P. O. Box 991
WJW Mental Health Legal Fund was founded in support of the most chronic mental health cases in Oklahoma, after learning there is no category for mental health attorneys. Anywhere.
Our mission is to advocate for the indigent mentally ill, and their families. This includes raising awareness on both basic and progressive issues.
Due to Oklahoma being officially the world’s biggest jailer [1][2]and an estimated 55% of all incarcerated having a serious and/or debilitating mental illness diagnosis [3][4], our nonprofit organization aims to reverse this expensive and detrimental trend, through appropriate legal representation.
GOALS include:
· To mainstream and raise awareness about laws, such as the Oklahoma Statute under Mental Health 43A O.S. § 1-109.1. [5] So those that the afflicted mentally ill have lawfully designated as Treatment Advocates are universally recognized throughout the State of Oklahoma.
· To bring awareness and advocate for change, such as in the current federal HUD regulation that allows a criminalized mentally ill adult to lose subsidized housing, thus creating more homelessness and incarceration, due to their disability. [6]
· To advocate for mandating a simple DNA swab test developed by the Mayo Clinic, proving medication tolerance, so to prevent administering a prescription that an individual is allergic to, and that would - instead of helping to cure their mental health condition, would be causing more psychosis and damage.[7]
· Establish scholarships for Oklahoma law students to focus on mental health issues.
WJW Mental Health Legal Fund respectfully requests financial support that will reverse the spiraling trends Oklahoma is facing, would save millions of dollars in the state budget due to those suffering falling through the cracks in a perpetually broken system, and most importantly, will give these most forgotten real and tangible HOPE.
This funding would cover hiring top tier legal scholars, functional medicine doctors, private psychiatrists, and experts to testify to the benefits of offering more than what the State of Oklahoma can now offer to these who are the most long-term, and severely suffering. WJWMHLF will administer financial assistance, including copays for medication, therapies, or testing, help with court costs, and future plans to build care facilities modelled after the Top 30 Gold Standard facilities in other states [8]. Since jails are now the long-term hospitals, we can and must do better. Criminalization of the mentally ill must end.
We would also welcome donations on a monthly basis. And if your company has matching funds, let us know and we’ll figure that out.
Thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Marilyn Welton, Jacqueline DiPillo, and Penny Oss, Incorporators
[1]http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/recipe-for-disaster-oklahoma-s-incarceration-rate-now-no-in/article_0561c981-5e48-51a0-812e-19c22b33f55d.html
[2]http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/opinionfeatured/oklahoma-corrections-director-three-things-oklahoma-must-do-now-that/article_0f914410-579c-553d-bacb-ba9a3e72c20c.html
[3]https://ok.gov/odmhsas/Substance_Abuse/Oklahoma_Drug_and_Mental_Health_Courts/
[4http://www.okumcministries.org/cjamm/files/CJAMM_Fact_Sheet.pdf
[5]https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/2015/title-43a/section-43a-1-109.1/
[6]( Page 5 ): https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/notice-cpd-16-11-prioritizing-persons-experiencing-chronic-homelessness-and-other-vulnerable-homeless-persons-in-psh.pdf
[7]https://genesight.com
[8]https://artausa.org
501(c)3 nonprofit * EIN Tax ID: #83-0791888