Monday, March 18, 2013

Kentucky Mom speaks out to make a difference!

When mentally ill kids become legal adults, getting them proper treatment shows gaps in system  

Written by: Chris Kenning

Joann Strunk looks through a binder of documents that chronicle her daughter's mental illness as she sits in her Lexington home. Ensuring the proper care became more difficult when her daughter became an adult.LEXINGTON, KY. Joann Strunk’s “roller-coaster ride through hell” began nearly 10 years ago when her then 16-year-old daughter, Sarah, began hearing voices.
Sarah was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her young life became marked by hallucinations, angry outbursts and depression. There were hospitalizations and several suicide attempts.
For Joann, a single mother, handling a severely mentally ill daughter while navigating a fragmented system of care with limited insurance was a constant struggle. But when Sarah became a legal adult and Joann was no longer in charge of her treatment, things got much tougher. 
Please take the time to read the entire article here. The closing statements by Joann's daughter, Sarah are profound. Her words resinate the pain of surviving a life with mental illness. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130317/NEWS01/107120005/-1/EXTRAS34/
"Please share a few words of wisdom and support, (in the comment section either here or on the Courier-Journal's website) for this brave Mother and her daughter, who have exposed their painful journey in hopes a better system of care will develop in Kentucky!"
GG Burns, Mental Health Advocate and Blogger
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Please email the Courier Journal and thank them for writing and sharing Sarah's and Joann's story at: Managing Editor, Jean Porter, (502)
582-4244,  jporter@courier-journal.com and"Chris Kenning" "Chris Kenning" ckenning@louisvil.gannett.com