We See You Writing and Writing

March 12, 2017

Megan –

First, I am wondering if you might be related to Great Rivers Mental Health stalwart Judy Finnegan, and even if not, I sure could use your help. It has been not that long since fellow LCSW Francine Thomas said, “You should go talk to Danny Wedding.” I believe I said, “They are doing research up there, why would I bother him?” My problems on Ward H were:

A head injury case who needed a secure SNF.

Another head injury case I’d placed at an RCF who was faring poorly.

A long-term “State Hospital” patient with a conditional release and a legal guardian who thought SLPRC was better than a community setting, despite the court’s opinion.

A patient with a recent head injury I thought was highly suspicious in origin.

A patient who had once jumped out a window and broke his leg on LSD, and been treated at a Colorado State Hospital. They thought he could never be placed in the community, but I had gained the administrative approval and found him an RCF.

A patient who was selling sex acts.

A patient who had eloped, fell in with crack dealers, and then checked-in with his favorite Iowa sheriff to get a ride back to SLPRC. In real-time, I had taken note of the fact he had been in the same place at the same time as an Arizona cell 9/11 hijacker pilot in flight training. (This is part of why I won a battle with his legal guardian and kept him supplied with phone cards). 

A supervisor who thought returning late from Christmas shopping for patients in the REO’s Impala merited a disciplinary write-up. (I was recently told she too resigned her position abruptly).

Since that time, I’ve returned to this area in “disgrace” after bad experiences in California and two offers to meet and seal a movie deal. My problems?

I can’t get back to LA.

I can’t even get to Jeff City.

I unbelievably can’t get to Maryland Heights for a year plus to pull a $6 police report.

Through the miracle of the Internet, I am now wondering where the early St. Louis State Hospital records went, because I recall discussing a research project with former MIMH Librarian Mary Johnson. This was on my lunch hour I often spent in your library. Today, I cannot show a single article I wrote for psychiatric journals except my lead editorial in Psychiatric Services. Like my old supposed friends and professional colleagues please do not say, “Bill, that was a long time ago.”  

Dar Walker of the Alliance on Mental Illness is not on my Christmas list after being told some highly personal information about certain of my family members, and his idea of help is to accept a phone call and want to talk later due to a meeting with “big-shots.” Kevin Killeen now carries a nickname of “Call me tomorrow Kevin” after dodging his journalist responsibility to run a follow-up story after misplacing 15 minutes of telephone interview with me. Ditto with Mr. Bill McClellan, who was kind enough to pay for his own coffee at Denny’s long ago.

I warned him about what would happen with no skilled mental health professionals to investigate civil commitment cases, and he published two pieces I must assume the Post-Dispatch archives have not misplaced like Killeen’s audio.

To get to the bottom line, if I remain “stuck” at a local motel with no compassion shown by anyone, who do I ask to be invited to the Spring Institute? Seems to me I was at one early in my career inclusive of lodging and recall discussing “choice” with DMH division directors who were drinking longneck beers at the time. This was under a Republican governor? Sure was!

Safely back in 2014 St. Louis, two landlords were kind enough to rent housing where visitors banged on the porch, doors, air conditioner, pipes, and walls all night looking for meth in addition to shooting assault rifles nearby to convey a “message” that was received, and thus I became “stuck” in yet another motel.

For three years, I thought I could maybe get back on with DMH.

For two years I thought I could do a presentation on the West Coast behavioral health disaster.

For a year I’ve wanted to do a “cop training” using my close scrapes with guns and the mentally disordered as illustrations. I don’t suppose you remember the Manchester case that outraged even hard-hearted Mental Health Coordinators. Six cops shot the guy in mom’s garage because he had a sword. If I had ten less years on me, I’d get in the cop gym and show them how to take away the sword with no bullets required.

I pray my Internet keeps working,

William Hughes, MSW