To Barack Obama: New Orleans' Mental Health Crisis #2

Post-KatrinaNewOrleans.blogspot.com

Duncan Plaza
Outside City Hall
New Orleans, La.
June 2007

Dear Family and Friends--

"Raven, are you hungry?" I asked.

"Yes," he said in a waning rasp.

Who knows what happened to his clothes, but the hospital gave him scrubs--four days ago.

Usually, scrubs like these are worn outside the hospital by only by chic high school and college kids. They are, in many ways, the new sweatpants. For Raven, however, it had become his wardrobe.

Senator Barack Obama came to New Orleans today. He spoke at the Essence Music Festival, the country's largest celebration of African American culture.

Obama said everyone should be able to access health care. He didn't however specifically address the mental health problems of New Orleans. He didn't go into detail about his plans. But, for the 30,000 in attendance, his candor and general promise seemed to be enough.

I wonder what the next administration will do for the Ravens of New Orleans and the country. In many ways, KATRINA still claims people every day. People like Raven. He didn't tell me why he was in the hospital. And I must confess, I'm making an assumption that his mental health was less than stable. But in a City where 9 of 10, rich or poor, black or white, have been affected by depression or post-traumatic stress, federal aid is a necessity not a "It'd sure be nice."

When police find our mentally unstable on the streets, they take them to jail when psychiatric beds are full. And in Post-K NOLA, psychiatric beds have fallen by over 80 percent. This is not a statistic that should be ignored.

Mental health is not as stigmatized in New Orleans as it is in the rest of the country. People are open. People tell stories. And people cry. They say how hard it is. Many are not veiled in secrecy in New Orleans because, "We all went through it," one of my friends said.

But in a City where it seems the residents are ready to speak; where people are open to their new existence, those trained to help are rare.

The mental illness spectrum in New Orleans is large. Some are unsavable. They have frequent bouts of psychosis. But what about the blue-collar man fighting through what he thinks must be the blues?

Will they come forward? Who knows. Right now, we aren't prepared even if they wanted to.

Best,

Robert

In New Orleans, Presidential hopefuls like Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton need to see the state of Mental Health. This is a video for Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama to see.

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[rxfogarty01]

Post-KatrinaNewOrleans.blogspo­t dot com

[BIGGASMALLS]

GOOD JOB KEEP IT UP. UK.

[AllyZD]

just what my man Biggasmalls said. Respect, powerful vid, powerful message.

[soymiguelalejandro23]

Thank you so much for helping him out however that you can and for helping to raise awareness as to what is really happening there and around the country.

[unsheepled]

Until you all understand that any administration is only interested in making money for the corporations that got them selected for the job, you will be spinning your wheels.

We still have more war than ever...NOTHING changed after boosh 2,

nor will it

Trillions will go to feed the war machine, while the Ravens of the world are booted out...It is not unique to N.O.

WAKE UP

infowars com

[flanneryged]

Dear God almighty, this is a travesty.This poor man can "not" fend for himself there is no way he should have been sent out of his refuge (the Hospital).This is truly awful but then again the mentally ill don't poll that many votes do they??.Who in the right mind would allow this sort of thing to happen?.Well done for "highlighting" this normally covered up problem, you are doing a better job than all the nationals put together please keep up the good work.

[Demineralize]

OMG!! hey what is the song to this!!! I love it pleeaasee pleasse message me it im like dying for this song right now.

[okorewq]

Thanks alot for your great service to humanity. You certainly understand that you are your brother's, your sister's keeper.

[mweezy]

May God bless you man 'cause you're doing a terrific job. I feel so angry when I see people lying on the streets like Raven 'cause this shouldn't have happened in the first place. The government should have taken care of this problem 'cause it brings shame to the whole country.