Miscellaneous - off the beaten path idea's.

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

......in fact, I have become somewhat of an expert in schizophrenia, the missing, and the misdiagnosis, and the fact that a high percentage are actual severe bipolar, and/or epileptic, due to the genetics. I can tell you factually, from first hand knowledge, that there are no facilities or doctors in them, that will help you...!

I contacted 3 mental facilities this morning. One in Kansas City, MO one in Lincoln, NE and one in Omaha, NE. I spoke with the social services department to ask their policies. Omaha is going to call me back with their policy. Lincoln, and KC both told me that when they have residents, (usually homeless) admitted into their facility that have conditions such as dementia, autism, or other severe mind altering disorders, they search missing files to find a next of kin. Lincoln Regional Center does not receive many patients like this, but she said they are just starting to enter patients they do into CODIS. They both said they often receive posters of missing persons and circulate them within the staff. Just thought I'd let you know that 2 out of 2 facilities I spoke with will help.

 

[laini]

One of my parents has paranoid schizophrenia and I do not. There is a very good chance that Anna could be living very happy with career, family, and just unaware of who she was. Just wanted to offer that thought. I hope we don't go too far down that path in assuming that Anna must be mentally ill just because her father was. Look at Annasmom. Anna has her mom's genes, also. JMO

 

[annemc2]

A few of my humble thoughts regarding this recent discussion:

1. I agree that Schizophrenia was a "catch-all" diagnosis used in the 1970s of any mental illness involving delusional behavior. If GW was actually schizophrenic, he would not have been able to function in any capacity as a physician. It's quite likely he suffered from bipolar disorder.

2. The possibility of Anna being a UID in a psychiatric hospital is extremely slim. First, if she were to suffer from a severe mental illness, it's likely that she would have received some type of effective treatment and would be functional member of society. If briefly hospitalized, she would likely have immediate family (ie husband, children) and/or close friends who would be participating in her treatment.

3. Average length of stay in a psychiatric hospital is 3-7 days. People with intractable mental illnesses are often sent to the state hospital for extended stays. Institutionalization is virtually nonexistent at the present time.

4. UIDs with mental illness are very unlikely to show up at small community mental health centers. Urban areas are more likely to receive these patients, but it's still a very rare event to encounter someone who has no close family/friends or is unknown to the mental health system.

5. The large urban mental health centers, who are more likely to receive UID patients, are also the most overburdened. A poster or flyer that would likely be received with interest and curiosity at a smaller hospital would probably be buried under a mountain of paperwork at a larger facility. Sad but true.

6. A possible UID match within the mental health system would (should) be reported to LE. I don't think any well-meaning mental health professional would let a UID go "unmatched" because of concerns related to medical confidentiality.



Anyway, just my couple of cents here. In a nutshell, I don't think Anna is lost within the bowels of the mental health system, and time spent distributing her flyers there would probably be better spent pursuing other avenues.

just so you know where I'm coming from on this, I am a psychiatric/mental-health nurse practitioner with extensive experience working in a large urban county mental health system. I also did psych consults for multiple emergency rooms and medical centers, so I kinda know what I'm talkin' bout here :blushing:

 

[InterestedNHelping]

They both said they often receive posters of missing persons and circulate them within the staff. Just thought I'd let you know that 2 out of 2 facilities I spoke with will help.

Well, umm...good luck with that...they say alot of nice things, but action is often not the same.

In California, a recent panel was formed by the governor, to help the mentally ill, and I have spoken with members of this panel. You won't get them to open doors for you, believe me. However, I know the secrets to getting the info you need, but its hard, I know I am living it.

." A possible UID match within the mental health system would (should) be reported to LE. I don't think any well-meaning mental health professional would let a UID go "unmatched" because of concerns related to medical confidentiality. "
Actually, this is the current issue I am circumventing, because my missing person has been missing as long as Anna has....she is in a hospital somewhere, and no one is talking...and she has no family...that she knows of. SHe is too dilussional to know her own name too. Hmmm....

I have spoken to so many institutions etc...but I can now find ways around the policies of well meaning politicians, in order to find the staggering numbers of missing persons in institutions, you might be surprised, and I have worked in them once too, I now know it from all angles...

The only relevance I can see here, is that IF she has ANY mental illness, and just happens to be on state assistance, regardless her name, I can find her.

 

[InterestedNHelping]

Thanks Annasmom,

I am still here, just a full personal schedule and more cases! Glad to be back and to talk to all of you, I love the ideas being put out, the stamp is great! The Doenetwork update is really good, loved seeing all the pics of Anna there...catchin' back up to speed here, you all certainly have been busy! Smiles!

 

[Gina_M]

One of my parents has paranoid schizophrenia and I do not. There is a very good chance that Anna could be living very happy with career, family, and just unaware of who she was. Just wanted to offer that thought. I hope we don't go too far down that path in assuming that Anna must be mentally ill just because her father was. Look at Annasmom. Anna has her mom's genes, also. JMO

That is an excellent point. My grandma and her brother were both diagnosed schizophrenic. Grandma had 4 kids, my mom being one of them. My mom has no hint of the disease. One of my aunts is bipolar though. So, these kinds of things are really hard to predict.

 

[SherlockJr]

I like the stamp idea but sitting at the computer waiting for a bottle to wash up to the shore drove me bonkers! How about creating Christmas cards with Anna on them? I know last year some have placed inserts inside their Christmas cards to get the word out. I would guess it would probably be cheaper for the pocket book to have cards printed. (hint, hint Dr. Doogie) Also now would be the time to start designing to have enough time to print and order the cards. I just thought to myself that this would be the first time since I left Gibson Greetings that I would be mailing Christmas cards!

