newsobserver.com projects - Physical health, not mental health - Comments

Re: Physical health, not mental health

kook123456 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:28:49 -0400

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Re: Physical health, not mental health

anniepema — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:20:07 -0400

The male biological clock is often the culprit in the de novo genetic mental/physical disorder. Older dads with DNA mutations in sperm stem cells and sperm. Yes the problems are physical, an accident or genes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternal_age_effect

Re: Physical health, not mental health

scharrison — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:30:46 -0400

"It is unbelievable that you support someone who believes that government can do it best or has the answers."

I find it unbelievable that you (or anyone else) would support someone for Governor that doesn't have faith that government can do it best or have the answers. But I understand that many have developed an antipathy towards a system that takes your money but never seems to give you your money's worth, and I will admit to feeling that way from time to time myself.

But when we talk about privatization, we're not really talking about "small government", in the classic sense. Small government taxes less and provides fewer services. In the case of privatization, we're talking about private employees doing the jobs that public employees once did. The same amount of taxpayer-subsidized services that are contracted out to the private sector, theoretically because they can provide the same service(s) cheaper, or better services for the same cost, etc.

But there are a multitude of potential problems that can arise, such as the mental health fiasco, which was partly due to a poor capabilities assessment. And no matter how "corrupt" folks reading this might believe civil servants can become, privatization provides numerous avenues for corruption and waste. Part of it is due to kickbacks, but a bigger issue is loss of accountability. And one of the worst aspects of privatization (in my eyes) is what can happen to the employee who ends up doing the job.

Government employees have relatively decent health care, a marginally livable wage, protection from discrimination, retirement plans, etc. Very often, their private-sector replacement has none of these employee benefits, which is a major reason the private company can "outbid" the government entity. Our General Assembly has taken many steps to guarantee State employees have these benefits, because we need to recruit and retain good people. The outsourcing of their jobs basically amounts to an end-run around these laws, and should be viewed as malfeasance instead of "innovation".

Re: Physical health, not mental health

razor0397 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:46:42 -0400

If McCrory is a danger as you and Beverly say he is....why has he been able to serve as Mayor for 13+ years. McCrory is an intelligent down to earth nice guy. He listens and is approachable. I own a business in eastern nc. I have seen him more in the east than Beverly who you know lives here. I went to Charlotte for a football game and asked people about McCrory. The response was overwhelming positive. I talked to employees in the hotel, police officers, waiters in the restaurant to employees at the stadium. They like Pat because he does it right. It is unbelievable that you support someone who believes that government can do it best or has the answers. We can't continue to spend, spend and tax to meet our needs. She cannot lead without selling the taxpayers out.

Re: Physical health, not mental health

tangoz — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:23:57 -0400

Perdue and Hagan are REAL DANGERS to my bank account.

I was not overly impressed

scharrison — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:55:09 -0400

with her performance last night, for two reasons: she improperly reacted to some rhetorical traps laid by both her opponent and the "moderators", but even worse, she failed to take advantage of some unbelievable opportunities to expose McCrory's hypocrisy, some of which I've mentioned here today.

And while you may be right about this:

"unlikely to take this state anywhere that progressives want to see it go."

I know McCrory would take this state to a place progressives don't want to see it go. The "status quo" always seems so bad until it's replaced by something much worse.

Like a deer in headlights

Isaac136 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:17:03 -0400

Scharrison, I agree with your essential point about McCrory, but it doesn't really overcome mine -- which is that Perdue just isn't a strong leader, doesn't have a grasp of serious issues, and is unlikely to take this state anywhere that progressives want to see it go. Sadly, the status quo ad is on target.

Health care? She stumbled.
Immigration? She caved.
Offshore Drilling? She either wasn't informed enough to make the statement she made a few weeks ago or has completely changed her mind. In either case, she doesn't answer well when confronted with the apparent switch in positions.

Maybe she'll get into office and suddenly start surprising a lot of us who have been watching her for years, but I can't feel enthusiastic about her based on her time in the senate or her campaigns thus far.

Re: Physical health, not mental health

scharrison — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:09:24 -0400

Isaac, I agree that Perdue should not have pushed the difference between physical and mental health, but that is really not the issue we should be concerned with re mental health and the next Governor.

McCrory did a real good job of self-righteously stating, "Someone died while people were playing cards!"

