loved ones.

Access to appropriate treatment is key, and Connecticut has not moved like other states to allow for the stewardship and protection of those who struggle with schizophrenia (exhibiting delusions, paranoia, and disordered thinking). In our state, over 25,000 individuals are challenged by schizophrenia, with at least half having no insight into their disease (aka anosognosia). When you add all the family members that are impacted, I believe there are 50,000 CT residents living in toxic environments because a loved one’s disease has failed to be addressed.

Why don’t we consider in Hartford passing a law funding Assisted Outpatient Treatment? This is a tool giving leverage to families seeking MH help. It’s a court-ordered, civil procedure for individuals at high risk to hospitalizations, re-arrests, and harm to themselves or others. It’s specifically for those with SMI that have no understanding of their illness. It eliminates the “catch and release” system that is currently utilized, with extensive costs for police, EMS, courts and re-hospitalizations. Several parents experience the same story over and over again: the loved one comes home from a ST hospitialization (less than 15 days), eventually stops taking their meds, and unravels once again. Clearly, this is traumatic to both the family members and the ones they love.

A wonderful essay about the challenges of our state’s most severe cases was just published (CLICK HERE) by a New Britian-based psychiatrist. His conclusion: “we need earlier access to care, stronger safety nets, more assertive outreach, and yes, in some cases, the moral courage to intervene when someone cannot recognize their own collapse.” Let’s hope that, out of an unimaginable tragedy, more legislators and officials in Hartford will study up on AOT and other “black robe” tools for family members.

NOTE: Feel free to read our previous blogpost reviewing our Pathway Session (with replay link) about New York State’s AOT success HERE.