March 10, 2007

I was reading this article "State’s mental facilities duped into using drugs, Abbott alleges" written by Jason Embry, W. Gardner Selby, staff of the Austin American-Statesman newspaper.

Seeing here: http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/12/16/16drugs.html

The more I read it, the more convinced I was that of a too a close coincidence to explain the sudden explosion of psychiatric disorders among the adult autistic in residence care, most of them diagnosed with "psychosis" and in need of Risperdal.

In my conversations with parents, each said the same thing, "Do you know that (name of son) is psychotic?" I would add, "and in need of Risperdal?... and since 1996 or 1997.. " they would think a bit "Yeah, since about that time" and taken aback would add, "How do you know?" It was easy to generalize, it was in papers written by the group home physician. It was also the talk among caregivers and after the third parent saying the same thing was easy to reach such conclusion. Talking further with them they confirmed the dates of their son’s diagnosis. In that year 1996 the group home physician had deemed "psychotic" at least 6 of them, including my son. Some parents handed over to me, or showed me, their son’s diagnosis saying stuff so similar in between them. It was hard to believe.

What had happened? All of the sudden the adult the autistic became "psychotics" ?

Some had several other mental disorders, I think my son had the most. Now, I have a question, were the organization "duped" or willing participants in the scheme?

Looking back, the organization was always broke, always needing money and our meetings were predominantly discussing ways to raise money, caregivers and parents were all willing to work hard to raise money to improve the care of our sons. Then everything started to change in very short time, first changes in caregivers’s salaries, then the attention and respectful deference to parents changed and went on chipping power away of all people involved. Some staff from administration and caregivers were hinting that the organization had sold its soul to the devil or words to the effect. I thought a bit too dramatic. But, after talking to parents I went to the office and I asked a direct question, "Are the makers of Risperdal donating money to the organization?" Of course, it was denied. I thought, perhaps, because of generous donation the organization were bound to use Risperdal.

I read careful the article, no need to make direct donations, as the article said third-party contractors were hired to fund educational programs. At the end, more to the point, did the makers of Risperdal bought the organization?

That could explain the sudden transformation from a poor organization to an organization handling millions. The sudden development of split personalities among members of administration, one day saying this and the next moment denying saying that and moreover not able to speak their thoughts and to be or very silent (like "talking to a brick wall") or were offensive in their answers (I was told not to go alone in my meetings with them). At another times, some members of administration who in the past were assertive looked afraid of saying the wrong thing. Then another change administration became threatening or became patronizing using cliches, some relied on scripts or, enjoyed playing games when parents asked how the money was used.

At all events selling its soul might explain quite clearly the increase of funds, the increase of diagnoses of mental disorders among the developmental delayed and the adult autistic and the increase of drugs to treat their new found "conditions".

This article made me think.