Wow this sucks. I'd give more if I had it but I'm out of work too, still there are things in the works. Do what you can. Your work is appreciated. I'll send some Reiki your way and wish you the success you deserve.

Listen up Seattle. I've come back to say one more thing, and I seem to be a regular fixure in this department.

Do we need mental health coverage in this state? in Seattle? In the Times? or PI?

I've got some old copies with myself inside, on the covers and being damn vocal about insignificant things compared to what is happening in Seattle and surrounding areas, all counties included regarding our mental health crisis.

1. Group homes are being shut down.

2. Patients from psych wards are being discharged to the streets and into homeless shelters, I witnessed this myself.

3. Times have not changed they have gotten worse, has anyone noticed that driving homeless off of the streets sends them other places, just shifting the homeless? not giving solution? did you know that many mental health patients are homeless? and without a place to live, and be discharged to such as group homes, it leaves the city to deal with an underfunded and inadequate infrastructure that is a complete failure to it's citizens?

4. Did you know that suicide rates have not decreased in this city?

I'm personally going to be lobbying [that means advocating]for more group homes and housing for SMH and CPC clients.

Want my coverage? Do I need to give it a 3 minute sound check over at KOMO? KIRO? like I did with airbag safety?

This is a sad day as far as I am concerned that a qualified mental health reporter is basically saying he quits!

The ONE TIME I NEEDED HELP because my daughter was going to be shipped to Western State Hospital I had no idea who to call. I found Philip's "No Exit" article he wrote for the Seattle Weekly when they allowed mental health reporting, and left him a wild voicemail that this cannot happen to my daughter!

Then I called NAMI the Seattle chapter, and the Director told me he cannot help me at all to call Philip Dawdy.

I've kicked down doors on my own the last 2 years in this system, and I have been inside 5 psych units, hospitals, and the state institution for hundreds of hours the last 2 years and can give quite a detailed summary of just how bad conditions are and are not.

My point is, without someone in town able to write about this topic from first hand experience [note Philip was allowed inside of western State for his article, which is unheard of]then this town is at a loss, and a very bad crossroad.

Because, mental illness has not gone away. It does not go away with closure of group homes, it does not go away due to silence.

Shame on you!

Philip, you're doing good work. Wish I could do more to support you!

Hang in,
Deborah

Well I sent you the $25 which is all I can afford out of my paycheck for the first part of the month.
I am hoping that since THIS is the last day of your fundraiser (as I understood it) that somehow everyone who's been putting it off will decide to give. If I was a big baller I'd give more, but I think part of the reality is that a lot of your readers are people with MI of some sort, and sad but true, we may be able to afford out internet service but I doubt the majority of us are all that finacialy well off after it's all said and done. Paying for hospital stays, doctors visits and medications that can be crazy expensive doesn't leave much over for donations most months. But I do think most people should be able to come up with at least $5. Especialy when this is one of the only reliable places to come to keep up to date on soooo many of the issues that are very important for anyone who is a mental health consumer to have an undertanding about.

I really wonder what percentage of people who ARE giving donations are actually consumers of the mental health system who desperately NEED the information you offer here, and what percentage are people who are just interested in mental health issues. It would just be interesting to know.

I still think you should extend your fundraiser if that is what it takes to get what you need. For those of us that have given already I think we would rather see that money help you continue to keep writing here by your extending the fundraisre a few days... and maybe posting on your blog, not just in the comments section, some of the things people who HAVE ALREADY donated have to say to other readers who haven't yet. Maybe if it's fellow readers talking about why other readers should give, even if it's just $5 (I think 98% of people could afford at least $5 ya know?), more peole will respond. I dunno, just an idea.
Another Idea, which may not be something you would want to do but that I think would get people to donate, is to go "on strike". I mean really, if you stop writing here except to say " this is where I am at as far as donations go and this is how much more I need befor I can start writing again", I think people will be more willing to donate...well, unless they've got some sort of issue with a guy trying to make a living off offering a very valuable service.

If they're regular readers and like me, and like to read this blog every day, I think that coming here for a few days straight with nothing to read but you're updatig them on how close or far you are from reaching your goal, that that would be enough to make them say "okay fine, I guess I better do my part if I want to continue enjoying this blog."

I think as it is that maybe a lot of people are just hoping that "someone else" will chip in and they wont have to. It probably has less to do with wether they value your writing or not and more to to with people being tightwads.

