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Lowell Update By: Cathy Skinner Editor's Note: The following is a speech given by Cathy at M-POWER’s Annual Statewide Meeting in 1999. Though Lowell M-POWER Organizer Stephen Cohodas is currently on disability leave, prior to his current hiatus the Chapter won a major victory in their Stigma Awareness Campaign. In a meeting with Commissioner Sudders the Lowell Chapter won a funding commitment from the Commissioner for the M-POWER Leadership Academy. Cathy shared her part in this triumph at our last annual meeting. Welcome Lowell, Worcester, Boston members and friends to our Annual Meeting. Merry Christmas to everyone. Before I speak about the opportunities Lowell M-POWER had to voice our opinions regarding stigma at Tewksbury Hospital, I’d like to tell you about Commissioner Sudders' response to our last action. The action was regarding our advocacy and training at Tewksbury Hospital; to fight the stigma that effects mental health consumers while they are clients; and denied privileges and access to the town of Tewksbury. It was held at the Northeast Independent Living Program, September 28. There were 30 people included in the meeting to listen to Ms. Sudders. Several of us told our stories. We received a positive response during that meeting. Shortly afterwards, Jim Shaw and Susan Boynton wrote a letter to Ms. Sudders on behalf of the members of the Lowell Chapter to explain what the commissioner agreed to help us with. The letter was about advocacy training and consumer empowerment in the new millenium. To summarize her response from the letter M-POWER received November 29,1999, she wrote that she is committed to a program of peer education, support and advocacy. She also wrote that it should be a statewide initiative. The exciting part is that there is a significant amount of federal grant dollars (estimated at $100,000) included to fund a statewide program. Looking back to all of the meetings with Tewksbury Hospital officials and inpatients; Tewksbury Board of Selectmen; Tewksbury Chief of Police John Mackey; and the time I was interviewed by Cable Channel 6; my personal view as a member of Lowell M-POWER and a mental health consumer; is that the victory is very exciting. I remember I was able to give my own opinions and be listened to from these officials about my experience. Even though this happened, I never got the chance to talk to psychiatrists at the hospital. I wonder if as an advocate, I will be able to empower inpatients for treatment team meetings through arts and crafts? What I would do is take the patient, depending on the season, to the hospital grounds to collect leaves and pine cones. I’m talking about a one on one experience with a fellow survivor; not staff supervised crafts activity on the unit. I’d like to be able to take a patient out at the picnic table and talk about how the weather is; what it’s like to be a D.M.H. client; talk about their family; their illness; if they think they have one; we might have a cigarette and maybe a privilege level discussion. M-POWER advocates will also be participating in and gaining through our own empowerment with Tewksbury patients. I’d like to be an advocate. I personally think it’s a great victory that the Lowell Chapter won. The Commissioner also gave us permission to train other c/s/x and there will possibly be funding for us statewide in the future. The campaign has been a wonderful experience and opportunity. I’ve learned a lot.
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