Both of these young people used or had available to them large amounts of psychiatric, substance abuse and counseling resources. Really the best people we have in our community. All of this treatment couldn't save them from the dual effects of mental health and substance abuse.
It shows how difficult that combo can be. Even with all of our efforts and interventions, we still do not have it figured out.
One person said to me "It's such a shame that there's not more resources for those with the dual diagnosis issues; they just fall through the cracks."
But I thought neither of these young people 'fell through the cracks.' They both had large amounts of resources invested in them. Psychiatric support, psychological counseling, inpatient programs, outpatient programs, intense family support through juvenile court, wraparound teams, case management, the best substance abuse counseling, supportive families, caring teachers, parent support groups, accepting athletic programs, everything you could think of.
But, in the end, none of it was enough. The 16 year old young man was bent on self-destruction and not going to accept anything even if court mandated, even if it meant that he had to return to the juvenile facility. The young woman kept reaching out for more and more services to fill the void inside of her.
Whatever we knew, whatever the community tried, 'evidence-based' or otherwise. These young people still died before their time. Or maybe it was their time, how are we to know?
Picture of a brother and sister at one service speaking about their sibling.
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