But then again maybe you do have to stop writing for awhile. Maybe that's the only way for people to "get it". Maybe when they realize just how many different websites and newsources, medical journals etc, that they have to visit and read in order to get the type of balanced info they get here, THEN they'll realize just how much work you do in the process of keeping this blog up and running.
I sure know myself how much time it can take to "wade thru" the world wide web trying to find articles and information that are "newsworthy" sort of stuff, worthy of my having spent the time to read the article, worthy of my spending the time to analyze and come to a conclusion about the validity of the information and the trustworthyness of the people who are presenting that information. And it defiantely can take up to a whole week of just researching one issue in regards to mental health befor a person can come to a fair and balanced understanding of that issue - it takea a lot of time, and time is money.
It is a very valuable resource to have so many of the imporant issues all available in one place. It isn't only enjoyable to read this blog but it saves me hours of time I would otherwise have to spend trying to find the same sort of info on my own.

I just don't think people understand just how much WORK you do. I don't think they understand how much time they themselves would have to spend in order to learn enough about the issues to be able to come to the same sort of conclusions. And as for those readers who don't agree with much of what you say here, or who think you're anti-med or anti-psychiatry, they obviously have never taken the time to ever research any of the issues themselves, and, well, they're not gonna give. But for those of us who do see that you are simply "telling it as it is", and actually need this sort of information to help us keep away from so many of the danger zones of the mental health system in the US and the more danerous treatments out there... well I think we should all give, even if it's only one freaking dollar.

Philip you deserve our support and to anyone who dares to think that this blog is just a hobby and you don't deserve compensation from your readers, I say to them: YOU go out and try to collect all the same information that Philip shares with us here within a weeks time (WITHOUT using links from his blog), and keep a record of how many hours it takes you. I think if you do that you will have a newfound apreciation for Philip and his work.

Cheer up Philip, I agree you've done the best you can. Why don't you just work part time and write on a nonfiction manuscript for a book on mental health fraud. You can produce a kicker product and I think it would be published by a large house. I think you should write a book now. Forget one city in America, try and operate on a macro level, you could reach all sorts of markets if you wrote a nonfiction researched account of what the fuck is going on in the system right now.

> I know when I am not wanted or needed.

the more back breaking and important pro bono work is, the more it seems to get taken for granted.

you're both wanted and urgently needed. but you're serving the powerless and the truth.

laura

Yeah, a novel about hospitals dumping mental health patients to the street at 11pm at night, then mailing an apology letter to the legal adult stating there will be no charge for the horrific service, and then the patient receives a statement of services due in the mail.Finding out from a rotation nurse at another E.R. he witnessed the lies and dumping of the patient due to the doctor and staff not wanting to deal with an MHP due to the E.R. being a full house.Security guards proceed to shove patient into wheel chair, out the doors and into the parking structure, and told the patients relative there would be no charge for parking.Who could make this up?

Hey KatieLou,

I am a mom with bipolar II. I gave $100. to Phillip this month, even though I can barely afford it, because the work he is doing is too important. I got a good doctor two years ago who helped me get off the meds that were killing me. I gained 80 pounds, was close to being diabetic and lost my memory. Since going with just supplements and nutrition, my whole life has turned around.

I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do Phillip. You will be missed. Consider yourself a hero.

I am on a very limited budget, but will try to paypal $20.

Are there no foundations / charities / survivors you can approach for grants?

I thought about it and I really don't want to see your writing scaled back. Considering that I'm unemployed and trying to jump into the very field that is screwing you over, I still think you provide a considerable service that not only I - but others - value. If you extend the fundraiser, I might dig up as many pennies as I can and I think others might as well. Sorry for jumping on the bandwagon so late.

i want to first thank you all for your kind thoughts and support and so on. i'll have more on the status of the f/r on monday/tuesday. much of my frustration of late is with the meltdown in the print journalism world and the fact that the internet really hasn't stepped up to fill the void, at least not financially. i wish their were a foundation or grant i could seek for the work i do, but i don't.

i'm happy to subsidize my time here with outside freelance work but sadly that market is very dry of late and pays poorly (at rates that were considered good over 10 years ago) and slowly (there are some mags i write for who don't pay you until 4 months after you turn your work in. no i am not joking).

the reality is that when i was still employed at the seattle weekly and then for a good six months afterwards (so 9/05 to 6/07 as the life of this site goes), i never asked readers for a dime. i covered my time and the site expenses out of my own pocket. i'd love to have the resources to do so again, but i don't. not now at any rate.

keep in mind that john mcmanamy's blog at health central pays him $18k a year and he posts once a week and really never says anything earth shattering and his personal website (which is much better although not critical of the dominant paradigm) brings him at least that much again through reader contributions. he has money, new computers and can afford to travel.

me: i just want to cover my rent!

again, thanks to all of you.

more on monday/tuesday

KEXP just had their donations drive and missed their target as well. However, they didn't berate their listeners when they missed their target. They extended the drive.

I think you are doing great work and I'm happy that you met your goals, but I don't think what you said was appropriate at all. I understand you being frustrated, but this posting was a bit much for me. Good luck with your endeavors.