But the fact is, he is a huge supporter of the privatization of government being a "driver" of cost savings. It's not about safety or services being provided well, it's all about money. That is exactly the kind of outlook that brought about the mental health crisis in the first place, and you can't cut costs like Pat wants to do without reducing services, which brings about the 30-40 hour emergency room waiting times that he growled about last night.

You want to see a health and safety catastrophe? Imagine this:

http://ncppp.org/resources/papers/savas_charlotte.pdf

on a statewide scale.

"Sharing" the costs of government employees' health insurance, contracting out police and fire communications and the selling off of fire stations is just the tip of the iceberg.

As much as he whined about it, the ad was accurate. Pat McCrory does present a "real danger" to the citizens of North Carolina.

Perdue-Nothing on her watch re: Mental Health crisis

concerned53 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:48:13 -0400

As the self proclaimed health care leader of NC and as "an independently elected Lt. Gov", did she raise her hand over the 8 years in office to express her concern about the mental health crisis? She is partly to blame if given her "office" and her health care experience, she failed to do something about it.

Re: Physical health, not mental health

Isaac136 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:30:20 -0400

If Bev is really a leader on health issues, she should recognize that the difference between "physical" and "mental" health is questionable. In fact, one of the problems those afflicted with so-called "mental" health problems is the stigma associated with that tag. Not so long ago the problems associated with "mental health" were still regarded as being in the real of possession by the devil or a weakness of character. In fact, some mastadons (mostly Republicans, of course) still think that way.

I thought this "it's not my fault" distinction Perdue sought to highlight was one of several very poor responses from Perdue last night.

We need a transcript of this debate

scharrison — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:55:55 -0400

"When Republican Pat McCrory noted that Perdue has called herself a "health leader" in the state, she responded: "Physical health, not mental health, Pat. There's a real difference."

Nice little paraphrase of McCrory, Ryan, but you left out the part where he claimed she was directly responsible for the mental health crisis.

Perdue-Nothing on her watch re: Mental Health crisis

concerned53 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:06:44 -0400

Another example just from last night of acting like Bill Clinton - "the meaning of the word 'is' is"

She proclaims throughout the campaign that she is the "healthcare leader" for NC and then tries to wiggle out of blame for NC's mental health crisis by saying her focus is on physical health and not mental health. I'm confused but many insurance companies like Blue Cross link physical & mental care services under "health care" services for their members. You would think as a supposed Ph.D (check her credentials) as well as her experience in the health care field, she would know that as well!

The mental health crisis (part of "healthcare" in NC) was on Beverly's watch yet she did nothing about it.

If Ms Flip Flop was in fact independently elected as she states and not joined at the hip with the power elite, why did we not hear her express a single concern about the crisis until she's running for another office, particularly if she has such a passion of health care?

She is no leader for "health care" in North Carolina! Her claims are empty!

Re: I'm on your side here Ryan.

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:46:24 -0400

To be clear, I'm not taking sides on this issue. I just wanted to add some context to the remark.

— RTB

I'm on your side here Ryan.

zoobatmania — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:41:47 -0400

Mental health diseases, schizophrenia, autism, depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's - they are all cellular diseases. The only difference between someone with autism and someone with diabetes is which cells are effected.

Bev should not have said that, it just sets up a false dichotomy.

Re: Physical health, not mental health

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:17:31 -0400

In the interest of full disclosure, I have a close relative who suffered a brain injury and works with a local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter in another state.

— RTB

Physical health, not mental health

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:15:50 -0400

Is there a difference between physical and mental health?

In recent years, mental health providers and advocates have sought to blur the line between diseases of the mind and body, arguing that it is a false distinction that leads to common misperceptions of how mental illness works.

In pop culture, mental illness is caused by childhood trauma or an inability to cope and is solved with Freudian talk therapy. But increasingly doctors are finding that genetic problems or brain injuries are behind many problems and prescription drugs are the answer.

(Advocates also hope that erasing the distinction will lead to mental health parity — meaning that insurers and the government do not distinguish between heart disease and bipolar disorder, for example, when paying for care.)

It would be mostly an academic question, but Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue used the distinction during a debate Tuesday to argue she was not responsible for the problems with the state's mental health reform efforts.

When Republican Pat McCrory noted that Perdue has called herself a "health leader" in the state, she responded: "Physical health, not mental health, Pat. There's a real difference."

Since 2001, Perdue has chaired the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund. Although the group did not play a role in mental health reform, it has tackled the issue of mental health.

In this May 2007 press release, for example, the group announced that it was providing a grant for mental health providers to help with prescription drug needs.

Update: The Perdue campaign responds here.