To the editor:
A letter to the editor is, unequivocally, not an appropriate forum for fundraising. To be fair, however, it’s less appropriate to have to rely on crowdfunding sites for life-saving care.
I have a friend who just entered a specialized clinical treatment facility. With financial aid, the daily rate for her care, $179, is about a third of what it would typically cost. She’s been hospitalized over 30 times in the last 3 years and has been unable to receive appropriate or adequate care, in her community or elsewhere across the state. Her entry into this facility came after months of small and large battles, most of which would be moot in a system that prioritized and provided for mental health.
We have had to raise an initial $20,000 from friends, family members, and strangers in order to secure her treatment. We will have to continue fundraising to ensure she can participate in services as long as clinically needed. Someone has had to sign on as a guarantor, legally and financially agreeing to assume responsibility. There’s been minimal help at best from our local CMH.
So forgive me if my barometer for inappropriateness is skewed. https://bit.ly/crowdcare
Allison Zimpfer Maple City
