Domestic Violence with the Mentally Ill 7 Interviewed

Domestic Violence with the Mentally Ill 7 Interviewed: Su. Zanne Kieffer By: Jessica Reed

Su. Zanne works at Lourdes counseling center and is a member of the PACT team PACT means: Program for Assertive Community Treatment

Services Offered v Mental health counseling/Co-Occurring v Domestic Violence Assistance v Job Search v Financial Assistance v Housing v Medication Management v Securing Benefits v Improving Skills

Job Duties Assist the severe and persistent mentally ill participants with drug and alcohol issues along with assisting with transportation to and from appointments and advocating for their well being Typical Day Meeting with participants at their place and taking them to their daily activities. It may be taking them to a court hearing, doctors appointment. She even meets with people in the Jail and they may be in various groups and she will participate in their treatment with outside jurisdictions

Su. Zanne say’s “I love the fact that I am helping with the severe and mentally ill in the county. This is a group of individuals that not too many people wish to work with, as they are hard to understand. Many people in society are afraid of them because they do not understand the mental difficulties that they have. I love the fact that I can make a difference in their lives and assist their families and friends to understand them better. Also it is a good feeling when they can actually live and function in the community and live on their own with the help and support of our team. ”

Suzanne dislikes very little about the work she does. It saddens her that they can not save everyone, and at times it is necessary for a few of the participants to go to the eastern state hospital I would like to see the community want to understand about the mentally ill people more. I would like to see more involvement of the community in the NAMI The national Association for the Mentally Ill.

Causes Ø There is a lot of domestic violence when working with the mentally ill, sometimes because friends and family take advantage of them. Ø When they are decompensating they tend to be very violent and at times assault family members, staff and law enforcement Ø Can be caused when they do not take their medication as prescribed or something sets them off and they lose control

Essential Elements of an Intervention o Proof for law enforcement o Giving power back to the person being abused o Make neighbors aware of the situation o Get a no contact order for the person being abused o Find a safe place for this person to live o Get all of the people involved in making a solid plan

A barrier that Su. Zanne faces is that the neighbors may feel it is the mentally ill persons fault simply because they are mentally ill. That is not the case at all, there is no reason for anyone to ever be abused Social workers coming into the field need to be made aware of the road blocks in helping an abused person. Giving the person power and so they know that there is no reason for anyone to ever be abused A major barrier is after you have done all you can to help the person get out of the abusive situation, they might get talked into going back and have to do this all over again. Even though you may go through this over and over again there in no reason for anyone to ever be abused.