cinmhc@lyris.peoplewho.net writes:
>Stephen,
>Thank-you for taking the time to articulate your perspective on the 
>Bay Area
>Regional meeting last week.  What you wrote makes a lot of sense.  I agree
>that the local chapters are essential and although strengthening and
>expanding them was not the project we chose this year; we still need to
>accomplish local area/chapter expansion.  All of our voices are important
>and the opportunity to be heard is integral to the Calnet and an important
>part of why we even exist as an organization.
>
>Both sides of legislative issues were discussed at our Bay Area regional
>meeting and this was very important as it is how we can make our most
>informed personal decisions. I have to thank Andrew for insuring that
>discussion. 
>

>Maria Mar

Maria and others, thank you for responding- and to all:


What I had hoped for when the Network re-organized 4 years ago was that
the issues that individual clients faced in my (our) communities could be
more successfully challenged with the help of the Network. What I had
found in the client community was that many clients were virtually
powerless. There was very little connection between what efforts the
clients could make to help themselves and any positive change in their
situation. That's not good!

When clients gained the courage to speak up and to complain when they were
being treated unfairly they were often punished. Punished for doing what
we (I) advocates encouraged them to do. They trusted me and they trusted
us. I brought these concerns to the Network I joined.  

What unfortunately I feel we did was add another layer of bureaucracy in
between clients and the system that makes decisions. At this point, I'm
willing to say that it was JUST ME!
By organizing with other consumers I had hoped to show that many of the
problems clients faced were NOT just their individual problems and
symptomatic or due to their "illness," but genuine issues that the system
would rather blame on the individual than it's petty system deficiencies.

The California Network and our local network have made great strides. Yet,
is the individual client significantly closer to being in control of his
or her life? I fear that I have failed. And that failure smacks of
betrayal. I really tried to address these issues at our regular network
meetings- I guess I lacked the ability. I involved myself in the Networks
internal affairs thinking that if we could iron-out the internal problems
a bit then maybe we could address the problems I thought were important.

These last two years I do not think that I have been much of asset to the
Network or the movement, but I saw no one to take my place. I wanted to
keep up on things and so do my part to keep our community informed. I am
not sure what to do myself now. I have spent a great deal of energy (and
so have my co-workers) on many issues, especially HOUSING and I haven't
been very SUCCESSFUL!  ...I'm willing to say IT'S ME! 

I didn't understand why consumers and client advocates would get so ANGRY
and MAD and YELL at meetings with providers. Well, now I do!!!  ( and now
we yell at client rep's) Clients use to yell at me a hell of a lot (even
when I was the one soliciting their perspective and stories) and  now I
understand better. And I am glad at least one person got stormin' mad at
the June 5th meeting. She had the guts! 
I had hoped that at least I could keep that connection between what
clients really wished and feared and my work in the network, but I just
don't know. I've seen too many clients get suckered HARD, by others
(providers, consumers too) - who say they'll take on their struggles only
to have those issues "tabled" or "shelved." 

I don't want to point a finger at our advocates and Networkers, their work
is hard. The Network and the County MH Bureaucracies are part of the same
system. I want to blame the pressures that are put on client providers
that seem to alienate them from their own constituencies.

Respectfully, Stephan   
  



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