Jayson Blair

A month ago I was referred a client with attention deficit disorder who had been kicked out of his school because he was found with a mild opioid prescription pill. His parents were concerned and found deeper substance abuse problems that the school was unaware of after they investigated. With the help of his psychiatrist, who referred him to me, I was able to put together a treatment plan that the the Fairfax County School Board's Hearings Office -- the discipline arm of one of the nation's largest and highest performing school system's -- credited with their decision to allow him to return to school. Whooohooo!

Several months ago, Pete Earley, the former Washington Post reporter and author, came to speak at a Depression Bipolar Support Alliance-Northern Virginia event at the Sully District Government Center in Chantilly, Va. Pete spoke about his book "Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness." Pete's book is about his son, who had to be hospitalized several times and eventually had a run-in with the law. Pete also examined areas where the mental health and criminal justice systems collide across America. In a tragic twist, one of the Fairfax County, Va. police detectives, Vicky Armel , who helped his son when he ran into trouble was killed by a mentally ill gunman several months before the talk in the parking lot of the same building. Pete and I had a chance to speak after the meeting, and one of the topics was about the support groups. I'm happy to say that his son has joined and become an active member in of one of the groups. His insight...