Keri

We need to reclaim the village as our birthright and have sanctuaries to help each other heal.

We need sensitive community members who recognize that the gifts we have labeled as "breaks" in our loved ones must be supported as breakthroughs:

openings that are showing the individual and our community where we are needing to heal and evolve.

Every breakdown can be a breakthrough if the community will carry it with Curiosity and Love.

We honor and welcome the gifts that are coming through all of us, each and every one us, to guide us into the future.

We are Becoming

the

Beloved Community!

Keri's Story

Keri was discharged from mental health services during a pandemic for having non-violent symptoms of her diagnosis.

1) Q. What brought you to the My-place Multicultural center?

A. I was cut off mental health services July 9, 2020 in the middle of a pandemic.

I have not been able to access any mental health care since then.

Community Services Northwest/SeaMar failed me by not completing a smooth successful hand over to a mental health prescriber and therapist to continue my medication and therapy that I was already in.

2) Keri this sounds really un-just.

Q. What makes this life threatening?

A. The medication that I have been on for 35 years. In my past, 3 Dr. tried to switch my medicine by slowly taking me down on the milligrams as they were putting me onto a new medication. This never worked. I ended up in jail or the hospital due to my extreme traumatic reactions to the new medicine and the withdraw from the old. I am getting very close to NOT having any medication at all. My anxiety and fear.......

I'm just scared to death on what's going to happen to me.

3) Q. Have you yourself tried to find services?

A. Yes, I called Molina and Regence which are both my mental health insurance companies that are contracted with CSNW/Seamar to provide services.

I called CSNW pleading with them to please NOT discharge me.

I got ahold of health care system and senators.

I have called and tried to receive service to all the available contracted mental health services though my insurance. I have had NO luck.

4) Q. Why are they refusing you services?

A. The symptoms that I exhibit are caused from my high A.C.E.'S which are caused from childhood and adolescents trauma and abuse.

When I have an experience that's triggering I become symptomatic. Which is looked at by others as verbal abuse. But that is why I am diagnosed as having Bi-Polar and Borderline personality disorder! these are the symptoms they are suppose to help me learn how to control. I feel like the mental health provider should NOT be or become offended when I'm symptomatic and they sure could use additional training instead of leaving me without care.

5) Q. What has the last 7 months been like since July 9th 2020 the very last time you received any mental health services?

A. For the 1st time in my life I have been NOT invited to all the holidays with my family. The devastation to NOT have my family is indescribable pain.

Eleven close people in my life have died in the last 7 months.

I have experienced the impact of the pandemic without any mental health support that I received on a weekly basis for the last 35 years of my life.

6) Q. Keri what do you want people to know?

A. I have been cutting my medication back to make them last longer because I'm so frightened to run out. I will NOT have anymore medication by March. I need and must get mental health counseling and medication by a provider that does not get offended by physically non violent mental health symptoms.