Watch today’s Crucial Conversation live on Policy Watch TV

Thanks for posting this. I was able to hear most of it … great discussion.

With regard to the “what do we do” question, it seems there’s only one answer. Stop electing Republicans and conservative Democrats.

Thank you NC Policy Watch for another great Crucial Conversation

Joshua Norris spoke about philosophy which goes to attitude which goes to actions. His comments were meaningful at a basic level to the issue. If acted upon by the state it would save the humanity of all it serves. But in a state system that strips a person of his or her history and therefore the context of a lived experience from which to see the person as human people are placed in a mental health system that is inhumane. As a result a person is reduced to a body in a bed.

Let’s face it, people requiring mental health services and people with disabilities in general are seen, by the state, as a huge source of money for the state therefore the institutional bias on the part of the state.

At the September 2011 State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (State CFAC) meeting Deputy Director Jim Jarrard expressed clearly the institutional bias of the NC Department of Health and Human Services toward people with disabilities. His comments were in the context of the suit filed by Disability Rights NC concerning Adult Care Homes in NC. In Raleigh the homes are called Affordable Adult Units. Some homes have as many as 12 people in a space of 1,500 square feet according to comments made a resent City of Raleigh Law & Public Safety Committee meeting.

There are many layers to this issue but that does not make this issue complicated or difficult to understand.

People with disabilities are pawns in a rather large game of which the stakes are high.