deathby1000papercuts.blogspot.com — The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has fingered a culprit in the Megan Meier story. And the guilty parties are--surprise!--bloggers.The traditional press, ever mindful of mouthing ethics that fall far short of what they actually practice, is again pointing a finger at their Internet brethren.
Dec 6, 2007 View in Crawl 4
stephensimonDec 16, 2007
December 10, 2007 - Monday BREAKING THE SILENCE OVER THE TRAGIC LOSS OF MEGAN MEIER Current mood: contemplative Category: BREAKING THE SILENCE News and Politics DEAR FRIENDS AND CLIENT'S,THE RECENT TRAGIC LOSS OF MEGAN MEIER WAS INDEED VERY SAD AND UNFORTUNATE AND HAS PROVOKED THE ANGER OF MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE JUSTIFIED IN THEIR FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS , GIVEN THE BIZAARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO HER APPARENT DEATH BY SUICIDE. MY PERSONAL EMPHASIS AT THIS POINT IN TIME WOULD BE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO FOCUS UPON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT REMAIN IN THE WAKE OF THIS TRAGIC LOSS.PRESENTLY, THERE ARE UNTOLD NUMBERS OF OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SIMILARILY SITUATED AND STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.IN FACT I JUST FINISHED TALKING TO A YOUNG 15 YR OLD BOY WHO INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS DEPRESSED AND SUICIDAL . ALTHOUGH, HE HAS RECEIVED SOME TREATMENT FROM A LICENCED COUNSELOR, HIS NEXT APPOINTMENT IS NOT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. FURTHER, HE DID NOT WANT ME TO SPEAK WITH HIS PARENTS NOR HIS COUNSELOR AND ADMITS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HE WOULD HESITATE TO CALL SUICIDE PREVENTION.THERE ALSO REMAINS A VITAL NEED FOR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, SO THAT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO MINORS WHO SEEK ASSISTANCE IN A CRISIS WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.FURTHERMORE, THE ACCESSABILITY OF LICENSED PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT BY TELEPHONE IS EXTEMELY LIMITED ESPECIALLY FOR MINORS AND TEENS.THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN PRINCIPAL PART BECAUSE INSURANCE COMPANYS GENERALLY REFUSE TO MAKE PAYMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL LICENCED TELEPHONE COUNSELING SERVICES AND AS SUCH ALSO REQUIRES URGENT LEGISLATIVE ATTENTION.INSTEAD, VOLLUNTEERS WHO ARE VERY WELL MEANING AND DEDICATED PEOPLE ARE THE PRIMARY PROVIDERS IN A CRISIS.HOWEVER, THEY ARE GENERALLY NOT DEGREED NOR LICENCED AND AS SUCH NOT PROPERLY PREPARED TO PROVIDE COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY IN THESE CRITICAL CRISIS SITUATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR SUICIDE.YOUR CONSIDERATIONS AND THOUGHTS IN RESPONSE WOULD BE GREATLY RECIEVED AND APPRECIATED. I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO ANY DISCUSSIONS OR DEBATES UPON THESE VERY IMPORTANT AND TIME SENSITIVE MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST TO MANY PEOPLE AND FAMILIES. BEST WISHES, STEPHEN SIMON, DIRECTOR NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION.COMwww.suicideprevention.biz {866-SUICIDE}Copyright 2007 by: Stephen Simon