Public Talk about Mental Health with Orcas Deputies — and Agree to Talk More

By Margie Doyle

On Thursday, March 21, some three dozen Orcas Islanders met to discuss mutual concerns with County Undersheriff Bruce Distler in the second of monthly “Meet Your Deputies” meetings. These meetings are an outgrowth of the work of the consensus group “Orcas Response to Newtown” which met for 15 hours in February. The Mental Health (Wellbeing) section of the consensus statement reads in part, “We strive to create an environment which offers and improves resources that empower children and their families. These resources include information, collaboration, intervention or assistance in improving social and mental well-being and stability.”

This meeting was focused around mental health issues, predominantly domestic violence as addressed by the County Sheriff’s office and Domestic Violence/Sexual Abuse Services (DVSAS).

After Distler related the scenario when Sheriff’s deputies respond to  a domestic violence call,  DVSAS Director Anita Castle emphasized how complex the issue is.

Upon questions from other attendees, the following information came out:

• In addition to landline 911, emergency hotlines are 378-4141 for cell phone callers; mental health crisis line number is 1-800-584-3578;
• County Designated Mental Health Professional (CDMHP) on call 24/7 are Steve Gresham, Mary Nash, Kathy Hagen, Mary Starr and Paul Lewis;
• Any form of physical touch can be defined as “assault” under the law;
• The three questions officers ask when responding to a domestic violence or mental health call are: 1) are you intoxicated? 2) are you high on drugs? 3) are you off your prescribed medications?
• Mental Health counselors on the island are expert, caring professionals but insurance and other funding assistance for mental health care is sparse and difficult to obtain;
• Involuntary treatment at a psychiatric facility — including hospital facilities — can be obtained if the person involved is a safety danger to him/herself; a safety danger to others; or is “gravely disabled” in his/her ability for self-care;
• The cost for 72-hour involuntary treatment is $175, for which clients are billed;
• DVSAS has shelter housing for immediate protection of families on Orcas Island

Castle described the cycle of violence that many DVSAS clients face, cycling through tension-building to battering to remorse. The cycle is affected by family culture or “rules,” finances and children. Castle emphasized, “It’s all about bonding,” in describing the challenges facing domestic violence clients.

While domestic violence situations may be recurring and inter-generational, several of the counselors in attendance at the March 21 meeting agreed that their work is immeasurably valuable in “planting seeds” which may take time to grow. DVSAS has a program called Family Options to address stress and conflict; interested persons can inquire with Castle at DVSAS.

The ominous question, “What if there was someone like Adam Lanza (the accused murderer at Sandy Hook Elementary School last December in Connecticut) here?” brought out a discussion of local culture, programs and counseling availability.

Erin O’Dell, who administers the Community Wellness mental health program (funded by the County’s 1/10th of one percent mental health tax) said that program for uninsured clients was at capacity. Margie Doyle, who as Readiness to Learn coordinator for the Orcas Island School District administers the School-based Mental Health Services for all Orcas schoolchildren (also funded by the county mental health tax) said that the school program was not at capacity. She cited the reluctance of parents, and the community in general, to seek counseling support. An Orcas counselor noted that there is also a culture of family privacy that “you don’t share” what happens within your family with anybody outside that group.

Fred Klein, who facilitated the “Orcas Response to Newtown” consensus group said his major takeaway from the meeting was the concern that mental health professionals are not adequately compensated for their professional skills. Orcas West County Councilman Rick Hughes encouraged people to drill down on their concerns at the coming Community Conversations on April 2 and 16, sponsored by the San Juan County Council and Interim Manager. Another attendee spoke to what he sees as “the overarching cultural issues that send the message that picking up a weapon is a solution to problem — it’s a whole mental health issue.” Don Pencil, a member of the Orcas Response consensus group, asked if there was some fund-raising group that he could support for this issue.

Affordability of therapists, person-to-person communication and boundaries for therapists are some of the problems in delivering mental health counseling; Distler commented that sometimes involvement with the Sheriff’s office “sometimes saves kids” while acknowledging the big financial component involved in addressing mental health needs.

Undersheriff Distler said that while ordinarily, a release must be signed allowing authorities to talk to a third party, county officers have the discretion to deal with cases as they deem appropriate; that might include calling a family member if someone appears to be in danger.

Steve Gresham, one of the five County Designated Mental Health Professionals, brought out that under the state “Becca Law” children age 13 and older can exclude their parents from information regarding their treatment. It was brought out that this law was initiated to protect children over 13 whose parents will not approve of the minor seeking treatment, and enables them to seek support without parental involvement.

Gresham emphasized the hand-in-hand situation of mental illness and chemical dependence — including alcohol, prescribed drugs, and illegal substances. Barry Neville and Shawn Shelton discussed their research into the side effects of some prescription drugs, and the dangers of “over-prescription.”

Nurse Laurie Gallo spoke of the State’s Healthy Youth Survey, conducted among 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders, whose results were released last week, and said it would be helpful to consider the students’ perceptions of community acceptance of behaviors.

Under Distler’s prompting, the group agreed that they should continue the Mental Health conversation at the next “Meet the Deputies” gathering in late April. While the subject is complex and far-reaching, Distler expressed his conviction that “We can be the kind of community that other people aspire to.”

The “Meet the Deputies” meetings occur monthly, except during the summer. They are sponsored by the County Sheriff’s Office and organized by Orcas Issues.