Defending Human Exceptionism: The Medical Safeguards Project
Some people talk--and some people act. In the latter category are the good people in Massachusetts who operate The Medical Safeguards Project. Understanding that people with developmental disabilities are at particular risk in our increasingly utilitarian health care system, the Medical Safeguards Project literally puts people into hospitals to protect the vulnerable. From the MSP Website:
The Medical Safeguards Project has two major components: health care enhancement, and safeguarding and advocacy...I have been privileged to speak to and interact with these valiant and dedicated people. I have heard the harrowing tales of the fights they have waged to ensure that their clients receive proper and humane care. The term, "They walk the walk," definitely applies.
The health enhancement component is oriented to complementing and assisting, as necessary, primary health care providers in delivering optimal care for clients of the Department of Mental Retardation living in Southeastern Massachusetts. Assisting primary care physicians and other health care providers means...preparing accurate, complete, and up-to-date medical information for a consultation...
The safeguarding and advocacy component focuses on assuring that clients of the Department of Mental Retardation living in Southeastern Massachusetts have family, friends and advocates in their lives, as well as an active and competent guardian who will defend their right to treatment. Our objective is for people to receive the same level of excellent care and support as the most socially valued persons in their community.
Labels: Human Exceptionalism. The Medical Safeguards Project.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 5:53 PM
14 Comments
14 Comments:
WOOT WOOT WOOT!
Give it up for Massachusetts! I wish we had something like that here in Texas! You'd think that with the great medical center we have here in Houston, we'd have a great culture of life and reverence for all people, but I don't see that as the case here so much. Sure, we have places like St. Jude, where no kid who is admitted gets turned away due to family's inability to pay. But we haven't been so kind to everyone - what was the story about the boy who had to find another hospital to take him in or he'd be taken off his feeding tube? Gah, I can't remember the details, but I remember you posted about it, and I remember that at the time a bunch of us in my Parish were frustrated and struggling against the utilitarian mentality of some of the other parishoners.
I'm glad if "guardians" are doing their job right somewhere. The guardian system is a nightmare for the elderly in Massachusetts, from what I've seen on S.A.F.E., and it certainly can be in New York State.
What's this about Obama just appointed the lawyer who fought to bring about the murder of Terry Schiavo to something? Things are going to be even worse than expected by everyone who knew how bad it was going to be with him. How will the kind of positive thing noted here be able to survive under this administration?
They are not formal legal guardians. They are DEFENDERS!
wow-I didn't know about this project. I want to get involved!!!
Absolute MOST EXCELLENT..!!!
Passing this along forward through my Network.. GREAT example that could generate employment..
Oh, man, yeah.. :)
Wesley: I'm not surprised that they are not formal legal guardians; I was kind of puzzled about how the latter could be that good in Massachusetts after what I saw on S.A.F.E. Formal legal guardians are supposed to be defenders; it sounds like these ones ARE.
It's frustrating that in MA, these defenses haven't kicked in. I am curious as to why this organization hasn't gotten involved. Luckily, I do know that at least one woman involved now has a family member looking after her instead of this stranger who took all of her money. That is at least a step up, if a very small one. I continue to be disgusted by the lack of outrage from the state of MA about this.
hey, ianthe-what's this about Obama and the Schiavo lawyer? Who is it? I would definitely want to give a call to his staff about that and put it on my website. If that's true, we're in trouble.
TE-do you have any thoughts on how certain people in Texas, like those in the parish you reference, seperate Christian belief (which is very common there) from their utilitarian mindset? Are the unconscious of it, or have they worked that into their overall worldview along with Christianity?
Lanthe -
Is it Lanthe or ianthe? I thought it was a lower-case L! If I've been miss-calling you, I'm sorry!
And I don't fully understand what you were talking about with Obama / Terri Schiavo. I'm having a blond moment, I guess. Can you give us some more information?
T.E.: Everybody does that. It's Ianthe.
Obama just nominated the lawyer who represented Michael Schiavo and was zealous in his efforts to make sure that Terry Schiavo was murdered to some post; I don't know what post. That came at the same time as he made some other appointments that are hardly reassuring.
I have the same question as SAFEpres. I don't understand how utilitarianism has taken hold in Texas of all places. I've noticed on the web that there law firms and organizations that push the ideas of "livging wills" and "futile care theory" are prominent in Texas and that Texas seems to be a center for this sort of thing. I don't understand why Texas. Heck I always wanted to move to and live in Texas. I wouldn't feel safe doing that now if that's the way things are going there. It's just not what I would have expected.
SAFEpres: Sorry -- I was skimming through and missed one of your comments. I don't know to what post Obama appointed him. I haven't heard it on the news and I haven't seen a newspaper lately (and who knows if it's even in one); I only heard about it on Michael Savage's radio show. Maybe it's online; just thought of that. As for Massachusetts, I'm really grateful that the S.A.F.E. site, without which I wouldn't have known about the horrendous "guardianship" situation there; my guess would be that there is so much abuse there that there are more victims than the group can defend.
Ianthe-I think you're right. I spoke to the group yesterday and we had a good chat-the woman I spoke to said that they're only allowed to get involved in situations in certain parts of MA, not the whole state, at least for now, so that limits the amount of people they can advocate for.
SAFEpres: That's interesting. It can't be state law that doesn't allow them to get involved in certain parts of Massachusetts, or at least it shouldn't be. Whatever the reason(s) why they can only get involved in certain parts of the state, I could tell from what's on the S.A.F.E. website that something is really wrong there.
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