Dear Julie,
Do you have any information on how to help someone (my brother) with BP who is required to pay child support, but cannot due to his BP condition? He is headed for jail b/c he is so behind on his child support payments. There must be some type of justification in the courts that understands that he cannot work enough to make the payments. It is very stressful for all of us. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
L.C
Hello L.C.
Wow, this is quite a question. The justice system is very used to seeing
mentally ill people- but are not always up on what to do.
Here are some ideas:
– Get an official letter from his doctor with detail on his diagnosis, the meds he takes and his work ability. Can he get a doctor’s statement that he’s actually not able to work?
– Search your county for a court that is known to understand mental health concerns. He is probably assigned a judge, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Here in Oregon, we have mental health courts- they are changing the way the justice system handles mental illness.
– Find out if he has any rights under American Disabilities Act- this is a long shot, but worth a try.
– And finally, he needs to talk with his partner and explain the situation- he has probably done this many times, but it has to happen.
If he is not able to financially support his children, I am sure she wonders who will. It is not her fault your brother is not able to work and I assume she just wants his help. I think your brother has to look at it from both sides. What would he do if he were in her position?
I, of course don’t know any of the details of the situation, but it seems that there has to be better communication all around. This may be a very frustrating answer to your question as you may have tried all of this already, but if it didn’t work the first time you have to keep trying.
Does your brother use a very effective treatment plan daily so that he can hopefully go back to work one day and support his children? That is a goal that is reachable and one that will certainly help the situation.
Yes, this is complicated, but there are options.
Julie
Excellent post! I feel so much better. Thanks! – Emanuel
Hi Julie,
I have written you in the past before but I was just lookin through your blogs and this one kinda hit home. I have been w/ my husband now for almost 15yrs, since I was almost 16. We have a 13 yr old son and a 7 yr old daughter and we have not lived w/ my husband in over a yr and 8 months due to BP diagnosis, his addiction(crack,cocaine,oxy’s,etc), financial reasons, lost our home of 8yrs to foreclosure Jan 2007 etc etc. I have had myself and our children on Heathy Start healthy families insurance here in Ohio and the government took my husband to court for financial help/child support. He has been able to hold a job down now since around April(I think?) Before that he worked for another HVAC company but got a DUI in the company van miles from home?(Still not for sure what happened there?) Before that he was a job setter for Chrysler and thankfully went to school for HVAC because since has gone from a 28$an hr job for 11yrs, to unemployed for awhile, to 18$ an hr to now $13 an hr. He has always had issues w/ being a sleeper but the manias didn’t show till after he had a breaker box blow up in his face and he was burnt pretty badly on face/hands October 7TH 2005. Ever since that day things have never been the same. Not to say they were perfect before that time because they were not. He has takin perscription pills on an off since around 1997, doctor’s started him on them and eventually cut him off and he found them else where(got hooked on Oxy’s). But the major aneixty/mania episodes have been getting worse and worse since that tragic accident.
I found out that he was smoking crack October 3rd 2006, just shy of a year since his accident and he did rehab 2 x’s, the 2nd time they diagnosed him w/ BP. He still seems to be in denial of the diagnosis and probably because of lack of insurance and no treatment. But I wonder the same thing, what will happen now w/ the child support? It was suppose to start June 1ST and still nothing?(They said it might take alittle while.) I need help though, he makes more money than I, the kids and I have been living at my parents now for this time and he lives w/ his. He just blew 50+ dollars on lotto tickets and still nothing w/ our kids. I try to talk about it and he gets angry. There are days that he is great and we treasure those days. I go to Al-Anon and it helps so much but I have a program telling me to mind my own business and he has to hit rock bottem but it is scary. He has bills racking higher n higher, I wrote the Board Of Mental health and there are things he might be able to get help w/ but I can’t do it all. I am now wondering if he told his employer not to do the child support if they can do that? I know things I need to address. THis disease definetly SUCKS, one day at a time sometimes one minute is all I can do. Thanks if you were able to read this.