My History in the mental health system in Anchorage

My experience in the mental health system first started with me going to see a psychiatrist, when I was younger. I had a newspaper route. Things started to turn for the worst. I decided while on my newspaper route to write some inappropriate terms and sentences on a customer's driveway. The customer caught me red handed, while writing the sentences. He called the police and I got into deep trouble. My dad was shocked, so was my mom. They decided not to press any charges against me. From that point on my dad came with me to deliver newspapers. My parents decided to take me to go and see a psychiatrist at the Elemendorf hospital. I also got into a group that met weekly. I eventually got to old for this group. This is when I was 12 or 13, or even 14-years old. I was admitted to Charter North when I was 15-years old. It was thanksgiving of 1998. I stayed in Charter for 2 weeks. I got discharged on my 16th birthday. I continued to have problems. I started to get into arguments with my dad . These arguments from my perspective were pointless. The police had to be called on several occasions. The next step was me going into a residential treatment program. In April of 1999 I was admitted into North Star. The length of stay here was 8 months. North Star had helped me a lot, it basically turned my life around. Right now, I'm currently back in North Star. Being mentally ill has changed my life significantly, both in positive and negative ways. I have accepted the fact that "Hey, I am different." I ask myself a lot of times, "Why me?" The reason it is me is because God wanted it to be this way. Most people don't know that I am mentally ill. I tell people that I am mentally ill. Being mentally ill has it's advantages to it. In school I receive special help with doing my work. It takes me longer to do my homework because I have trouble figuring it out. This is part of being mentally ill. I also have a learning disorder. I sometimes wonder what life will be like when I get older and being mentally ill.

Therapeutic Foster Home

Following North Star I lived in a therapeutic foster home for three months. While living here I went to Bartlett High School. Things were going great until Rick got sick. I eventually left this therapeutic foster home.

Back at North Star

Following those three months I went back to North Star until my 18th birthday. I went back into North Star for major depression. I began going to Whaley.  Eight days after my birthday I signed myself out and left for Covenant House! This was on the 15th of December.

Covenant House

I arrived at Covenant House on the 15th of December 2000. I didn't really make any friends while staying at Covenant House. I got depressed while staying at Covenant House. 

Alaska Psychiatric Institute

I spent three days here. I met a lot of people here. I stayed on the unity called "Denali." This unity was the intake unity. The doctor said I wasn't acute enough to stay here. So, I was transferred to Charter North Star Hospital. 

Charter North Hospital --now called North Star

I stayed here again for about two weeks while looking for an Assisted Living Program. I was put in Charter North for major depression and to learn coping skills. I met some really nice people here. I was on the adult/adolescent unit. The adolescent boys shared the unit with the adults. I stayed here until I found placement at Red Oaks. 

Red Oaks

This summer I have gone on lots of fishing trips, white water rafting, and boating trips. I have gone on trips with the church. I belong to the sixth ward of the Church of Later Day Saints.  I went on a trip to Homer with Challenge Alaska. I caught two halibut that were each about 25 pounds. I also went on a Susitna River trip with Challenge Alaska and caught two Salmon there. One was a pink and the other was a silver. The white water rafting trip was to the Copper River and that was with Challenge Alaska also. My family says I have gone on more things this summer than they have!

Whaley

I went to Whaley for two years and graduated May 2002. The student teacher ration at Whaley is two or three to one which is fantastic for the student. Thanks to this kind of individual attention and the professionalism of the great teachers at Whaley I met all the goals for my Individual Education Plan. Since graduation I have been going to the ACE program at the King Career Center and I will keep going with them for as long as I can remain in the program. The ACE Program teaches you skills that you can use in your life, such as how to hold a job, budgeting, using the bus system, and social skills. The work experience student program has enabled me to work at the Office Depot, the General Service Administration on Elmendorf Air Force Base, and now I work at the Providence Childhood Development Center doing housecleaning duties. With these experinces I was also able to get a job on my own at Alaska Wildberry Products where I might be working again next Christmas season and I may be able to gain permanent employment at Providence.