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News from Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri

2010 McAtee Awards

On May 26, Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri honored 34 police officers from the metropolitan area by presenting them with the John J. McAtee Police Recognition Award. Nominated by either a departmental supervisor or a mental health agency, the officers were recognized for exemplary compassion, concern and understanding when dealing with a person in psychiatric crisis.  

Chief Dan Isom

Colonel Daniel Isom, Chief, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, delivered the keynote address. Steve McAtee, son of John McAtee, conveyed his personal appreciation for officers who make a positive impact with individuals and families who are dealing with an immediate mental health crisis. McAtee joined Chief Isom in presenting the award to each officer. Judge David L. Dowd, Missouri 22nd Judicial Circuit, chaired the event and recounted each officer’s actions as awards were presented.

Steve McAtee

Chief Isom’s keynote address provided an historical context for the four eras of the modern policing profession. While describing the progresses of each era, he stated, “there is no better example of this progress and high level of professionalism within the ranks of local law enforcement than the recognition of the special needs of citizens suffering from mental illness or a psychotic episode.”  

In praising the actions of the awardees, he emphasized, “these officers had constructive outcomes for individuals experiencing suicidal behavior, bipolar illness, psychosis, depression, delusions, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder. They have shown courage, bravery, patience, understanding and compassion that pays tribute to themselves and the history of law enforcement.”  Pictured right are Chief Isom, award recipient Officer Aaron Vinson,
and Steve McAtee.

The award is presented annually and is named for the late John J. McAtee (pictured left),  an attorney and judge whose practice and community service exemplified his understanding of persons with mental illness. 

We encourage police departments and mental health agencies to make note throughout the year of officers’ interventions that meet criteria for the 2011 nomination process. For nomination criteria, contact LaDonna at Mental Health America (314-773-1399 or mhagstl@aol.com). 

The event, hosted by Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri, has been honoring officers since 1987.

Mental Health America is pleased to announce and recognize the following awardees:

Rally/ Press Conference                

Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri and The Alliance on Mental Illness - NAMI St. Louis held a rally/press conference on Friday, December 18, 2009 to urge state lawmakers to preserve access to state-funded mental health services for people suffering with mental illness.  The rally/press conference began at 10:30 a.m. on the front lawn of Mental Health America, 1905 S. Grand Avenue, on the corner of Grand and Shaw. 

            Approximately 100 people gathered, including Mark Utterback, President and CEO of Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri; Jacqueline Lukitsch, Executive Director of NAMI St. Louis; mental health advocates, and individuals and families affected by mental illness.  The press conference started with a “ringing of the bells,” symbolizing the “freeing up” of people with mental illness who, not too long ago, were literally chained or shackled in institutions. 

            “Years ago we celebrated the beginning of a new era, one in which society at large proclaimed a “moral responsibility” to treat people with mental illness with dignity and respect and provide treatments that allowed people to live in our communities – outside of the closed walls of institutions.  Now we find that society is moving backwards, not forwards, when it comes to providing help and resources for people with mental illness,” said Mark Utterback.  “If funds to critical mental health services are cut, we might as well take out the shackles again. Without outpatient mental health services we could quickly regress to a time when people suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other medical conditions aren’t treated or helped – they’re thrown into  jails, prisons, homeless shelters, nursing homes and hospitals, creating a moral social burden.”

            Earlier this year, Governor Nixon announced millions of dollars of cuts to state services.  One of the cuts included limiting access to community mental health centers to only those who are enrolled in Missouri HealthNet (formerly known as Medicaid).  According to the Missouri Coalition of Community Mental Health Centers, about 1,000 people suffering with mental illness will be turned away from community mental health centers in Missouri as a result of this cut.

            Jacqueline Lukitsch explained, “Outpatient community mental health services save taxpayers dollars because people with untreated mental illness ultimately get services through more costly means like emergency rooms, jails, prisons, and nursing homes.  This begs the question as to why we would even think about cutting these services when there is a more efficient way to serve people with mental illness and at the same time get better results for the people who are suffering.”

            Recent outcome data from the Missouri Department of Mental Health demonstrates $1 million in savings through the implementation of Assertive Community Treatment Teams (ACT) in 2007.  A significant percentage of savings came from the reduction in hospital and jail/prison stays.

            Nationwide, statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health indicate an over-representation of people with mental illness in the following situations—even though only one in seventeen adults experience a mental illness in their lifetime (about 6% of the total adult population).  Cutting state services now will only increase these backward trends;

• 16% of the jail/prison population have a mental illness;
• 30% of the homeless population have a mental illness; and
•  More than 90 percent of those who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.

            “We cannot afford to return to a day when people with mental illness were treated inhumanely.  As a society, we have a moral obligation to care for those in our community who are suffering with mental illness and the Governor and state legislators have a moral responsibility to preserve these services so that none of their constituents with mental illness suffers unnecessarily,” said Mr. Utterback.

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