Does my wife need to resign now?

[Eagle309]

Just after Christmas my wife had some minor surgery. She developed vertigo afterwards and was placed on various drugs including Valium. A few days after the Valium started, she became completely out of her head/pshchotic/delierous and had to be invoulentarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital. After taking her off all her meds and giving her an anti-psychotic to straighten out her thought pattern, she recovered quickly and was discharged. In a follow up visit with her psych doctor, he said that while we may never know what caused this, you don't see people with major psychotic disorders (liks scizopherena, bipolar pshcyosis, etc) just loose touch with reality in a very short period of time and then completely recover (someone who hasn't seen her since her surgery would never know this happened). He said it was most likely delirum caused by drug interactions magnified by the stress of surgery. Her DSM-IV diagnosis was "unspecified mental disorder".

 

Now that my rambling is done, I'll get to the point. Yesterday she got a letter from the State Police stating that based on the Probate Court case (her invoulentary admission) that she now had a record in the Law Enforcement Information Network. (They added that this precluded her from buying a firearm or obtaining a CCW permit but this is trivial in her case.)

 

My question is does the fact that she has a police record for being committed to a mental health institution preclude her from being a registered Scouter. She currently serves as a Committee Member (awards chair) for our Cub Pack and our Troop. Is she compelled to resign now?

 

As a side note she was never a danger to others. Her committment papers (from two different psych evals) had checked 'Unable to take care of her own basic needs" NOT 'a danger to others'.

[EagleInKY]

I would suggest that you make sure that your committee and charter organization knows of the situation. If they are comfortable with her staying in position, then all should be fine. If they have concerns or want to seek the advice from the Council office, it's their call.

[SemperParatus]

I am glad to hear that your wife is on the road to recovery. I wish her the best.

 

There is no BSA rule that requires her resignation simply because she has a record with the Law Enforcement Information Network.

 

Likewise, given the circumstances, I would not expect the CO to have any inclination to ask for her removal or expect her resignation from this volunteer position.

 

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

What a shame your wife had to go thru all of that. I would be asking your wife's doctor some hard questions about prescribing drugs that interact so violently.

 

Does she have to resign? Of course not!

 

You might consider having a talk with your COR & IH (Head of your Charter Org) to give them a heads up & explain the situation in case the fact that she has a court record ever comes up. I would not feel compelled to mention it to anyone else.

 

 

[Eamonn]

No there is no need for her to resign.

If the drugs had been illegally obtained things might be different.

I feel sure that after this She doesn't have any plans to ever take this medication again and you both will keep be very careful about taking any new meds, even those bought over the counter.

I'm glad that she is on the mend.

I'd feel a lot safer if Her Who Must Be Obeyed wasn't allowed to own a gun. She keeps telling me that one day I'm gong to wake up dead.

Eamonn.

[Eagle309]

Thanks for the quick replies. The COR is aware of what happened and the CC helped me get her into the hospital and helped our family out in many ways while I had to play "single dad". I was just concerened with the letter and what this would do when she re signs up next year and the background check is done.

[johndaigler]

Eagle309,

 

Sorry your wife and family and you have had to go through this. Certainly, there is no need to consider resigning but I agree being open about it is important. There shouldn't be any shame or embarassment -- if you're feeling any, please talk to someone about it: a counselor, a religious, whomever you trust.

 

By sharing your story, you'll help others in similar or comparable situations. Thank you.

 

Be well,

 

jd

[orennoah]

Your wife should most definately stay in Scouting.

 

More importantly, she should seek legal advice as to how to clear her record. She didn't "go nuts," she had a bad drug interaction. No telling the horrors this misinformation in her record can cause in the future.

[bbng]

I'm really sorry to hear of what has happened. May I suggest that your wife take that letter to her doctor, asking him if he can set the record straight on this? It might go a long way to helping her out in the event any questions are asked. I agree with all the others; she should be able to stay in Scouting, and so long as the appropriate people are aware of what's up, there should be no problems. I'm glad she is ok now.