 

[Cubby]

I like the stamp idea but sitting at the computer waiting for a bottle to wash up to the shore drove me bonkers! How about creating Christmas cards with Anna on them? I know last year some have placed inserts inside their Christmas cards to get the word out. I would guess it would probably be cheaper for the pocket book to have cards printed. (hint, hint Dr. Doogie) Also now would be the time to start designing to have enough time to print and order the cards. I just thought to myself that this would be the first time since I left Gibson Greetings that I would be mailing Christmas cards!

Yes, that bottle is a pita....... The snowflakes don't take that long...

The stamp site has an option for ordering postcards and envelopes which include the picture. I like the idea of having the picture outside for all to see, a card would be hidden within an envelope.

I also liked the idea of the age progressed photo to HS and the thoughts of having it on classmates. A story about Anna in a major magazine such as Readers Digest, People.... or something similiar would be fantastic, but how to? Even in conjuction with a story about various missing children from decades ago.

 

[Rhett]

I looked up Readers Digest and on the far lefthand side it has an option to e-mail the editors. There are often stories in Readers Digest along the lines of Anna's story. I think if Doogie, Annasmom, Sherlock, etc., would e-mail them a small sampling of Anna's story they may actually take an interest. They say Readers Digest is written on a 5th grade reading level and it is therefore read by millions. If it could get into just the one right set of hands it could end the search. What do you say Doogie?

 

[SherlockJr]

I looked up Readers Digest and on the far lefthand side it has an option to e-mail the editors. There are often stories in Readers Digest along the lines of Anna's story. I think if Doogie, Annasmom, Sherlock, etc., would e-mail them a small sampling of Anna's story they may actually take an interest. They say Readers Digest is written on a 5th grade reading level and it is therefore read by millions. If it could get into just the one right set of hands it could end the search. What do you say Doogie?

Thanks Rhett! I'll leave this job for the journalists to follow up!

 

[Dr. Doogie]

...They say Readers Digest is written on a 5th grade reading level and it is therefore read by millions...What do you say Doogie?

At the fifth grade level? Jeez, I shoulda stayed in school.

We are holding off currently seeking any additional media, waiting for the book to be completed. Once the book is in place, then we will try and hit the media hard and RD would certainly be a good possible resource. Thanks for researching this.

 

[InterestedNHelping]

Rd is a good idea because people my parent's age are subscribers...(I am Anna's exact age), and so their children went to school with those our age, and also, every doctor's office in America has a copy of it! LOL...excellent exposure, and I firmly firmly believe that is should not be featured with other missing, because it will help to elevate her story as a sole identifier, if at all possible. This is not to be callous, but rather that a story on one girl, will have name impact, as opposed to many missing names....

 

[Rhett]

I agree with all. I think Anna's story is unique because of the two George's, mental illness, the lifestyle at the time, the beautiful area where she lived, the search for her and the disappointments, etc. I truly think it will make a great story for them thus helping us. However, I agree Doogie that waiting for the manuscript is the right way to go but please don't forget about this idea.

 

[Annasmom]

I looked up Readers Digest and on the far lefthand side it has an option to e-mail the editors. There are often stories in Readers Digest along the lines of Anna's story. I think if Doogie, Annasmom, Sherlock, etc., would e-mail them a small sampling of Anna's story they may actually take an interest. They say Readers Digest is written on a 5th grade reading level and it is therefore read by millions. If it could get into just the one right set of hands it could end the search. What do you say Doogie?

Rhett, it's the Readers Digest policy to print only things which have been published elsewhere (that's where the "Digest" part comes in), so we need to keep them in mind after we get a story in somewhere. Hm. I wonder about the HMB Review story...

 

[InterestedNHelping]

Just a side note for "OFF the beaten Path"...as pointed out earlier, Anna and ANdrew Carnegie Whitfield had the same coincidental initials...but something else caught my eye, that for us flying buffs,

ACE, means something too...

 

[diamondgirl]

In my opinion the stamp idea sounds awesome!!. Also, even thought the message in a bottle is a PITA it may be worth it. Who knows?

 

[Gina_M]

I kind of enjoy the Message in a Bottle...but then again I tend to enjoy tedious things that others consider "boring" What I usually do is multitask...I have several windows open at once, and every once in a while I pop over and check the bottles. I've sent out some of the messages in a bottle and can send out more.

 

[Mischa]

Did you ever hear of Cynthia Lynn Sumpter? She vanished about 14 months after Anna from San Jose, CA. She was also 5 years old and had blonde hair. Perhaps there is a connection?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/sumpter_cynthia.html

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Thanks for the info. I am familiar with the Cindy Sumpter case. If Anna was taken in a true "stanger abduction", then the Sumpter case may well be related. The fact that both girls were five and abducted from their yards make the two cases eerily similar. Right now, since most of the evidence in Anna's case points toward involvment by Anna's birth father (at least, in my opinion), we have focused on that possiblity. If we do look further into the stanger abduction angle, then the Sumpter case is definitely something that we will want to examine closely.

A side note: Sumpter's parents were involved in a nasty divorce and each parent accused the other of involvment in her disappearance. This case may have been a stranger abduction, but it also could have been a custody dispute / parental abduction.

 

[Gina_M]

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm sending out some messages in a bottle as we speak. I just realized that Anna will be turning 40 in less than a week from now.