THE BOTTOM RAIL

by: Verbal Shredwright

It's New Year's Resolutions time.. you know… New Year.. New You time… and how about a new approach to make a difference too? If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Then is the definition of stupidity paying more to do the same thing and expecting a different result? Happy New Year… is that really the best we can do?

Poverty and depression are still the two most common contributors cited in over 50% of all suicides. Depression is a mental health condition. Poverty is not. Pills and pep talks do not cure disabilities, employment, healthcare, housing and small business disparities. 25% of working age adults with a disability live in poverty, and when including children and the elderly 33% of those with disabilities live in poverty. Different problems demand different expertise and solutions. There are two responses to difficult data. One is open-minded, accepts the data identifying a problem that needs attention… then seeks solutions to address it. The other is to dismiss verified data from causes they deem inferior and justify their attacks on the data and those who deliver it. Leaders are elected to represent all constituents… not to deem who is worthy of representation.

The current one-sided mental health solutions rely on government or charity trickledown models that fund the operational costs, salaries and treatments. This approach prioritizes those who make a living off the suffering of our neighbors and therefore have no incentive to improve outcomes for them. They are in charge of the system including the budget and determining who is included. Offices, salaries, vacations, health insurance and other costs are covered before money trickles down to the diagnostics, medications and therapies they and BIG Pharma get paid for. This model is driven by emotion, politics or popularity contests not data, expertise or results.

A balanced approach complements existing one-sided efforts to improve outcomes, reduce suffering and increase accountability by disrupting the poverty-depression cycle with the dignity of meaningful employment and merit-based opportunities. This approach prioritizes those with diagnosis and their caregivers affording to live with dignity and make informed choices from qualified options. This model is driven by putting the money into the hands of individual and caregivers to choose providers instead of them being chosen for them by a one-sided system. This increases access to qualified options and improves continuity of care others already enjoy.

What if our balanced approach took some money and power from bullies and politicians and gave it to those being bullied and under-represented? Would government and charities suddenly find funding for proposed options? Accountability improves wages for professionals and the quality of care and outcomes for patients. It's kind of like local suffering and job vacancies don't exist unless the media covers it or politicians deem those suffering worthy of inclusion. The CDC defines disability inclusion as more than saying the right things it requires policies and practices for action. This is where one family's generous local is another family's heartless bully.

Difficult problems won't be solved in 2023 by leaders who insist on denying difficult data and refuse to have difficult conversations about solutions with everyone at the table. In many rural and resort communities local politics and under-qualified charities are entangled in personal and professional relationships that result in favoring causes they are or were connected with. This often results in personality conflicts influencing decisions instead of the data and merits of the solutions being presented. Why prevent locals with disabilities and their caregivers from helping themselves when government and charities are falling short is a question everyone should ask.