Mental health patient’s struggles to get treatment show gaps in the system

ICYMI in the Sunday Valley News, it’s worth taking the time to read this piece on Unity resident Mandy Dube, reported by Valley News reporter Nora Doyle-Burr and photographer James M. Patterson.

 

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Mandy Dube, of Unity #NH, waits to plead not guilty to a charge of domestic violence in Newport District Court in June. As a result of the charge, a protection order required her to have no contact with her boyfriend, Chris Bailey, with whom she had just purchased a home. “I don’t want to get out of a punishment by using my mental health as an excuse. I want to be able to get help, so I can prevent that happening in the future. It was a mental health crisis. I understand that and I want to move forward,” she said. 🔹 It’s been nearly five years since the state of #NewHampshire settled a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of people with serious mental illness, including Dube. Just as the state has made some progress in improving mental health services since the settlement of the suit, Dube has made strides in maintaining her independence. But just as people in the #mentalhealth system say that the state has a way to go, Dube says she is not where she needs to be — largely because the state still is not providing the #support that she believes it should. 🔹 Full story at www.vnews.com/instagram. Link in profile. 🔹 (Valley News – James M. Patterson @james.m.patterson) #uppervalley #upval #vnewsuv #photojournalism #journalism #news #portrait #mentalillness #healthcare #courts #603

A post shared by Valley News (@vnewsuv) on Nov 21, 2018 at 8:33am PST