My Cry for Help! Your Support May Save "Missing Persons" by Updating the HIPPA Laws.

My Cry for Help! Your Support May Save "Missing Persons" by Updating the HIPPA Laws.

Started
February 21, 2020
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Signatures: 2Next Goal: 5
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Why this petition matters

Started by David English

 I plead for the General Public's Support for a Revision of the Existing HIPPA Law regarding "Missing <Adult> Persons" that may have a connection to Mental illness cases, that go through this. Agencies, Across the United States with the current HIPPA Laws in place (Privacy Act) affects families who have Adults that disappear or become a "Missing Person".

1). Please sign the petition to change the Hippa laws to change the time period of Revoking a signature from a person to be in effect after 60 days, to allow family members to be able to speak to agencies in a Crisis situations without having communication  being cut off.  

2). Change or introduce New law that allows a persons with any form of mental illness,  especially known as a "High Risk":  That could allow a doctor in an emergency situation,  the power to over-ride a person trying to avoid medical treatment.  

3). Introduce the Court of Law and demand Judges to Recognize Mental illness in a Court of Law: As a possible reason for a person's  actions in court proceedings that could interfere with establishing the truthfulness regarding the circumstances for their behavior. 

4). Introduce a Law or Amendment: That before anyone with form of mental illness that has been Hospitalized in the past, cannot refuse medical recommendations for evaluation treatment first, before being allowed into a shelter.

5). Also address the problem and make it Mandatory:  For any case worker to verify or establish client's history with family or caregiver, before such drastic measures be taken.

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My personal experience is now referenced here, as My reason for why this Petition became necessary: 

This Information Raises Awareness:  Anyone who has had to deal with Doctors, Crisis  Centers,  Hospitals, Law Enforcement or in a Court of Law.  I recently experienced myself: "If the one you love goes missing (age 18 - 60), they are considered adults." Now if they are at "High Risk" patient or suffer from any form of mental illness such as Bipolar,  Depression, PSTD, Anxiety Panic Attacks.(And by my own Recognition of my wife possibly being irrational in her decision process by not being mentally capable of making good decisions at times when she is off medications). 

Therefore I am using my experience as an example of what a caregiver can go through in regards to how the HIPPA law works against Families.

No agency will help search for them!  Only a "missing child case", who's lost or kidnapped will you be able to get assistance.  The rules do not apply to Adults or your own Adult children who risk death not being found quickly. 

Unless you have obtained Guardianship of a  Family Member through a court of law. YOU will be absolutely POWERLESS to protect your loved, as there is NOTHING YOU can do to get an agency's help,  except knowing your Family member is in danger!  Imagine if a child was in danger there would be Amber Alert, but not in the case of an adults that is especially known to the Medical Field as "High Risk". Your family could be Devastated  because you cannot SAVE a missing person!

The current HIPPA laws dictate NO ONE can interfere, not even Try to and SAVE Them.  Because Doctors and Law Enforcement have their hands tied behind their back.  If they do  locate the missing adult, they can only say they are Safe.  As an adult they will not take them to a Hospital or returned home as I have recently experienced myself.  You could be the difference between Life and Death in  making the difference by joining me and Signing the Petition to protect others going through the same fate as I've described.

FEB 1ST, 2020 — My wife was reported Missing 15 days ago after she entered a Hospital Emergency Room. My wife is known as a "High Risk" patient that could die without certain medication!  I need your help to file a some type of grievance or complaint to Change the current law because my wife's own case manager turn out to be a helping hand behind my wife disappearance from Hospital. 

Her interference has caused my family loss of communication,  separation and divorce,  plus an unbelievable financial hardship along with grief, and strain on our emotional well-being.  Because she continue to refuse to look into past repeated instances or investigate that in the past my  wife has used the system in a similar way during a "Manic phase" of depression. (By allowing her to be surrounded by strangers with promise of new life). Totally ignoring my wife needs to get Professional Medical Attention ASAP. 

