“Not to sound pushy.. we will discharge if…”
Yes, that’s the opening salvo in a conversation with staff.
“If you don’t take David home on an overnight pass either this weekend, or next, we will discharge him.”
I argued. And will continue to argue.
In the meeting prior to this one, that included David, I heard about how he is regressing. His behavior is reverting to past behaviors that they thought they were done seeing.
I hate to say it. These people are professionals.
They asked when he is violent or has been violent in the past.
That’s hard to answer, because it happens whenever he is discharged from care. Last year it took nearly 10 months of severe behaviors, calls to law enforcement, stays in the psychiatric unit and safe bed to get him back into care. This is after he was discharged from a facility in January of 2015 against the recommendations of his doctors because the insurance company said he had to go home.
So what’s different?
David does well in care for the most part. Always has.
Discharge
It’s when he comes home that his world, and the world of those he comes in contact with fall apart.
I told them today that discharging him home would destroy any success that he has seen.
In addition, I explained that just because they aren’t seeing certain behaviors doesn’t mean that the behaviors either don’t exist or will never occur.
We can’t play the what if game. That’s their response. We say “what happens if…” They say “what if that doesn’t happen…”
History shows David to be violent, aggressive, angry, impulsive and abusive to family.
I asked them who is responsible when David hurts someone.
Hurt doesn’t happen only with violent behavior. It happens in words, deeds, actions, and so much more.
When he is discharged, it is a matter of when, not if he hurts someone.
