Greetings family, friends, and fellow mental health advocates! I am writing this from my new blog, www.reclaimingmyspirit.com. This is a blog I started as part of my healing journey from my own, first ever battle with depression earlier this year. I can say, I have a whole new sense of empathy for anyone who struggles with a mental illness of any form.
For those of you who have followed Mikese’s story and have asked to help wherever you can; we’re at a point in the case we where we could use your assistance again.
Mikese has been sitting in Hillsborough County Jail since he was required to leave the State hospital earlier this year when he was deemed competent to stand trial. He’s sitting in jail, not regressing but not making progress either.
Background
For those who may be new to our story, this has been our dilemma for over a decade. Not able to get the proper help to address Mikese’s severe mental illness. As his condition progressed, the more difficult it was to get help. The only “help” we could get was just enough to meet the Baker Act requirements. Unfortunately, 72 hours is not enough time to figure out an option for a fully grown adult who isn’t aware he’s severely mentally ill.
Those who know our story know how long and how hard we fought to get help for Mikese before the Great Tragedy. In all honesty, Mikese was also looking for help. It was a strange way but who else would fully document his rambling, incoherent messages all over social media? For those of you who don’t know, there were similar social media videos YEARS before June 2018. We made the police aware of them in different desperate attempts to get Mikese Baker Acted, but time after time; they would tell us being mentally ill isn’t a crime. And they were right, until it was.
One additional point, I’d like to make before I tell you how you can help, is this very important one. Let’s not forget, Mikese HIMSELF, in a brief moment of clarity, took himself to the police and asked to be Baker Acted because he was concerned he would hurt someone. In light of everything we’ve seen this year, can you appreciate how incredibly difficult it had to be for a 6 foot tall, very dark skinned black man, who thought he may hurt someone turn to the POLICE for help?! Yet, that was what Mikese did.
He did and when we found out, we jumped in immediately to provide the full background and history to Gracepoint, the mental health hospital to which he was admitted. We PLEADED with Gracepoint to not let him out too soon. While they held him longer than the traditional Baker Act, it was only because he had become aggressive with the Public Defender who came to meet with him. Yet, a few short days later, they STILL let Mikese out, in a fully psychotic state. You know the story from there.
How you can help
We are asking Judge Kiser and the State Prosecutor, Andrew Warren (who is currently running for re-election) to assist us in finally getting Mikese the kind of care, treatment, medication and therapy he needs and deserves.
Mikese started receiving medicine and treatment in the State hospital and has been a model patient ever since. This includes the time he’s been just sitting in jail; and that’s just with medicine.
We know how much better he can be with the right environment, care, treatment and support. Jails are actually very stressful environments for mental health patients so we want to build on his progress, not lose any of it.
To accomplish this, we’re asking the State to drop the charges so we can finally get Mikese into a good mental health hospital to help continue his stabilization, actually improve, and help him learn how to manage his condition so he can return to being a productive member of society. Prior to the Great Tragedy, Mikese never had a criminal record and his only interactions with the police all centered around his mental health.
To us, care and treatment are the only fair solutions. Punishment is not. It’s not Mikese’s fault Gracepoint let him out before he got the care and treatment he needed. To make it worse, later I found out it wasn’t because there weren’t available beds but because there wasn’t funding for a bed to keep Mikese. (Think about that when you’re voting.)
If you look at the comments from my original post below, you will see how prior to the onset of his severe mental illness, Mikese was a kind, gentle soul who was always looking to help not hurt someone.
We are not asking for any tax payer dollars to handle this and as a tax payer, I would much rather have the costs associated with pursuing this case be dedicated to advancing the numerous needs of some of our most vulnerable members of society; the severely mentally ill. As a tax payer, I’m still appalled at the fact we had to fight to have our son represented by a private attorney, not the Public Defender’s office. But that’s another story.
Write a letter
I’m asking for your support in a letter to Judge Kiser. I’ve outlined some points to help make it easier for you to write a letter without taking up too much of your valuable time. We’re asking for you to include as many of the following points as possible.
- How you know Mikese (if applicable)
- What you know of his temperament and overall attitude (if applicable)
- He is not a criminal, nor a threat and shouldn’t be treated as one
- He should be afforded the opportunity to FINALLY get proper treatment and care so he can return to being a productive member of society
- He has the right support systems in place including us, as his parents and Legal Guardians
Our next hearing is 10/26. We’d like to have all letters by this Wednesday 10/21. Please email them to me directly at morsekhadeeja@gmail.com
I hold a vision for Mikese to come out of this and that he is able and willing to share his story to help so many other black men who struggle with mental illness but don’t speak on it. (Black moms, you know exactly what I mean).
Thank you so much for your support!
#mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #selfcare #selflove #love #anxiety #motivation #depression #health #mentalhealthmatters #mindfulness #life #wellness #loveyourself #fitness #inspiration #healing #happiness #positivity #positivevibes #covid #quotes #therapy #mindset #meditation #mentalillness #instagood #happy #psychology #bhfyp #recovery #believe #wellbeing #healthylifestyle #lifestyle #instagram #bhfyp #goals #peace #ptsd #art #support #success #beauty #yoga #motivationalquotes #like #hope #growth #stress #trauma #community #mentalwellness #gratitude #photography #smile #coronavirus #mentalhealthsupport #awareness #mentalhealthadvocate #endthestigma #blackmentalhealth