I have been told to Accept my wife as being "Dead", (Even though I know this is not true, how can someone just be expected to forget a loved one?). 

Her caseworker has effectively made it so we can no longer communicate to each other.  So to me my wife is still "Missing" to me alone. All because of current HIPPA Laws seemingly works against Families that have had an on-going network of support in place before this case worker took over.

My wife is known to the medical community  since 2008, as a "High Risk Patient."  That requires life prolonging medication in addition to Bipolar-Depression medications to live a normal life.  However the case worker I am talking about, has effectively destroyed this support system and network of family, friends and church members that already know my wife's History, through experience.  My wife Risks Death at the hands of an Unqualified case worker.

I myself recognize my wife possibly not being mentally capable of making her own decisions because I have spent years with her as her caregiver. 

I've made 37 calls asking for police assistance or to file a missing persons case).

I have been asked in the past, even by my own Pastor of our church,  why is it I never divorced or pressed Any charges against her.  In the many instance where my wife was Angry and Uncontrollable during an outburst, I knew my wife was "OFF" her medications and shouldn't be held responsible for her Actions. 

My wife is a beautiful person deep inside who I know, and cannot always be held responsible for her actions.  I understand this, so I can always forgive her. 

My wife has been arrested twice for assaulting Law Enforcement Officers,  who were only performing their duty in a "Missing Persons" case I filed by trying to get her Medical Attention. 

Both times I went into court to ask Judge to wave jail time (2-5 years) in favor of hospitalization, which was granted on her behalf.  With Probation Stating she must not refuse taking her meds or going the Hospital in the future. (Do Ohio Judges do this?).   

Bipolar/Depression persons can fabricate a story to get sympathy or into a Women's Shelter, mainly because something triggered their "Fight or Flee" mechanism.

This caseworker then isolated her from her sponsor, church support, network of real friends, which was granted without any investigation, bypasses the need for help.  The caseworker has taken face value information given as truth by my wife, without looking into any history records on file. (See photo example of letter I received, when I've tried to raise the public awareness in the past through the news media).

Because the belief is mental illness plays no part in being irrational, she can make her own choice as an adult period. The Judge agreed and said in Ohio,  Mental illness has nothing to do with issuing a protective order. 

However I feel my wife, son and I are in reality made to suffer this injustice.  Because this case worker cannot recognize she's being lied to, and the sad part is my wife is not going to get better unless someone steps in to investigate the truth of her bipolar past, to actually save her from herself. 

This case worker has no clear idea what a caregiver has had to go through on a daily basis to help a family member.   Simply because they don't have time to understand.  We love family enough to walk them through their day to day battles.  By investing days, weeks, months and years. Compared to a (couple of Hours a month) a caseworker puts in with a client.   

Laws or procedures not only need to Change in Ohio, but across the United States to effectively help persons that suffer with any mental illness.   A caseworker "Unwilling" to Research Both Sides of a Story, shouldn’t be in the capacity of directing clients NOT to seek professional medical treatment in my opinion.

There are friends who could testify they have walked right into a place my wife ran away to, during an episode of being in a "Manic" state. Then talked to her gently to convince her to leave with them. They succeeded in walking out to their car and driving her to Akron General Hospital each time!

(Why is it friends can do something, a Paid Public Servant cannot?). 

You the reader can help make a difference in HIPPA law by signing this petition, that currently works against Families members being diagnosed bipolar-depression or suffering from any form of mental illness with the GOAL of CHANGING the Law for Everyone!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please sign the petition. 

Lately my Special Needs Son and I are not eating or sleeping much

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Feb 25, 2020 — Update:

It has been too many days since my wife's disappearance (and of course there is much  more to our story), that I have learned in just a month's time. 

Too many people have experienced what I have recently gone through.  So many people have shared similar stories with me that they couldn't save a family member or loved one, only forced to sit on the sidelines and watch unbelievable chain of events they have no control over. The experience totally has destroyed my will to live leaving the biggest hole in my heart.

