quote:

Good Day,
I am a 32 year old registered voter and I'm under the impression that Medicaid will cut Mental Health Services under Obama's new Health Plan. That concerns me because I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and mild agoraphobia. My first trauma occurred at seven years old, so I've been ill for twenty five years. But I'm not concerned just for my sake, I have two small children that rely on me to be somewhat normal. In order to maintain some quality of a life for them, I need my Psychiatrist; I need my medications; and I need my therapist.
I have rapic cycling Bipolar Disorder, I cycle more than four times a year. I hate being manic, it feels like I'm on speed if you will forgive my language. I could be mentally and physically exhausted but still not be able to sleep. I'm also super untolerabley irritable when I'm manic. Which is bad for my kids to be around. My medication helps me manage this.
My therapist comes to my house. He is the only therapist I've been able to work with for over a few months. Partly because he comes to my house and he bills Medicaid under an umbrella organization. I don't know what I would do if I lost him, he's the only one that I know that I can call 24/7 if I have a real bad panic attack or something. I've worked with him for four years now.
I understand Mr. Obama's position that everyone deserves health care, but did you know that according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness "Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States."
Social Security will review my case in December. They go by my Doctors and therapist's reports as to whether I would continue to qualify.
Bottom line, without Mental Health Services, I would have no medication, no therapy or back up when I have panic attacks, no disability to live off therefore, no home to raise my children and probably no children after that either because Children Services require those mentally ill to receive treatment.
Before I had my children, I didn't care if I lived or died, my pain is so horrible. But if I can get up and face each day, I know, I know that there will be someone that will stand up and fight for my Mental Health services and that of others that face the same problems every day. I'm asking if you will be that person, or will you turn a blind eye to myself and my babies.


Sincerely,
Amelia