2014-05-28 - 9:41 a.m.

Quick moment to actually endorse a product

http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Teals-Foaming-Lavender-Fluid/dp/B0080D1Q52

This lavender Bubble Bath can be found cheaper (I think!) at Wall Mart and/or Target. I forget which I bought it at.

I am volunteering at a school event this AM, but not before a quick soak and meditation as I really need that.

And I really need to write for just a moment. It is one of the few times I actually SOMETIMES on rare occasions well up and have the ALMOST cry that I really need.

(Maybe someday I will experience a REAL heart wrenching cleansing.... SIGH.... )

I have not written here in a bit as I have been busy writing to anyone I think may be a resource and support in our community where a boy was shot and killed by our local police officer after a call for help was made after his attempt at suicide.

I am in the unique position of NOT being close to the family, yet of having heard of some of the issues that are VERY Personal YET ALSO AFFECT SO MANY.

Things like need for support for children dealing with mental illness, things like people in distress because there is no place they feel WELCOME, LOVED and ACCEPTED for who they are

Whether that is TRUE or only a manifestation of a mental illness at the time so a person has such false perception Or a lack of communication of ACTUAL LOVE is irrelevant- on both counts my community needs to face some tough issues and address them so this NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

Its rather draining so I am tired and emotionally worn out myself just now. I will rejuvenate and because I have the ability to see and understand some things others either can't see, don't want to see, or are terrified to name and address , I feel compelled to speak out on the tough issues.

Its a tough thing to do so with compassion and not come across as offensive to the family involved in what is first and foremost their personal tragedy. It is however also our whole community's tragedy.

We are all grieving.

We also all have to work together to do better at facing the issues so this never happens again.

I did what I can.
I passed on resources to the close teen friends of the young man they lost. I hope they all find strong support they need. Our school is providing grief counselors and doing what they can of course.
Our police chief immediately called for an investigation by the VA State Police and put the local officer on leave.

I am just so heartbroken myself. I feel terrible for our local Police Force. I have first hand seen them respond more times than most ( Remember recent Jerry Springer Live in my basement? MY OWN family issues they have assisted with many times?)

I am a mother myself with diagnosed mental illness who has called the police when a child of mine was in crisis!

This COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.

I literally disarmed a person yielding a knife (unfortunately -- TWICE- once in that professional capacity when working with dually diagnosed in one of the five different agencies I worked at over the years when a mentally ill resident acaually came AT ME; and in more recent history when I removed a knife from a distressed person and used SCIP STRATEGIES FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION to then also remove a person from the premises to de-escalate a situation and separate two individuals.)

This are tragic moments that I WITNESSED , because I happened to be there.

I just HAPPENED to be trained in the one instance and the training kicked in.

In the first I was THOUGHTFULLY and PROFESSIONALLY Trained in a setting where all who worked had learned and practices such skills.

From my perspective I am so very heatbroken and would NEVER JUDGE the officer who did not have those skills. I can only feel pain for that officer and our force as deeply as the pain I feel for the boy and their family.

For I HAVE SEEN THAT SAME FORCE response so professionally and adeptly MANY TIMES. They have helped me, my family , my neighbors, my "Jerry Springer" former tenants adeptly.

But in a moment of fear , this one officer failed...in that moment of human error.

Pray for this whole community.

It is such a tragedy.

And it happened when all involved were struggling to LOVE.

I call it a LOVE CRIME.

Those are in fact, often the most devastating and painful of all. There was failed human attempt to know how to love and help one in need in an effective way. Fear set in and despite good intentions- a young boy is dead.

I am SURE The officer who responded WANTED TO HELP.

I am SURE that officer is in perhaps a pain few of us can fathom.

The family is in pain few of us , thankfully, have experienced.

As a mother of children who DO have mental health concerns, as one who myself has grappled with such ( THANK GOD I have NEVER BEEN SUICIDAL!!), I understand all too well just how these moments came about. I also hope I can shed some light on how to prevent such tragedy from ever happening again.

I am not sure what training our Police Force uses, but it would behoove them to take a look at this- IT WORKS.

http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/opwdd_regulations_guidance/guidance_documents/strategies_for_crisis_intervention_and_prevention_revised_scip_r

Endorsed from experience. I used it twice to disarm a knife yielding individual.

I can't COUNT how many times I have otherwise relied on it.

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