Ladi March Goldwire’s eyes light up when she talks about her son, Donel Elam.”Donel is an extraordinary individual — beautiful mind, beautiful heart, a smile like out of this world,” she said.Donel was a superstar on the high school football field and was looking at a bright future.In 2014, everything changed.”He is and has been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder, and that’s kind of changed the core of who he is as an individual,” Goldwire said.The 10 years since his diagnosis have been tough for Elam and Goldwire.Because of his condition, he’s unable to keep a job and frequently experiences homelessness.”It’s a nightmare at best,” Goldwire said. “At best, it’s a nightmare.”Goldwire said when she heard that a man had been shot by a police officer at Suncoast High School Monday morning, she was frantic with the thought that it might be Elam.It turned out to be a man named Delroy Thomas.His family said Thomas was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression.They thought he was in the hospital, not knowing he had been released the night before.Goldwire said she can relate.Over the years, Elam has been admitted to the hospital 64 times — 20 times in the last year.But because both Thomas and Elam are adults, there’s nothing anyone can do to make them stay in the hospital if they don’t want to be there.”It’s tough because they’re still considered an adult. And that’s the problem,” said Ezsa Allen.Allen is a mental health therapist with Social Age Counseling.She said there are mental health programs available for adults, but only if the patient chooses to go.She said an adult can be hospitalized involuntarily if they’re considered a threat to themselves or others, but that usually only lasts up to 72 hours.In other words, a family member who wants to help a loved one is unable to do so if that person doesn’t want the help.”It is an epidemic,” Allen said. “There is a rise in it. And now you’re going to have more people on the street. You’re going to have more people just doing violent things or just not knowing what they’re doing.””I just feel deflated,” Goldwire said. “You try, with the understanding that you really don’t have the luxury to give up hope, but when you get to the bottom of the barrel, it’s like, ‘Where do you go?'”
Ladi March Goldwire’s eyes light up when she talks about her son, Donel Elam.
“Donel is an extraordinary individual — beautiful mind, beautiful heart, a smile like out of this world,” she said.
Donel was a superstar on the high school football field and was looking at a bright future.
In 2014, everything changed.
“He is and has been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder, and that’s kind of changed the core of who he is as an individual,” Goldwire said.
The 10 years since his diagnosis have been tough for Elam and Goldwire.
Because of his condition, he’s unable to keep a job and frequently experiences homelessness.
“It’s a nightmare at best,” Goldwire said. “At best, it’s a nightmare.”
Goldwire said when she heard that a man had been shot by a police officer at Suncoast High School Monday morning, she was frantic with the thought that it might be Elam.
It turned out to be a man named Delroy Thomas.
His family said Thomas was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression.
They thought he was in the hospital, not knowing he had been released the night before.
Goldwire said she can relate.
Over the years, Elam has been admitted to the hospital 64 times — 20 times in the last year.
But because both Thomas and Elam are adults, there’s nothing anyone can do to make them stay in the hospital if they don’t want to be there.
“It’s tough because they’re still considered an adult. And that’s the problem,” said Ezsa Allen.
Allen is a mental health therapist with Social Age Counseling.
She said there are mental health programs available for adults, but only if the patient chooses to go.
She said an adult can be hospitalized involuntarily if they’re considered a threat to themselves or others, but that usually only lasts up to 72 hours.
In other words, a family member who wants to help a loved one is unable to do so if that person doesn’t want the help.
“It is an epidemic,” Allen said. “There is a rise in it. And now you’re going to have more people on the street. You’re going to have more people just doing violent things or just not knowing what they’re doing.”
“I just feel deflated,” Goldwire said. “You try, with the understanding that you really don’t have the luxury to give up hope, but when you get to the bottom of the barrel, it’s like, ‘Where do you go?'”
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