From the Portland Mercury, September 25 2008
Soon, up to 15 people who have committed violent crimes will be moving into one house in the Ardenwald-Johnson Creek neighborhood, on the edge of Southeast Portland. Neighbors in Ardenwald-Johnson Creek are, understandably, upset.
The controversial new residents are the future patients of Balfour House, a planned healthcare facility that will transition mentally ill people back into society, including some found “guilty except for insanity” of violent crimes. Milwaukie residents and city officials fought all year to keep the facility out of their neighborhood, but last week settled a lawsuit, clearing the path for the project.
Since the State of Oregon aims to build 400 more beds in community transition facilities across the state by 2011, the controversy in Ardenwald-Johnson Creek may become common as more mentally ill people find homes in the middle of Portland neighborhoods.
“People who have mental illness: Nobody in this neighborhood is against them being here,” says Ardenwald-Johnson Creek resident Matthew Rinker. “But it’s those who have a history of committing these violent acts that we’re worried about.”
The proposed Balfour House would be a 15-bed treatment facility outfitted with security cameras, a high wall, and 24-hour staff. That’s not enough to make Rinker and other neighbors feel safe, since staff is not allowed to restrain patients who try to leave, only call police.
“It’s sort of a dance that the state and agencies do, but the law is really clear,” explains Jason Renaud, an advocate for the Mental Health Association of Portland. “People with mental illness are disabled people.” Banning disabled people, including those who have committed crimes, from living in certain neighborhoods violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Renaud explains.
Not just anyone can live at Balfour House: People placed in the facility would be rigorously screened by the state’s Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB), which takes input from the patients’ psychiatrists as well as from victims. Only 2.2 percent of PSRB-approved patients re-offend, compared with over 30 percent of all criminals, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services. But Ardenwald-Johnson Creek neighbors have a hard time believing that mentally ill patients who have committed crimes should be protected by the ADA and can live safely in their community.
Mental health advocates argue that the laws are in place for good reason: If residential neighborhoods could ban the mentally disabled from their midst, the population could become ghettoized in other areas.
“The wiser route is to have houses in different communities where people could be better integrated into society,” says Renaud.
Another secure treatment facility, Faulkner Place in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood at SE 134th and Powell, also works with mentally disabled people, including one criminal. While Elaine Medcalf, secretary of the Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association, says she has never heard of any problems arising from the facility, the fear of mental patients wandering away is somewhat founded: Faulkner Place have called the police to report 19 different “walk-offs” since 2006. In every case, police returned the patient without incident.
“Since often people who really need mental health care don’t get treatment, they probably already have people who are mentally ill walking around their neighborhood,” points out Patty Wentz, spokeswoman for the Department of Human Services.
This article incensed me, as I thought it was highly biased against the residents and clients of our mental health community. Though the article does end on a somewhat positive note, the gist of the whole rest of it is that mental health clients are a population to be feared. There is so much stigma in this article.
Sure, lots of people who have mental illness diagnoses have committed crimes– even serious ones. Then again, lots of people who have committed serious crimes already live in our neighborhoods. They are our parents, children, and friends, too, let’s not forget.
Hi! I need someone to contact me. To help someone whom was falsely arrested and harassed. My phone number is 313-784973
This is a no-brainer – ironic, right – considering we are discoursing once again as to mental illness and how to treat, respect and deal with them – even those who have committed a crime. Over and over – people just want them to be so very “different” so that they can fear them, ban them, beat up on them and/or kill them (because they have not been “trained” not to – right?), discriminate in every way and manner against them – even in the year 2008 – because there will always be some “justification” for doing so – until we all stop and say – as we had to do in the 1950’s and 60’s in regard to race discrimination – they are not any different than you and me.
They are just as unapologetically entitled to live wherever they so choose – in this free country that is not just “free” to “sane” legal residents of this country – but to all legal citizens. ALL. Ardenwald? They will lose this battle – only because they pridefully refuse to enter the year 2008 fully engaged and enlightened as to just who they themselves must be – in the year 2008 as “neighbors”, not who the criminally mentally ill are . Ardenwald is no different than Sellwood or Woodstock or the Pearl District, etc. THESE “neighbors” are the one’s with the problem. Really. Seriously so. They will lose their own homes, their own bank accounts and their right to live amongst all of us – every single one of us – because they – if they continue to assert ANY “right” to discriminate against the mentally ill – are the one’s who are wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong…
iIt was wrong to discriminate against the mentally ill in the 50’s and 60’s and you sure as heck bet it will continue to be wrong to discriminate against the mentally ill in the year 2008 – and on into forever. That “clear” enough for you, Ardenwald? Sheez… I sure as heck hope so.
Lorraine-
I’m glad you feel this way. Let’s build the next facility next door to your house.