Minnesota Resident Gets Involuntary Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) On A Weekly Ongoing  *Outpatient* Basis   

  

The past Wednesday morning after the historic USA election what were you doing? I know what Ray Sandford, 54, was doing. Each and every Wednesday, early in the morning, staff shows up at Ray's sheltered living home called Victory House in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, adjacent to Minneapolis. Staff escorts Ray the 15 miles to Mercy Hospital. There, Ray is given another of his weekly electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments, also known as electroshock. All against his will. On an outpatient basis. And it's been going on for months. Ray says the weekly forced electroshocks are "scary as hell." He absolutely opposes having the procedure. He says it's causing poor memory for names such as of friends and his favorite niece. "What am I supposed to do, run away?" Instead, Ray phoned his local library's reference desk to ask about human rights groups, and the librarian referred him to MindFreedom International. 

 

Ray called me at our office here at MindFreedom International about two weeks ago. At first I wasn't sure I believed him. Of course, MindFreedom International has documented proven cases of electroshock against the expressed wishes of the subject all over the world, including in the USA. MindFreedom succeeded in having the United Nations World Health Organization call in writing for a global ban on all involuntary electroshock. But this is the first time I've been on the phone with someone getting court-ordered forced shock while living out in the community, on an outpatient basis. This is the ultimate double whammy. 

 

I confirmed Ray's story by calling two staff at Victory House as well as his court-appointed conservator, Tonya Wilhelm of Luthern Support Services of Minnesota. Ms. Wilhelm said, "We are following the letter of the law." She said the State of Minnesota had secured a variety of court orders that require Ray to have forced electroshock against his expressed wishes. Ms. Wilehlm says it's all legal and she can't do anything about it. Krista Erickson, chair of MindFreedom's Shield Campaign, sees it differently. "This is terrible. This is a serious human rights violation that should stop. I hope MindFreedom members and supporters speak out. Even if Minnesota is following the letter of the current law, the law ought to be changed. And Ray has not had the legal power to appeal to higher courts." 

 

I pointed out to Conservator Wilhelm that the public -- when they find out about forced electroshock -- is passionately opposed to their taxpayer money being used to force such brutality on citizens. Ms. Wilhelm did let slip that what is happening to Ray -- involuntary outpatient electroshock -- is not that uncommon in Minnesota. But when Ms. Wilhelm found out we at MindFreedom are issuing one of our public human rights alert to you and others, at Ray's repeated request, she said something chilling. Ms. Wilhelm claimed she had a legal right to stop MindFreedom! Ms. Wilhelm told me, "Only I can give you permission legally to say anything publicly about this." 

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Given worsening economic conditions, Congress is developing a second economic stimulus package.  Mental health funding must be part of that package.  Why?  Because Medicaid is the largest source of funding for mental health services in the U.S., and helps millions of low-income Americans who need mental health care. 

With anticipated budget shortfalls in over 30 states, there is a real threat of states reducing Medicaid spending by scaling back coverage.  Without Medicaid, these individuals would have nowhere else to turn in light of the insufficient levels of support available through other programs. 

A temporary increase in federal support for the Medicaid program helped to prevent harmful cuts to Medicaid during the last economic downturn.  Email your representative and urge him/her to support including Medicaid in the next economic stimulus.