Everyday I live in fear that the sheriff will knock on my door bringing news of my wife's death or will HIPPA laws even prevent that from happening too?

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I Seems I Have Lost Everything that Matters to me now.

Feb 26, 2020 — Update:

I have been up all night because my mind will not shut off, I haven't eaten much in weeks and my Autistic son shares in my grief.  The Sheriff department visited and delivered news that has caused me unbearable pain.  No one seems to be able to help. Unless you understand everything that transpired,  I am at a lost for words and I feel alone in my belief to grieve on my own hearing my child's pain is unbearable.  I have lost our housing here with nowhere else to go but drive 2,400 miles, in the middle of Winter to the West  Coast to live in a tent with our dog, because the weather is too Cold here along with our special needs son who is dependent on me. On a journey to start life all over again due to all these problems I didn't create,  but left picking up pieces and paying the price for something I didn't even do.  With no help, overloaded stress in trying to understand why or how this something like this could even happen.

______________________

42 days later and it still makes No sense to me!

Feb 29, 2020 —  Update:

After 42 days have went by since I came  home to find my wife telling me she had suicidal thoughts and rushing her to the ER, I look back and wonder what I could have done any differently? 

I have done this so many times, but whatever it took, I am willingly ready to do anything for my wife who I love more than she could possibly know. 

Does bipolar-depression disorder affect her day to day life?  Sure it does, every waking moment it is a struggle for anyone battling this.   But I am so proud of my wife for making all the baby steps it took to  progress as far as she has come to have a better life.  But while she is an a Hospital Emergency Room!? 

How can a case worker who is unfamiliar with the history of their client and especially being "High Risk" who is easily influenced,  not realize she wasn't  taking her medications for over 2 months?

She was at the Hospital because bipolar-depression affects how a person feels, thinks or alters their mood causing distress.  This case worker immediately took steps that seem rather drastic, ignoring Hospitalization was my first priority for my wife.  Because had she done so, getting proper medical treatment,  my wife's irritation and anger would have melted away.  Revealing the wonderful beautiful wife I married. 

My wife didn't even try to say Goodbye to our son one last time?  Instead she walked out the door with her case worker! It just does not make any sense. 

The explanation is easy,  Mental illness should not be overlooked or to be ignored by the Court System, when establishing the truth behind the problem. The Judge refused to listen or investigate. 

I've had 4 stents put in over the past 2 years and this affects my over all condition at the moment. I cannot afford legal counsel to fight a system that works against family.

I have always tried to provide the most stable home for my wife, because she never had one growing up.  So is it the system in place or the case worker who is at fault for not overseeing her medical care or taking of medications? 

Something I did to ensure a better quality of life for her, on a day to day basis out of love.  I drove her to every doctor, counseling and dentist appointments, so she wouldn't have to go in alone. I explained what the doctors were saying when she didn't understand because of loss of hearing.

Please join me to help my family and in the process other families like us, because bipolar-depression is not something to ignore or Not be recognized in a court of law!  Look at the damage done by not factoring in the effects it has on a Family like myself.  Thank you!

Please Sign the Petition:  To change the Hippa laws to change the time period of Revoking a signature from a person to be in effect after 60 days, to allow family members to be able to speak to agencies in a Crisis situations without removing communication.  

Change or introduce New Law:  That allows a person with any form of mental illness,  especially known as a "High Risk" that allows a doctor in an emergency situation the power to over-ride a person trying to avoid medical treatment. 

Introduce Ohio Courts:  To recognize mental illness in a court of law as a possible reason for a person's  actions in court proceedings that could interfere with establishing the truthfulness regarding the circumstances for their behavior. 

Introduce a New Law or Update existing Laws:  That before anyone with form of mental illness that has been Hospitalized in the past, cannot refuse medical recommendations for evaluation treatment first, before being allowed into a shelter. 

Also address the problem and make it mandatory for any case worker try to verify or establish client's history with family or care taker, before approving drastic measures. 

                   Please sign the Petition!

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Signatures: 2Next Goal: 5
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