Concern for a family member
P.E.I. woman struggles to get help for family member
He was cold, hungry and dirty.
His feet were so sore from blisters after walking the streets during the winter that someone had to take him to hospital.
Months later, Fay Langille is still trying to get that man the help for his addiction and mental illness that she says he needs.
Langille, who is one of the man’s family members, said she loves him and worries something bad will happen to him.
“It’s like if I don’t do anything then it’s on me,” she said.
The Guardian has chosen not to identify the man to protect his identity.
During an interview, Langille detailed some of the man’s history, saying he has schizophrenia for which he gets injections, and he has longstanding addiction issues.
Sometimes he goes months without getting the injections because he thinks he’s OK, Langille said.
As she tries to get the man help, Langille said everyone involved with him through various government agencies is saying he’s someone else’s responsibility.
“They’re bouncing him around until something seriously happens with this young fella,” she said.
Langille said the man was a nice, polite kid growing up but was the victim of a traumatic event when he was a teenager and has been going downhill since.
That event was the breaking point, she said.
At times, the man has been homeless, and Langille said he spent the winter in a building with no heat.
His behaviour and anger have been escalating over the years with him getting into more and more trouble, Langille said.
“The system is so broken that they want this young fella to admit himself. Well, he’s mentally ill. He doesn’t have the capacity to say, ‘I’m sick and need help’.”
Langille said the man’s criminal activity started with thefts but has continued to escalate.
Video of a recent incident involving the man was posted on Facebook, but there have been others involving pellet guns and machetes, she said.
Langille said she is sure the man has felt abandoned and when she watched the video, she could see the anger in him.
“My heart broke knowing he feels all alone in this big, bad world.”
Since the latest incident, Langille said she has spoken to a psychiatrist about the man as she tries to get him help.
She has also talked to other people involved with him but said she got nowhere.
Langille said she contacted The Guardian not knowing where else to turn.
She is limited in what she can do for the man and said she doesn’t have power of attorney or any other ability to make decisions on his behalf.
“I’m just (someone) who cares,” she said.
Langille said she hopes the man will be admitted to a mental-health hospital longterm to deal with his mental illness first so he can work on the rest of his issues.
“I’m hoping he’ll get hope.” The Guardian contacted Health P.E.I. for an interview about the services available to people in situations similar to Langille’s relative and what is involved in getting someone involuntarily admitted to hospital.
A spokesman said he would arrange for an interview, but after more than a week, The Guardian had not received any further response.