Category Archives: Mental Health

The saga of my brother who is afflicted with Paranoid Schizophrenia. Eventually I would like to provide a resource page where people can share their ideas for how to improve what is a very broken system in the United States for dealing with Mental Health issues.

Society ignores the mentally ill. Everyone suffers.

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health, Morning Thoughts ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

As the shooting of Gabriell Giffords in Tuscon shows, a mentally disturbed person who is left to fall between the cracks can end up going totally insane and in some cases harm other people. Futhermore, the afflicted person also suffers … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental Health, Morning Thoughts | 5 Comments

6. Competent to Stand Trial?

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

The process of obtaining a conservatorship for my brother has been canceled, according to William Ortega of the office of the California State Public Guardian.
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Posted in Mental Health | 16 Comments

5. Mentally ill brother thrown back on the street

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

Six days ago my brother was released early from LA County jail where he had been incarcerated since violating my restraining order last fall. He is now homeless again
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Posted in Mental Health | 17 Comments

4. Back through the revolving door

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

It is starting all over again. It’s like a bad dream. It is defeating. I attended my brother’s court hearing today and want to comment on how I feel. How the system is broken.
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Posted in Mental Health | 9 Comments

3. Not guilty, so now what?

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

The system is brutal. The courts and the laws support the view that mentally ill people should be free to suffer from their illness and not receive treatment. The entire trial of my brother was a piece of theater with the judge, lawyers, witnesses, and jury all playing their part in a farcical charade. The system failed.
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Posted in Mental Health | 8 Comments

2. My mentally ill brother is scheduled for trial

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

Today, in court, Tony was deemed competent to stand trial. So, even though he was delusional when he took a woman’s purse, threw it to the ground and walked off without out taking anything or harming anyone, next Tuesday, August 23, 2009, he goes on trial on a charge of felony robbery. He faces a sentence of up to 17 years in prison
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Posted in Mental Health | 28 Comments

1. My brother has a mental illness so is in jail

Posted on July 23, 2009 by Dennis Allard   [ Cateories: Mental Health ] [ Bookmark: permalink ]

This is my first column. I will dedicate this column to my brother Tony who was first diagnosed with a mental illness in 1986. The saga of his life and how it has affected those close to him is a story I will tell.
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