Mental health is clearly a growing issue with dramatic increases in statistics ranging from autism probability and suicide rates. Every person knows of someone with a mental illness. I then must ask why is mental health brushed under the rug by our own government agencies?

In early 2015 Nicole Williams of Dansville, Michigan started noticing signs that her autistic son was beginning to spiral. Lucas, Nicole's son, had hit puberty around this time which she believed was causing him to have frequent episodes of rage; which included breaking glass and severe tantrums. In May of 2015, Lucas started a fire in her bathroom. Which he was luckily able to be put out considering he threw a lit toilet paper roll into a very flammable waste basket. Lucas was taken to the ER and sedated then sent home. This is when Nicole decided to reach for further help.

She turned to her local Community Mental Health for services. Through CMH, Lukas was approved for 10 hours of community living skills. He began treatment in June of 2015 and this consisted of Lucas being taught the values of money and numerous other fun activities such as swimming. Nicole noticed these hours seemed to be boosting Lucas’s behavior and communication skills.

Lucas after officially being enrolled for eight grade in late August.

In September of 2015, Michigan's government cut funding the CMH by nearly 60%. With this dramatic loss of funding, CMH refused free services to anyone other than those with medicaid or medicare. Which meant Nicole would be refused care also. After this cut, she was able to pay for the extended service through the months of October, November and part of December. The hourly rate for service was a whopping $16.44. As a mother of three, Nicole realized this amount was taking a toll as the holidays approached, and many other financial obligations also occurred. She had to stop paying for services through the private provider.

As soon as she cut services with CMH, she immediately began looking for other options for Lukas. She attempted to send a waiver through CMH to get services like those with medicare/medicaid. The waiver was scored too low due to Nicole having a credible insurance company that offers at least one form of service for Lukas. This service offered was ABA therapy. In March of 2016, Nicole then began contacted as many institutions that offered this type of therapy as she could. All of theses places except for one told her she would not be able to receive treatment until early summer. One institution said she could get in “late April or early May” but she would need an assessment and testing done on Lukas. Nicole began to see some light on the horizon for her child.

These services were then put on hold by her insurance company that told her Lucas would need a formal diagnosis from a center of excellence in order to receive these treatments. In order to receive a diagnosis, Lucas would have to be put on the bottom of a six month waiting list because a letter from his psychologist wasn't sufficient. CMH miraculously was able to get Nicole into testing the following week but sad news arrives when Nicole finds out there is not enough staffing at the one place that originally would take Lucas.

While Nicole is desperately searching for help for Lucas, Lucas begins to again start spiraling. Lucas was caught going after a small child at his father's house where the father assured Nicole that this was something that could be managed so they agreed to continue to look for help. Lucas’s aggression increased tenfold to the point where Nicole was being physically attacked daily by her own son that is 5’11 and 240 lb. Lucas’s medicine increased from one medication daily for anxiety to 3 medication daily including ativan and an anti-psychotic. Lucas also went after his school aid which Lukas was suspended for 5 days after the incident. Nicole is still able to receive no help for her needing son.

Then during memorial day weekend 2016 Lucas went after another small child. Nicole learns of this occurrence and sits her adopted son down (11 years old) to ask if Lucas had ever went after him and her son says that he has. Nicole realizes she must contact the authorities so they can properly handle Lucas’s situation. Nicole says that Lukas has no social skills and Lucas’s doctor agrees he doesn't go after people with deviance but because he doesn't understand it is okay.

Nicole makes an appointment with Children's Emergency Services for the closest time possible which is the following Tuesday. She sat down with a CMH worker and they contacted Child Protective Services which they all agree Lukas would NEED in house rehabilitation. Nicole had attempted to contact these places earlier but she was told that there was not enough room and the wait would be weeks. The CMH worker contacted many places and eventually found one place that would take Lucas. He directed her to take Lucas to the closest ER and ask them to call the rehabilitation center to get Lucas help.

"But there was no luck.."

Once Lucas arrived at the hospital with his mother he becomes elevated and requires intravenous ativan to calm down. After Lukas eventually begins to relax Nicole is notified the spot at the rehabilitation center has been filled. They stays in the ER for three more days as people attempt to find some support for Nicole. But there was no luck and they attempt to make her leave. Nicole hits a breaking point and refuses to leave the hospital without some support for her son.

The hospital contacted CPS, CMH, and DHS. DHS’s director told Nicole to apply for Medicaid even though she has attempted to multiple times before. Surprisingly her request is approved this time. A meeting was called that included many head doctors and nurses from the hospital, her insurance provider representative, and child protective services. At this meeting everyone discussed Lucas’s options and decided Lucas would need an intake and analysis in order to then find a provider and the amount of hours needed for in-home care. Even though everyone agreed Lucas needed immediate attention, services wouldn't be able to be put into place for 4-6 weeks. Nicole's insurance provider was going to try to attempt to find house services so Nicole and Lucas would leave the ER.

Lukas while at the hospital

There was a follow up meeting a day later and Nicole learned that all progress had fell through. The rehabilitation centers either wouldn't take Lucas’s case or were booked. PHP informs her that their workers are not “babysitters” and she would have to leave the hospital. Nicole leaves the hospital on June 10th with no services in place and a long wait and review process for services through CMH. When Nicole arrived home she found a letter stating her medicaid was being reviewed.

Nicole still has received no help with Lucas. CMH is working through their process to get in home support but with a looming fear medicaid will fall through. Nicole is also very thankful for every person she has worked with in the process because their efforts are appreciated and definitely not the problem. She also says she has spoken to many other people who feel that the current health care system is a joke and have similar situations. Her son has daily episodes of anger and rage, she is still seeing no help even when all the “right people” seem to have heard her story. Nicole also takes care of her other son who was adopted from a very abusive and traumatizing home. She constantly worries for his sake and Lucas’s. These circumstances can’t proceed unheard or not helped. Our healthcare system needs a reform as soon as possible. The people's cries from this country and state should ring louder than any health care system put in place.

"A mother's tears should not have to pave the way to a better mental health care system"

How unfair it is that a mother is to feel so ensnared in her own system, a system ,”for the people and by the people”. A structure that is suppose to lend a helping hand to those in need, not push them to insanity. A mother's tears should not have to pave the way to a better mental health care system, but it seems to be the only option. There is only one monster in this dejected story, the system in which every American resides faith, our own government.